The recently revealed Star Wars: Zero Company, developed by veterans of the XCOM series at Bit Reactor, has been priced at $49.99, a move that stands out against the current trend of rising game costs. This pricing mirrors the launch price of XCOM: Enemy Unknown from 2012 and is less than XCOM 2's original $60 cost a decade ago.
Early hands-on impressions of Zero Company suggest a game that blends the expected deep squad tactics and permadeath mechanics with high production values. The game features cutscenes comparable to those in titles from CD Projekt, complete with detailed animations and a significant voice cast. A notable mechanical innovation highlighted is the seamless transition between a third-person perspective for exploration outside of combat and an overhead view during tactical battles.
Developers could have reasonably priced Zero Company at $60 or even the increasingly common $70, especially considering the development costs of modern triple-A titles. Another upcoming Star Wars game, Galactic Racer, is slated for a $60 release. The studio's decision to price Zero Company at $49.99 is seen as a strategic move to differentiate itself and potentially avoid the risks associated with a flop launch, especially when competing for player attention against lower-priced indie titles.
Star Wars: Zero Company is scheduled to release on August 27 and is available to wishlist on Steam. The game's accessible pricing, particularly in contrast to titles like Grand Theft Auto 6 which has garnered attention for its high projected price without visible gameplay, positions Zero Company as a potentially significant release for fans of the genre and the Star Wars universe.