Star Wars Zero Company is Bit Reactor’s turn-based tactics game in the Star Wars universe, developed by veterans from Firaxis’ XCOM team. Recent rumours peg it at 30 to 40 hours of playtime with no New Game+ at launch. The August release date is close, and pre-purchases are open on Steam, but the reduced replay value has some XCOM veterans looking for something to play in the meantime, or a hedge against a shorter-than-hoped campaign.
We tested seven Star Wars Zero Company alternatives for desktop that scratch the same itch: squad-based turn-based tactics, permanent character consequences, and the tension of choosing between saving a wounded specialist and completing the objective. Every pick works on Windows, most on macOS and Linux, and all of them are available today.
Quick comparison
| Game | Best for | Free trial | Starting price | Standout feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| XCOM 2 with WOTC | The genre benchmark, still unbeaten | No | ~$40 with expansion | Deep customization, chosen adversaries |
| Gears Tactics | Modern XCOM with faster tempo | No | ~$40 | Multi-action turns, boss encounters |
| Xenonauts 2 | Cold War alien invasion with base management | No | ~$40 (early access) | Base building plus tactical missions |
| Phoenix Point | Ex-X-COM creator’s take on multi-faction geopolitics | No | ~$35 | Multi-faction diplomacy, unpredictable enemies |
| Mutant Year Zero | Real-time stealth into turn-based combat | Demo | ~$35 | Talking mutant characters, hybrid stealth |
| Warhammer 40k: Mechanicus | Deeply Warhammer flavoured tactical | No | ~$30 | Adeptus Mechanicus theming, deep upgrades |
| Marvel’s Midnight Suns | Deckbuilder-tactical hybrid | No | ~$60 (regular sales) | Card-driven combat, superhero fantasy |
What Star Wars Zero Company is going for
Bit Reactor’s team includes former Firaxis leads on XCOM: Enemy Unknown and XCOM 2. The public reveal put Star Wars Zero Company as a single-player turn-based tactics game with an ex-Republic officer named Hawks leading a squad that includes a Clone Trooper, a Mandalorian, a Jedi Padawan, and others. The Steam page and RPGFan preview describe pre-mission planning, cover-based turn-based combat, and named squadmates with distinct abilities.
If that description sounds like “XCOM with Star Wars paint,” you have the right idea. What sets the alternatives below apart is how each one bends the formula: different setting, different tempo, different level of squad customization. They are all worth playing whether you plan to buy Zero Company on release or not.
The alternatives
XCOM 2: War of the Chosen — Best turn-based tactics benchmark
XCOM 2: War of the Chosen is still the yardstick every game in this genre is measured against, six years after the expansion landed. Timed missions, resistance factions, chosen adversaries with escalating consequences — WOTC piles design onto a base game that was already the tactics standard. Star Wars Zero Company’s team openly cites XCOM as its inspiration.
Where it falls short: Timed missions can feel punishing on higher difficulty. The random number generator has an ancient reputation for cruelty.
Pricing:
- Free: No.
- Paid: XCOM 2 with War of the Chosen bundled around $40, discounted heavily during sales.
- vs Zero Company: Same design DNA. XCOM is older but deeper; Zero Company will bring modern presentation.
Migrating from Zero Company (or preparing for it): Every mechanic you learn here transfers. Cover, overwatch, action economy, unit progression.
Download: XCOM 2 on Steam and the War of the Chosen expansion
Bottom line: Best pick as the reference turn-based tactics experience. Skip only if you have played it three times already.
Gears Tactics — Best for a faster tempo XCOM
Gears Tactics is the Gears of War universe filtered through an XCOM-style framework. Multi-action turns, boss encounters, and a linear story arc make it less of a marathon than XCOM 2 but still a solid 30-hour campaign. Combat feels more aggressive because Gears Tactics gives every unit three or more actions per turn.
Where it falls short: No base management layer. Character customization is thinner than XCOM.
Pricing:
- Free: No.
- Paid: Around $40, frequently on sale for under $15. Included in Game Pass PC.
- vs Zero Company: Similar length target. Gears is more action-focused; Zero Company will lean tactical.
Migrating from Zero Company: Combat cadence is different because of the multi-action model. Squad-management instincts carry over.
Download: Gears Tactics on Steam
Bottom line: Best pick if XCOM turns feel too slow. Skip if you want tight action economies.
Xenonauts 2 — Best for old-school X-COM feel
Xenonauts 2 is the direct spiritual successor to the original X-COM: UFO Defense. Cold War setting, base management, air combat interception, and unforgiving tactical missions. Where modern XCOM streamlines, Xenonauts 2 restores. Currently in early access with regular content updates.
Where it falls short: Early access still. Interface is functional rather than polished. Learning curve is steep for XCOM 2 refugees.
Pricing:
- Free: No.
- Paid: Around $40 during early access.
- vs Zero Company: Different lineage. Zero Company will feel modern; Xenonauts 2 feels classic.
Migrating from Zero Company: Different design philosophy. Prepare to relearn.
Download: Xenonauts 2 on Steam
Bottom line: Best pick for X-COM (1994) veterans who miss the deeper base management. Skip if you want a smooth onboarding.
Phoenix Point — Best for multi-faction politics
Phoenix Point comes from Julian Gollop, the creator of the original X-COM. The twist is multi-faction geopolitics: three human factions besides your Phoenix Project, each with distinct goals, each willing to help or fight you. Enemies mutate week to week based on how you fight them, so no two campaigns feel identical.
Where it falls short: Balance patches have moved the game around a lot. Some ability trees are objectively stronger than others.
Pricing:
- Free: No.
- Paid: Around $35, DLC packs extra.
- vs Zero Company: More strategic. Zero Company is expected to focus on squad narrative; Phoenix Point on world-state.
Migrating from Zero Company: Combat is familiar. Strategic layer is much deeper.
Download: Phoenix Point on Steam
Bottom line: Best pick for players who want to think about the world map as much as the squad. Skip if you want a linear campaign.
Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden — Best hybrid stealth-tactical
Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden starts each mission in real-time stealth. You scout, isolate, and set up ambushes; then when the shooting starts, the game flips to XCOM-style turn-based combat. The characters are a mutant duck, a mutant boar, and a mutant woman named Selma with a lightning power, and the writing does not treat them as jokes.
Where it falls short: Short campaign at around 20 hours. Squad size caps at three most of the time.
Pricing:
- Free: Demo.
- Paid: Around $35 standalone, or Deluxe Edition with DLC around $45.
- vs Zero Company: Shorter and more focused. Zero Company will have a bigger squad roster.
Migrating from Zero Company: Combat transfers. Stealth layer is unique.
Download: Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden on Steam
Bottom line: Best pick when you want something short, sharp, and character-driven. Skip if you want a long campaign.
Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus — Best deeply-themed tactical
Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus puts you in the boots of a Tech-Priest Dominus of the Adeptus Mechanicus, leading squads through Necron tombs. The turn-based combat feels crunchy because every unit has multiple augments, weapons, and cognition-point pools you can build differently.
Where it falls short: Warhammer lore knowledge is not required but helps. UI is dense.
Pricing:
- Free: No.
- Paid: Around $30, DLC available.
- vs Zero Company: Similar length target. Mechanicus goes deeper on unit customization at the expense of squad-mate personality.
Migrating from Zero Company: Combat transfers. Story beats and lore are entirely different.
Download: Warhammer 40,000: Mechanicus on Steam
Bottom line: Best pick for Warhammer fans and squad-builder tinkerers. Skip if 40k lore is a hard pass.
Marvel’s Midnight Suns — Best for a deckbuilder twist
Marvel’s Midnight Suns looks like a Marvel game and plays like a card-based tactical hybrid. Combat is driven by cards representing abilities, and the between-mission time is spent at the Abbey socialising with characters. It is not XCOM in structure, but it lives in the same neighbourhood, and the tactical layer is deeper than the marketing suggested.
Where it falls short: Full price is high. Some of the Marvel banter is longer than necessary.
Pricing:
- Free: No.
- Paid: Around $60 at launch, discounted to $20 or lower during sales.
- vs Zero Company: Different combat DNA. Midnight Suns is card-driven; Zero Company will be action-point based.
Migrating from Zero Company: Not much overlap. Play Midnight Suns for its own reasons.
Download: Marvel’s Midnight Suns on Steam
Bottom line: Best pick when you want tactical combat with a lighter mood. Skip if cards in your tactics game sound wrong.
How to choose
Pick XCOM 2: War of the Chosen if you haven’t played it in a while. It is still the reference experience for everything Zero Company is trying to do.
Pick Gears Tactics if you want the closest thing to Zero Company’s tempo — modern presentation, fast turns, boss fights.
Pick Phoenix Point if a strategic layer matters as much as the tactical missions.
Pick Mutant Year Zero if you want a tightly focused 20-hour campaign with real characters.
Pick Warhammer 40k: Mechanicus if you like tinkering with unit builds more than character banter.
Wait for Star Wars Zero Company if the setting and squad roster are what pull you. Pre-purchase risk is real, but the team’s XCOM pedigree is the strongest signal we have.
FAQ
When does Star Wars Zero Company release?
Bit Reactor and EA have announced August 27, 2026 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam. Pre-purchase is available on the Steam page.
Does Star Wars Zero Company have New Game+?
Rumours reported by RPGFan and others say it will not have New Game+ at launch. Bit Reactor has not committed to adding it later.
How long is Star Wars Zero Company?
Pre-release reporting pegs it at 30 to 40 hours for the main campaign. Side missions may add more.
Are there any Star Wars tactics games already out?
There are older Star Wars strategy games (Empire at War, Republic Commando), but no direct turn-based tactical predecessor at Zero Company’s scale. XCOM 2 with Star Wars mods is the closest fan-made analogue.
Which Zero Company alternative is closest in feel?
XCOM 2: War of the Chosen and Gears Tactics both share the most DNA. Gears Tactics maps closest to what Zero Company appears to be doing with pacing.
