Bit Reactor Lays Off Star Wars Zero Company Developers

Several designers announced their layoffs on LinkedIn following the studio's earlier furloughs ahead of the game's launch.

Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Job Search

An empty office floor at late afternoon, with a single chair pushed back from a bare wooden desk and warm sunlight falling across the carpet. — Bit Reactor has laid off several Star Wars Zero Company developers, following an earlier furlough of up to 80% of its staff before the game's launch. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

Bit Reactor, developer of Star Wars Zero Company, has laid off an unspecified number of developers, with several designers announcing their departures on LinkedIn. The layoffs follow the studio's furlough of up to 80% of its staff in the weeks before the game's launch.

Why it matters

CEO Greg Foertsch said the furlough was a response to unexpected business developments outside the company's control, and Bit Reactor reportedly ran out of most of its money ahead of the launch. The cuts show how a commercially successful release can still be followed by workforce reductions at a small studio.

Bit Reactor furloughed up to 80% of its staff in September 2026 before Zero Company's launch, which went on to sell one million copies within a month. The number of developers laid off in the most recent round was not specified in the reports.

The players

Bit Reactor

Bit Reactor is the studio that developed Star Wars Zero Company and has been reducing its workforce after the game's launch.

Greg Foertsch

Greg Foertsch is the CEO of Bit Reactor, who attributed the furlough to unexpected business developments outside the company's control.

The details

Several Zero Company designers, including senior environment artist Ryan Lopez, UI Engineer Tyler Eichten and senior quality assurance analyst Ryan Mosher, announced on LinkedIn that they were let go. Bit Reactor later hired back some of the staff it had furloughed.

October 2024: Ryan Mosher joined Bit Reactor.
September 2026: Bit Reactor furloughed up to 80% of its staff before Zero Company's launch.
November 7, 2026: Layoffs were reported by Bespin Bulletin and PC Gamer.

Franchise Strategy

Lucasfilm is reportedly keen to produce more creative spins on the Star Wars universe in the vein of Zero Company and Galactic Racer. The Bit Reactor layoffs show that commercial success for these titles has not insulated their development teams from cuts.

Developers at small studios face job uncertainty even after a hit release, and furloughs can be followed by layoffs. Workers in the games industry should weigh the stability of studio employment when planning their own job searches.

The takeaway

Commercial success does not guarantee job security at game studios, so developers may benefit from keeping their skills and professional networks current. Tracking studio financial health and project pipelines can help workers anticipate changes.