What Is Star Wars Zero Company? A Closer Look at Its Story, Tactics and Appeal

If you have just discovered Star Wars Zero Company, the short version is simple: it is a single-player turn-based tactics game set during the final stages of the Clone Wars. You do not play as a famous Jedi cutting through entire armies. Instead, you lead a small, unpredictable squad of operators working in the shadows of the galaxy-wide conflict.

Developed by Bit Reactor in collaboration with Respawn Entertainment and Lucasfilm Games, Star Wars Zero Company combines tactical combat, squad customization and a story built around the people fighting beside you. You play as Hawks, a former Republic officer who now leads an independent group of specialists recruited from across the galaxy.

The game released on August 27, 2026, for PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The official Star Wars game page describes it as a single-player turn-based tactics game set during the twilight of the Clone Wars.

What kind of game is Star Wars Zero Company?

Star Wars Zero Company is built around planning rather than reflexes. During combat, the action pauses while you decide what each member of your squad should do next. You can move into cover, attack an enemy, support a teammate or save your action points for a better opportunity.

Once your operators have finished their turns, the opposing forces get to act. That makes every position on the battlefield important. Moving too far forward can leave a character exposed, while waiting in the right place can set up a powerful counterattack.

If you are familiar with games such as XCOM, the basic rhythm will feel recognizable. However, Star Wars Zero Company is not simply about copying an existing tactics formula and adding blasters. Its focus on squad relationships, personal missions and Clone Wars storytelling gives the campaign its own identity.

You also do not need to be a tactics expert to start playing. The official Star Wars Zero Company gameplay guide confirms that the game includes tutorials, on-screen tips and difficulty settings that can be adjusted outside combat.

The important thing to understand is that this is a story-focused single-player game. It is not a multiplayer shooter, a real-time lightsaber adventure or a traditional open-world Star Wars game. Its strengths are squad management, tactical decisions and the characters who develop alongside your campaign.

The story takes place late in the Clone Wars

The story begins when the Clone Wars are already deep into the galaxy-wide conflict. The Republic and the Separatists have been fighting for years, countless worlds have been pulled into the war and the difference between military duty and survival has become increasingly difficult to see.

You play as Hawks, a former Republic officer who has left the organization and formed Zero Company. The group specializes in covert investigations and tactical operations, taking jobs that are too complicated, too sensitive or too dangerous for a conventional army.

Zero Company is eventually hired to investigate the Infinite Coil, a Separatist-aligned paramilitary cult led by the charismatic Kundri Fathom. The group is working to spread a deadly shadow plague across the galaxy, turning what begins as a covert operation into a threat with much larger consequences.

The premise gives Star Wars Zero Company a more grounded view of the Clone Wars. The game is not mainly concerned with famous Jedi Masters, large Republic fleets or political leaders giving orders from a safe distance. It follows a small team trying to survive on the ground while the larger war continues around them.

That perspective also gives the story room to visit places that are unfamiliar as well as locations long-time fans may recognize. The developers have described the game as a new angle on the Clone Wars, with influences from the political tension of Andor, the harsh battles of Rogue One and the humor and optimism of the original trilogy.

You do not need the squad to be made up of perfect heroes. Some characters have served the Republic, some have fought against it and others are simply trying to make enough credits to survive. Their conflicting loyalties are part of what makes the story work.

Who is Hawks?

Hawks is the leader of Zero Company and the character through whom you experience the campaign. Unlike a completely fixed protagonist, Hawks can be customized to match your preferred style.

You can change Hawks’ appearance and combat class, while also shaping the role they play within the squad. This makes the character feel less like a pre-written action hero and more like the person responsible for holding an unstable team together.

Hawks’ history as a former Republic officer also creates an immediate source of tension. Leaving the Republic does not mean escaping the Clone Wars. Every mission brings Hawks back into contact with the consequences of the conflict and the people who were left behind.

Your decisions are not limited to combat. You choose which missions to accept, which operators to recruit and which characters to send together. Over time, those choices help define what Zero Company becomes.

That is important because Hawks is not leading a famous unit with an established reputation. The company has to earn its place one mission at a time, while its members decide whether they are working together only for money or whether something more meaningful is beginning to form.

The squad is made from unlikely allies

The squad is where Star Wars Zero Company becomes more than a standard strategy game. You can combine original operators with named characters who have their own histories, personalities and problems.

The roster includes a wide range of Star Wars archetypes. You can work with soldiers, smugglers, droids, aliens, a Mandalorian gunslinger and even a Jedi Padawan. Each operator has a different role in combat, but their personality matters just as much as their statistics.

Trick is a clone soldier whose dry humor hides a troubled past. Cly Kullervo is an infamous Mandalorian gunslinger and one of the last surviving members of the ancient Clan Verminoth. Tel-Rea is a Tognath Jedi Padawan trying to complete the final mission of her fallen master.

Luco Bronc is an incendiary sharpshooter who still holds a grudge against the Republic after its invasion of Umbara. Runa Blask helps manage the less glamorous side of the company, while M-3VO serves as the pilot of Zero Company’s new ship, the Caisson.

You can customize the appearance, equipment, specializations, talents and abilities of your operators. Hawks and hired recruits can also be created from several Star Wars species, giving the company a look that feels different from a standard Republic military unit.

The most interesting part, however, is how the characters interact with one another. Operators who fight together can develop bonds, unlock support abilities and gain combat synergies. Sending the same characters on missions together may improve their relationship and influence what happens to them later.

That system gives you a reason to care about who goes into battle. Losing a random soldier is disappointing. Losing an operator whose story you have followed, whose abilities you have developed and whose bond with another character has become important can completely change the feeling of a campaign.

How does the turn-based combat work?

Each operator has health points and three action points, or AP, during their turn. These points are used to move, attack and activate abilities.

The main actions include:

• Move: Spend AP to reach a new position and take cover whenever possible. The game shows where an operator can move and how much each route costs.
• Attack: Use a ranged or melee attack against an enemy. The game can also help identify the target your operator has the best chance of hitting.
• Call for Backup: Ask a nearby teammate to assist with an attack, adding their damage to the action.
• Overwatch: Spend remaining AP to prepare a reaction attack. If an enemy moves or acts inside the covered area during its turn, the operator can attack automatically.
• Rally: Help an injured operator get back on their feet. If permadeath is enabled, repeated injuries can eventually kill that character permanently.
• Special Actions: Spend Advantage points on some of the squad’s strongest abilities. Operators gain Advantage by dealing damage during combat.

The system rewards players who think one move ahead. You may use one operator to draw an enemy into the open, place another in overwatch and then use a third to attack from cover. In another situation, saving your AP may be more useful than forcing an attack that has a low chance of succeeding.

Cover and positioning are just as important as firepower. A powerful operator standing in the wrong place can become a liability, while a weaker character in a strong position can survive long enough to change the entire battle.

You also do not always have to defeat every enemy on the map. The mission objectives determine what counts as success. Sometimes the goal is to reach a location, protect someone, investigate an area or escape before the situation becomes impossible.

That keeps the missions from turning into simple battles where the only objective is to empty every enemy health bar.

The combat changes as your squad grows

A good squad is not simply a collection of the strongest characters. You need a combination of abilities that can handle different enemies, environments and mission objectives.

A ranged specialist can control open areas and punish enemies who leave cover. A tougher operator can draw attention or hold a dangerous position. A support character can help injured teammates, while a Jedi or another powerful specialist can change the shape of a battle with the right ability.

Your squad composition also depends on who is available. Operators can be injured, unavailable or better suited to one type of mission than another. Sending the same characters into every operation may create strong bonds, but it can also leave you without your best options when they need time to recover.

Equipment and abilities give you room to develop different playstyles. You can build an aggressive team focused on heavy damage, or create a more cautious squad that relies on cover, overwatch and coordinated support.

There is no single perfect team for every situation. The best group depends on the mission, the terrain, the enemies and the relationships you want to develop.

The Den is the heart of the campaign

Between missions, Zero Company returns to The Den, a decommissioned cargo freighter permanently docked at the Ring of Kafrene. It serves as the company’s base of operations and gives the campaign a strategic layer outside combat.

From The Den’s Holotable, Hawks chooses between tactical missions and non-combat operations available during the current cycle. The galaxy map changes as the campaign progresses, so you need to decide where to send the company and which opportunities are worth pursuing.

Missions are the main combat assignments. Their difficulty can range from Risky to Dangerous and Extreme, while Critical missions move the main story forward. Before deploying, it is worth checking which operators are healthy and which team combinations make sense for the job.

Operations work differently. They require Intel points, which can be earned through missions and investigations, and they can reward you with items, credits and influence. Some operations also strengthen or weaken relationships between members of the company.

The Den is also where you can talk to your teammates, learn more about their pasts and unlock missions connected to their personal stories. Those conversations are not just filler between battles. They help explain why the operators behave the way they do and why certain partnerships matter.

You should also pay attention to the campaign cycle. Completing a mission advances the story, so it is smart to finish important conversations, upgrades and operations at The Den before sending your team back into the field.

Your decisions shape the experience

Star Wars Zero Company gives you several ways to make the campaign feel like your own version of the story.

You decide which operators to recruit, which characters to customize, who fights together and which missions receive your attention. Those choices can affect bonds, unlock new abilities and change how certain characters relate to one another.

Permadeath is optional, but enabling it makes the tactical decisions much more serious. An operator who goes down can receive an injury, and repeated injuries can eventually result in permanent death. Losing a character you have spent time developing can create new problems for the rest of the campaign.

Players who prefer a more forgiving experience can turn permadeath off. You can also restart missions through the game menu and try a different strategy with the same team.

The important point is that the game gives consequences to decisions without making every mistake impossible to recover from. You can experiment, learn how the systems work and gradually build a squad that matches the way you like to play.

What makes Star Wars Zero Company different?

The easiest way to describe Star Wars Zero Company is as a Clone Wars strategy game built around a group of people who do not naturally belong together.

You are not commanding the entire Republic army, and you are not playing as a legendary Jedi whose abilities solve every problem. You are leading an independent company that works between the major powers of the galaxy.

That creates a different kind of Star Wars story. The characters are close enough to the conflict to be affected by it, but they are not protected by the reputation or resources of a major faction. Their missions can involve dangerous planets, investigations, covert operations and battles that official armies may never even hear about.

The game also connects the personal and tactical sides of the campaign. A relationship is not only a conversation choice. It can unlock a combat synergy, change how two operators work together and influence the consequences of a mission.

The setting balances familiar and new ideas. Fans can recognize the Clone Wars era, droids, factions and locations, while the main squad brings new characters and conflicts into the universe.

That balance is probably the game’s biggest advantage. It feels like Star Wars without relying entirely on the same names and stories players have already seen many times.

Who should play Star Wars Zero Company?

You will probably enjoy it if you like:

• Turn-based combat where planning matters more than reflexes.
• Squad-based games with character progression and meaningful consequences.
• Stories about unlikely allies learning to trust one another.
• The Clone Wars and the less familiar corners of the Star Wars galaxy.
• Customizing characters, equipment, classes and abilities.
• Campaigns where the squad can develop differently from one playthrough to another.
• Games that let you slow down and think before committing to a move.

Fans of Andor, Rogue One or the darker side of The Clone Wars may especially enjoy the tone. The story focuses on covert operations, political tension, military pressure and the cost of surviving a war that has lasted too long.

It may not be for you if you want:

• A fast real-time lightsaber combat game.
• An open-world Star Wars adventure built around free exploration.
• A multiplayer shooter or cooperative campaign.
• Constant action without time spent managing the squad.
• A campaign where important characters cannot die.

Star Wars Zero Company is slower and more deliberate than games such as Star Wars Jedi: Survivor or Star Wars Outlaws. Its appeal comes from studying the battlefield, making difficult calls and becoming attached to the team over time.

Is Star Wars Zero Company worth playing?

If you enjoy tactical games and want a Star Wars story that does something different, Star Wars Zero Company is absolutely worth a closer look.

The game has a clear identity. It combines turn-based squad combat with a Clone Wars story about mercenaries, former soldiers, droids, Force users and other outsiders trying to stop a threat that conventional armies cannot contain.

Its strongest feature may be the way the squad connects to the gameplay. The operators are not just units to move around a map. They have personal histories, rivalries, relationships and abilities that become more interesting as they work together.

It may not satisfy players looking for another fast-paced Jedi adventure or a giant open world. However, for anyone who enjoys planning, character-driven stories and the idea of building a team from the edges of the Star Wars galaxy, it offers a very different kind of experience.

Some Star Wars stories are about heroes chosen by destiny. This one is about the people who keep fighting when nobody is coming to save them.

Frequently asked questions

What is Star Wars Zero Company?

Star Wars Zero Company is a single-player turn-based tactics game developed by Bit Reactor in collaboration with Respawn Entertainment and Lucasfilm Games. It follows Hawks and an unconventional squad during the final stages of the Clone Wars.

Who do you play as in Star Wars Zero Company?

You play as Hawks, a former Republic officer who leads Zero Company. Hawks can be customized, including their appearance and combat class.

Is Star Wars Zero Company turn-based?

Yes. Combat is turn-based. Each operator has action points that can be used to move, attack, take cover, support teammates and activate special abilities before the enemy takes its turn.

Is Star Wars Zero Company single-player?

Yes. The game is designed as a single-player story-focused experience. The campaign centers on Hawks, the squad and the relationships that develop during missions.

Does Star Wars Zero Company have multiplayer?

Star Wars Zero Company is presented as a single-player game. No multiplayer campaign is part of its official core format.

Is Star Wars Zero Company an open-world game?

No. The campaign is organized around tactical missions, non-combat operations and a galaxy map managed from The Den. It is not built as one seamless open-world exploration game.

When was Star Wars Zero Company released?

Star Wars Zero Company was released on August 27, 2026.

What platforms is Star Wars Zero Company available on?

The game is available on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Is Star Wars Zero Company beginner-friendly?

Yes. The game includes tutorials, on-screen tips and difficulty settings that can be adjusted outside combat. You do not need to be an experienced tactics player to understand the basics.

Does Star Wars Zero Company have permadeath?

Permadeath is optional. If it is enabled, operators can receive injuries when they are taken down, and repeated injuries can eventually result in permanent death.

What is the Infinite Coil?

The Infinite Coil is a Separatist-aligned paramilitary cult led by Kundri Fathom. Its plan to spread a deadly shadow plague across the galaxy becomes the main threat investigated by Zero Company.

Can you customize the squad?

Yes. Hawks and the recruited operators can be customized through appearances, equipment, specializations, talents and abilities. The company can include different species and character types, from soldiers and smugglers to droids and Force users.

Do squad relationships matter?

Yes. Operators can build bonds by fighting together and spending time at The Den. These relationships can unlock support abilities, combat synergies and missions connected to their personal stories.

Do I need to know the Clone Wars to understand the game?

The game is set during the Clone Wars and includes references that longtime fans will appreciate, but its main story follows a new squad and an original threat. That gives new players a clear entry point while leaving room for fans to notice deeper connections to the wider Star Wars universe.

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