Star Wars Zero Company developers were left unpaid shortly before release as studio sidelined most of its team

The successful release of Star Wars Zero Company has an unpleasant backdrop for its developers. Several weeks before the game's release, Bit Reactor placed a large portion of its employees on unpaid leave and ended its contracts with contractors.

Bit Reactor confirmed the situation, saying the decision was made before it was clear how the game would perform. It was not a decision by EA or Disney, but by the studio itself. According to documents from a legal dispute between the founders, the company “placed the majority of its employees on involuntary leave and terminated its contractors.”

One Game File source claims that the measures affected approximately 80% of the team. Another describes the current Bit Reactor as a studio operating with only a minimal staff, with those remaining on the payroll primarily tasked with addressing any post-release issues with Star Wars Zero Company.

The reason is reportedly financial. Founded in 2021, Bit Reactor had practically exhausted its available funds before completing its first game. Some employees were therefore left without pay approximately three weeks before the game's release.

The situation is all the more unusual because Star Wars Zero Company itself had a very successful launch. The game was released on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S on August 27, received very positive reviews and also topped Steam's sales charts after launch.

Bit Reactor's management claims that, if the release is successful, it hopes to rehire the employees and restore their pay. Some team members, however, doubt that everyone will be able to return.

The studio's problems are further complicated by a long-running dispute between its co-founders. Former COO Alison Kelly sued fellow founder Greg Foertsch in 2024, claiming that she was pushed out of the company despite allegedly being its co-owner. She is seeking more than $20 million in damages. The other side denies her claims. The trial has since been postponed until early 2027.

Bit Reactor is thus paradoxically behind one of the best-received Star Wars games in recent years, yet at the time of its successful release it is operating with only a fraction of its original team.