Bit Reactor, the studio behind the recently released Star Wars: Zero Company, has begun recalling a portion of the staff it furloughed earlier this year. The developer placed over 80% of its employees on furlough due to "sales uncertainty" as the game was preparing to launch.
In a statement posted on Bluesky, the studio announced it was undoing the "difficult decision." CEO Greg Foertsch stated that the initial furloughs were a response to "unexpected business developments outside of our control" and were deemed necessary to allow for rehiring "as many people back as possible."
Reports indicate that the developer's payroll has since recovered to more than half of its pre-furlough levels. The extensive layoffs had reportedly hampered the studio's ability to provide post-launch support for Star Wars: Zero Company, with the decision falling to Bit Reactor and not publisher EA.
Despite a rocky launch period that included some immediate issues addressed in a subsequent patch, Star Wars: Zero Company found success on Steam, climbing the bestseller charts. PC Gamer associate editor Ted Litchfield lauded the game in his review, calling it "a new all-timer Star Wars game and a stunning debut for Bit Reactor."