Gordy Haab, a composer with a significant portfolio of Star Wars game scores, has revealed the direct influences behind the music for the recently released Star Wars Zero Company. Haab, whose credits include The Old Republic, Battlefront I and II, Squadrons, Jedi: Fallen Order, and Jedi: Survivor, views the score for Zero Company as a continuation of Clone Wars-era narratives. He stated in an interview that the 2017 Battlefront II score served as a pivotal point for him, pushing him to explore his own stylistic direction beyond the original film themes.
Haab explained that his approach to Zero Company was to consider it a "sequel" to the musical ideas developed in Battlefront II, aiming to capture the distinctive sparkle of the Prequel era while imprinting his personal aesthetic. This evolved approach is a departure from earlier directions from Lucasfilm, which often emphasized adhering closely to the original Star Wars films. Haab noted that with the proliferation of original stories across games and shows, the directives have become more flexible, with each project allowing for a unique set of creative boundaries. For instance, his work on Star Wars: Hunters featured a blend of orchestra and heavy metal, a style unsuited for the darker tone of Zero Company or the Jedi series.
Despite the pressure of being associated with John Williams's iconic Star Wars scores, Haab has found ways to manage this influence. He described the initial intimidation he felt, but has since learned to absorb inspiration from the original films and then set it aside to focus on his own creative voice within the franchise. This philosophy has led to accolades, including a Grammy for his work on Jedi: Survivor.
Developing the soundtrack for Zero Company presented its own set of challenges. Haab dedicated several months to conceptualizing the themes before beginning composition, creating around 15 versions of the main theme before deeming it ready. He aimed for a concise and impactful main theme, distilling initial flourishes into something simpler. Among his favorite pieces in the game are the heroic theme for Hawks, the game's leader, and the theme for the Plague, which he designed to be dark, heavy, and grotesque, capable of permeating the musical texture.
Haab cited two core Star Wars themes as consistent influences: "The Force theme," for its emotional impact and pervasive use, and the "Imperial March," for its singable main section and its more complex, angular B section. He believes that the importance of theme and the harmonic sophistication of a full orchestra are essential elements for creating effective Star Wars music.
Star Wars Zero Company is currently available on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. It has been reviewed positively, with praise for its cinematic presentation and tactical gameplay.