‘Star Wars Zero Company’ Preview: Why This XCOM-Style Tactics Game Could Be 2026’s Best Star Wars Title

Star Wars Zero Company, the turn-based tactics game from Bit Reactor, is drawing some of the strongest early praise of any Star Wars video game in years — and the growing wave of hands-on previews suggests it’s living up to the hype ahead of its August 27 release.

What Is Star Wars Zero Company?

Star Wars Zero Company is a single-player, XCOM-style tactics game set during the Clone Wars, developed by Bit Reactor and published by EA and Lucasfilm Games in collaboration with Respawn Entertainment. The Star Wars pedigree runs deep on the development side: Bit Reactor was founded by former Firaxis Games staffers, including creative director Greg Foertsch, who previously served as art director on the modern XCOM series — a lineage critics say shows in every mission.

Key details:

• Release date: August 27, 2026
• Platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S
• Genre: Turn-based tactics
• Developer: Bit Reactor (founded by ex-XCOM/Firaxis developers)
• Publisher: EA and Lucasfilm Games

Gameplay: XCOM Meets Star Wars

Players lead Hawks, a customizable former Republic captain turned mercenary commander, as he assembles a four-person squad — including established fan-favorite characters like former clone trooper Trick and Kabbney “Kabb” Uppercut — to take on missions that blend combat with growing narrative stakes.

Combat follows a familiar XCOM-style action-point system, letting players move, shoot, use items, or trigger character abilities each turn. Previewers highlighted one standout twist: rather than sticking to a fixed isometric view, the camera swings into a third-person perspective behind Hawks during exploration and story beats, adding a layer of cinematic immersion rare for the genre.

What Critics Are Saying

Early reception has been overwhelmingly positive. Outlets including Game Informer, RPGFan, and Windows Central have all drawn direct comparisons to XCOM — with Windows Central going as far as calling it a “personal GOTY contender.” Reviewers who spent 15-plus hours with a preview build praised how gameplay, storytelling, and character development “reinforce one another” into what one outlet called an “addictive loop.” The tactical combat itself has been described as “extremely fun and satisfying,” while newcomers to the tactics genre should find it “massively impressive.”

Not every note was glowing: some outlets flagged mission-structure repetition (most objectives boil down to eliminating enemies or extracting from a point of interest) and urged caution around lingering bugs ahead of launch.

With Star Wars Zero Company arriving August 27 on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S, strategy fans and Star Wars fans alike have a reason to circle the date.