While there were not a lot of video game-related announcements atStar WarsCelebration, fans were finally able to get a look at what Respawn and Bit Reactor have been working on. TitledStar 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 aboutStar Wars Zero Companymay be the genre that it will be taking on: turn-based strategy.
For years,theStar Warsfranchiseseems 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. WhileZero Companywill 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 Set to Shake Things Up Immensely
Star Wars Has Mostly Remained in the Same Genres in Recent Years
Since Disney purchasedStar Wars, many of its games seem to be focused heavily on delivering fast-paced action for fans to enjoy.Star Wars Battlefrontbrought back an explosive multiplayer shooter,Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Orderadapted principles of Soulslike design, andStar Wars Outlawsbrought 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 ofStar Warseither, as many fan-favorite titles from the past were filled with those fast-paced sequences and put a heavy emphasis on action.The Force Unleashedwas an action-adventure gamethat let players wield devastating Force powers in real time, classics like the originalStar Wars BattlefrontandRepublic Commandowere further shooters, and even the franchise’s foray into the RTS genre withEmpire at Warstill delivered on that tried-and-true fast-paced experience. But with the release ofZero Company, that seems to be changing.
Zero Company is Unlike Anything Fans Have Really Seen
Star Wars Zero Companywill no doubt still deliveron the action thatStar Warsis known for, but the gameplay itself will not be as fast-paced as the standard ofStar Warsgames. 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’sStar Warsfandom overall, the concept alone sounds extremely promising.
Not only is this a major departure from what has come out recently, butStar Warsin general hasn’t quite combined turn-based gameplay with strategy before.Games such asKnights of the Old Republichave used turn-based combat, and there have been a few mobile titles with turn-based mechanics, but nothing quite likeZero Company. This game looks to be bringingXCOMto theStar Warsuniverse, which immediately sets it apart from its peers.
For now, fans will just have to wait and see ifZero Companycan 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.
