All the way back in January 2022, it was announced that new studio Bit Reactor was in the process of developing aStar Warsstrategy game, and that Respawn Entertainment would assist the studio with publishing. There have been a handful of belovedStar Warsstrategy gamesover the last few decades, most of which have been real-time strategy titles likeStar Wars: Galactic BattlegroundsandStar Wars: Empire at War. Many fans hoped Bit Reactor’s project would follow in those games' footsteps.
It’s just been confirmed that Bit Reactor’s project is a “newStar Warsturn-based tactics game,” and that it’ll be officially revealed on April 19 during Star Wars Celebration 2025. While it might not be the large-scale RTS experience some fans were hoping for, a turn-based tactics formula makes a lot of sense for theStar Warsuniverse, and makes even more sense given the studio’s history.
XCOM Lays Some Strong Foundations for a Star Wars Tactics Game
XCOM’s Formula Would Fit Star Wars Perfectly
Though it’s evolved a great deal since its 1994 debut,XCOM’s general gameplay formulahas remained largely the same. Players bring together a squad of customized Sci-Fi XCOM soldiers and control them through a series of tactical missions that range from escorting a VIP out of harm’s way, to liberating POWs from alien clutches, to destroying vital pieces of xeno tech.
It doesn’t take much to imagine aStar Warsgame with a similar formula. AStar Warsturn-based tactics gamecould see players control a squad of Clone Commandos sent behind Separatist lines, or a group of Rebel Alliance soldiers attempting to strike back at their Imperial oppressors.XCOM’s gameplay mechanics would suit these premises perfectly as well, letting players carefully guide each unit to cover, take a few shots at approaching Battle Droids or Stormtroopers, and use a variety of special abilities themed around the source material.
Borrowing fromXCOMwould also make a lot of sense given Bit Reactor’s history. Bit Reactor was founded by former Firaxis art director, Greg Foertsch, who was quickly joined by a host of other former Firaxis developers. Many of these devs worked on bothCivilizationandXCOM, so it’d only be natural for the team’s upcomingStar Warsgame to take after those past turn-based titles.
Bit Reactor’s Star Wars Tactics Game Should Still Chart Its Own Course
But whileXCOM’s formula would form a very strong foundation for aStar Warsturn-based tactics game,Bit Reactor is not Firaxis, and the studio will likely want to leave its own distinct mark on the turn-based strategy genre. In a December 2024 blog post on its own website titled “Bit Reactor is Known for More Than XCOM,” the studio talks about its unique approach to hiring developers.
Bit Reactor states that while most video game developers try to hire those with experience in the studio’s preferred genre, Bit Reactor has gone out of its way to do the opposite. Bit Reactor tries to hire developers who have worked on a wide range of genres that aren’t strategy-related. Bit Reactor’s reasoning for this is that “We want not only to make a great game but one that appeals to players across genres.” Based on this, it seems likely thatBit Reactor’sStar Warsgamewill strive for a unique identity in the gaming space.
