Star Wars Zero Company's Future in Doubt
Technical issues and studio staffing shortages raise concerns about the game's future.
1A High-Scoring but Problematic Game
Star Wars Zero Company scored 85 on Metacritic, making it one of the best-reviewed Star Wars games in recent memory. Praised as a tactical game in the style of X-COM, it stands out with memorable characters and story. However, technical issues are rarely mentioned in reviews. The PC version suffers from typical Unreal Engine 5 problems and performance issues.
2Serious Performance Issues on PC
Even on high-end systems like Ryzen 7 5800X3D and RTX 5060 Ti, the game suffers from constant stuttering and input lag. Users with more powerful GPUs like RTX 5090 report similar problems. Despite a 'mostly positive' rating on Steam, nearly all reviews mention stuttering, crashes, and game-breaking bugs. One user reports frequent crashes just before completing missions.
3Console Versions Also Affected
In addition to PC, crashes and stuttering are reported on Xbox Series and PlayStation 5 versions. YouTuber Daniel Owen released a video highlighting PC issues. Console players on Reddit share their own problems. This indicates widespread technical issues across all platforms, mirroring problems seen in the previous UE5 Star Wars game, Jedi: Survivor.
4A Similar Fate to Jedi: Survivor
Jedi: Survivor, released in 2023, faced similar issues at launch. PC players experienced constant stuttering and shader compilation problems. NVIDIA users lacked DLSS support initially. Even after dozens of major patches, the game still stutters. Respawn Entertainment hasn’t released a patch in two years, raising concerns about Zero Company's future support.
5Bit Reactor's Uncertain Future
Bit Reactor, Zero Company's developer, furloughed most of its staff weeks before the game's August release. Sources say nearly 80% of employees aren’t being paid. Only a skeleton crew remains to address post-launch bugs. The studio hopes to bring back furloughed workers, but employees doubt this promise. The studio is also entangled in a legal dispute between co-founders.
6Limited Post-Launch Support
Bit Reactor announced on Steam forums that it’s aware of 'emerging issues (crashes and CPU threading)' and is working on fixes. This statement came before news of staffing shortages broke, and no updates have followed. EA and Bit Reactor didn’t respond to Engadget’s questions about post-launch support, leaving the game’s future uncertain.
7Comparisons with Other Studios
Respawn, with full EA backing, took a year and a half to fix Jedi: Survivor. Indie studio Cold Symmetry released a major 'Week One' update for Mortal Shell II just days before Zero Company’s launch. These examples highlight the challenges Bit Reactor faces. A fully staffed studio’s capabilities are evident, but Bit Reactor currently lacks this advantage.
8A Warning to Players
Potential buyers of Star Wars Zero Company should know the game may not improve beyond its current state. Bit Reactor’s staffing issues and legal troubles cast doubt on post-launch support. Jedi: Survivor’s lengthy fix timeline shows how long such issues can persist. Players should be prepared for technical problems and make purchasing decisions accordingly.
Original article: Engadget — Star Wars Zero Company'nin Geleceği Belirsiz