Nearly all of employees at Star Wars Zero Firm studio Bit Reactor have been reportedly furloughed weeks earlier than the sport’s launch.
Star Wars Zero Firm was launched final week to widespread crucial acclaim, with a Metacritic rating presently sitting at 85.
By the point the sport had launched, nonetheless, most of its builders had reportedly been sidelined with out pay because the studio began operating out of cash.
In line with a supply talking to Recreation File, round 80% of the workforce has been furloughed, that means they preserve their worker standing however have been faraway from the corporate’s energetic payroll.
One other supply advised the publication that solely a skeleton employees presently stays at Bit Reactor, prepared to reply to bug stories following the sport’s launch on August 27.
A consultant from Bit Reactor confirmed to the publication that it had furloughed a lot of its staff earlier than the sport’s launch, however didn’t specify what number of employees had been affected.
In addition they acknowledged that it had been a tough resolution to make, that it had been made earlier than it was identified how the sport’s launch would go, and that it was solely Bit Reactor’s resolution (and due to this fact nothing to do with Star Wars IP proprietor Disney or the sport’s writer EA).
“A gross however all too frequent sight to see”, says former Bit Reactor dev
Former Bit Reactor worker Zachariah Scott, who was a cinematic storytelling artist on the studio for 3 years earlier than saying he was fired from the studio in Might 2026, made reference to the furlough on his LinkedIn web page.
“It’s sick and bizarre to have all of those EA and Disney of us in addition to Bit Reactor senior employees making all of those 10/10 posts about Star Wars : Zero Firm being such an enormous success and praising the work of the workforce whereas seemingly concealing the truth that the workforce was furloughed weeks in the past,” he wrote.
“It’s a gross however all too frequent sight to see, one other company sport hitting the highest of Steam whereas the workforce is left on the lookout for work and lower off from any attainable revenue sharing. It might be such a unique story if that they had been upfront about it earlier, and now it appears like they’re attempting to maintain the workforce in a holding sample with good vibes and extra empty guarantees.”
Scott advised Recreation File that he had spoken to almost a dozen Bit Reactor employees over the weekend, most of whom confirmed that they had been furloughed three weeks in the past, and that they weren’t assured they might all get their jobs again once more even when at the least some staff returned from furlough.
VGC’s Star Wars Zero Firm evaluate calls it an “distinctive strategic journey which reveals what Star Wars is able to”.
“The largest achievement of Star Wars Zero Firm is how a lot it made me care a few universe that has grown achingly boring and predictable in recent times,” we wrote. “It not often innovates with its fight or characters, but it surely doesn’t need to once they’re each this nicely executed.”
