While there were not a lot of video game-related announcements at Star Wars Celebration, fans were finally able to get a look at what Respawn and Bit Reactor have been working on. Titled Star Wars Zero Company, this new game will send players to the Clone Wars and task them with leading a covert band of soldiers. That premise alone is already a stark contrast to what players have been getting from the franchise recently, but the best thing about Star Wars Zero Company may be the genre that it will be taking on: turn-based strategy.
For years, the Star Wars franchise seems to have stuck with the same set of genres. Since the franchise is very action-focused, it makes sense that many of the games would capitalize on that. While Zero Company will likely have no shortage of action setpieces, the actual gameplay seems to be vastly different from what has come recently. It remains to be seen if that change actually pays off, but if it does, it should feel like a breath of fresh air.
Star Wars Zero Company is Primed for a Specific Line of Cameos
Star Wars Zero company is brining fans a turn-based tactics spin-off that could showcase some beloved characters in a fresh light.
Star Wars: Zero Company is Set to Shake Things Up Immensely
Star Wars Has Mostly Remained in the Same Genres in Recent Years
Since Disney purchased Star Wars, many of its games seem to be focused heavily on delivering fast-paced action for fans to enjoy. Star Wars Battlefront brought back an explosive multiplayer shooter, Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order adapted principles of Soulslike design, and Star Wars Outlaws brought singleplayer stealth into the picture. All of these have delivered some intriguing adventures within the galaxy, albeit also very similar experiences that prioritized third-person, real-time action.
This is not solely a trait of the Disney era of Star Wars either, as many fan-favorite titles from the past were filled with those fast-paced sequences and put a heavy emphasis on action. The Force Unleashed was an action-adventure game that let players wield devastating Force powers in real time, classics like the original Star Wars Battlefront and Republic Commando were further shooters, and even the franchise's foray into the RTS genre with Empire at War still delivered on that tried-and-true fast-paced experience. But with the release of Zero Company, that seems to be changing.
Zero Company is Unlike Anything Fans Have Really Seen
Star Wars Zero Company will no doubt still deliver on the action that Star Wars is known for, but the gameplay itself will not be as fast-paced as the standard of Star Wars games. Since it is turn-based, players will spend much of their time pausing to plan their next moves and get the lay of the land. They will not be constantly engaged in combat, but instead will actually have time to take a breath. While it remains to be seen if a slower experience like this will resonate with today's Star Wars fandom overall, the concept alone sounds extremely promising.
Not only is this a major departure from what has come out recently, but Star Wars in general hasn't quite combined turn-based gameplay with strategy before. Games such as Knights of the Old Republic have used turn-based combat, and there have been a few mobile titles with turn-based mechanics, but nothing quite like Zero Company. This game looks to be bringing XCOM to the Star Wars universe, which immediately sets it apart from its peers.
For now, fans will just have to wait and see if Zero Company can deliver. It is set to be released in 2026, so it will be a little while before they can get their hands on it; hopefully the new genre direction will be worth the wait.
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Turn-Based Strategy, Tactical, Sci-Fi
