GeraldAt Star Wars Celebration Japan 2025, fans got a first look at Star Wars Zero Company, the newest video game title entering the galaxy far, far away. Instead of fast action or lightsaber battles, this game is all about smart planning, tough choices, and leading a team to overcome dangerous missions.
Zero Company is a turn-based tactics game where players take turns moving their team around a battlefield, telling them where to go and what to do. If you’ve played games like XCOM or Midnight Suns, it will feel familiar by taking cover, throwing grenades, or missing a critical shot when the odds are strongly in your favour.
The story takes place near the end of the Clone Wars. You play as Hawks, a former Republic officer who now leads a special squad of fighters. This group, called Zero Company, is made up of different characters which players can recruit from around the galaxy. The ragtag group could consist of Clone Troopers, Droids, Bountry Hunters, and even Jedi Padawans. But they don’t always get along, and it’s your job to keep the team working together.
What makes this game stand out is that your choices do matter. If a teammate dies, they’re gone for good with the inclusion of a permadeath mechanic on higher difficulty levels. While players can save scum their way to victory, it usually makes such tactical games hollow. This is similar to how XCOM works, where you grow attached to your characters and feel the loss when you’ve put a squad mate into unnecessary danger.
But Zero Company isn’t just about fighting. It also focuses on the relationships between your squad members, kind of like in Mass Effect. Some characters already have their own stories and personalities when they join while others can be created and customized.
The game’s world is darker and more serious than most Star Wars stories. It’s more like Rogue One, where small teams take on big missions and things don’t always go as planned. The trailer shows off the familiar UI that longtime fans of the genre will recognize plus a good dose of Star Wars lore.
Star Wars Zero Company will be released in 2026 on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X|S.
Gerald currently straddles between his love of video games and board gaming. There’s nothing that interests him more than trying out the newest and fanciest gadget in town as well. He dreams of publishing a board game sometime in the future!
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