Bit Reactor, the developer of Star Wars: Zero Company, has started bringing furloughed employees back to work ahead of and following the game’s launch. GamesIndustry.biz and VGC report that the studio is returning some staff it previously laid off, with VGC saying Bit Reactor is again paying the furloughed developers.
GameSpot adds that Bit Reactor’s CEO, Greg Foertsch, says the company has begun a process to return more of its team, but it does not provide figures or commit to how many will return. Game File’s sources quoted by GameSpot indicate the current headcount after the return is more than half of pre-furlough levels, though it remains unclear whether further rehiring will occur.
Kotaku frames the situation around “unexpected business developments outside of our control” and says Bit Reactor plans to share more about the game’s future “soon.” Separately, GameSpot notes that a lawsuit involving Foertsch and co-founder Alison Kelly is ongoing, adding further uncertainty around the studio’s circumstances.