There’s a new Star Wars game on the horizon, but this one doesn’t involve frantic lightsaber swings or blaster-slinging bounty hunters in third-person combat. Instead, Bit Reactor, the new studio led by strategy veterans, is cooking up something a little more cerebral: a turn-based tactical strategy game set in the Star Wars universe.

Now, before anyone asks if this is just XCOM with stormtroopers—well, sort of. But also… not really. There’s more going on here, and it’s worth digging into.

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Who’s Making This Thing?

👨‍💻 Bit Reactor: Not Newbies to the Game

Bit Reactor may be a relatively fresh name in the industry, but the people behind it are anything but rookies. Founded in 2021, the studio is stacked with talent from Firaxis Games, the team responsible for XCOM: Enemy Unknown and XCOM 2. These were the kinds of games where a single wrong move could get your favorite soldier perma-dead. And now those same minds are crafting strategy inside the galaxy far, far away.

The studio’s CEO, Greg Foertsch, previously worked as an art director on multiple Firaxis titles and brings decades of AAA experience to the table. Bit Reactor’s mission? To “modernize” turn-based tactical games by fusing them with cinematic presentation and tight narrative design.

In other words: they’re not just porting board-game tactics into Star Wars. They’re trying to make turn-based gameplay feel like something out of a Disney+ original.

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Partnered with Respawn? You Bet.

🎮 Strategy Meets Storytelling

Bit Reactor isn’t going it alone. The studio is collaborating with none other than Respawn Entertainment, the creators of Jedi: Fallen Order and Jedi: Survivor. These games reintroduced strong single-player Star Wars narratives and are widely credited with revitalizing EA’s relationship with Lucasfilm Games.

Respawn is overseeing this new strategy game, and while Bit Reactor is handling core gameplay, Respawn’s involvement suggests a strong emphasis on character development, story arcs, and cinematic worldbuilding.

This is an unusual combo—Respawn’s narrative chops and Bit Reactor’s tactical pedigree—and it could be the best of both worlds. If they pull it off, the game might appeal to both lore-lovers and spreadsheet tacticians. Which, let’s be honest, is a rare crossover.

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What’s the Game About?

🕵️‍♂️ Plot Details Are Scarcer Than Tatooine Rain

As of March 2025, EA and Bit Reactor are keeping the story under wraps. The setting, characters, and timeline haven’t been confirmed. But based on industry chatter and developer interviews, this game won’t just rehash the Clone Wars or the Skywalker Saga.

Instead, it’s expected to explore a fresh narrative space within the Star Wars universe. That could mean brand-new characters, unexplored planets, and maybe—just maybe—some much-needed narrative freedom away from the Jedi/Sith binary.

There’s also a possibility it ties into broader Lucasfilm plans across other media—think High Republic-era games, or something aligned with The Acolyte timeline. But that’s pure speculation (for now).

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Gameplay Style

🎯 Turn-Based Tactics with a Modern Twist

While we don’t have gameplay footage yet, we do know Bit Reactor is aiming for a modern, cinematic take on turn-based strategy. Think less “gridlocked units shuffling slowly” and more “explosions, slow-mo decision moments, and immersive camera work.”

Bit Reactor has said they want to make the genre more accessible without dumbing it down. Expect mechanics inspired by XCOM, including:

• Squad-based combat
• Cover systems
• Permadeath or injury mechanics
• Customizable characters or units
• Turn timers or pressure systems to keep pacing brisk

But we may also see RPG elements, a morality system, or even story branching based on decisions made during missions.

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How Big Could This Be?

🚀 Star Wars Strategy Is Rare Territory

Here’s a fun fact: There hasn’t been a high-profile Star Wars strategy game since Empire at War in 2006. Sure, there’ve been some mobile attempts and a few browser-based efforts, but a full-blown tactical game backed by major studios? This is new.

And it’s happening at a time when Star Wars storytelling is diversifying across genres. From the dark, narrative-driven Jedi series to the open-world Star Wars Outlaws, the galaxy is getting bigger—and smarter. A strategy title fits perfectly into this new era.

Plus, it offers something different. No button-mashing, no quick-time events—just smart, deliberate tactics and decision-making. Finally, a Star Wars game where thinking is your greatest weapon.

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Will It Be Canon?

📚 All Signs Point to Yes

Like most modern Star Wars games under the Lucasfilm Games umbrella, Bit Reactor’s title is expected to be part of official canon. That means events, characters, and outcomes may have ripple effects across books, comics, and future games.

This also raises the stakes. If the story introduces a new hero—or a villain worth fearing—they could pop up again elsewhere. And if the game lets you make game-altering choices, those could even become part of Star Wars history.

So yes, your squad’s dramatic last stand on some icy Outer Rim moon might actually matter in the big picture. That’s a pretty powerful hook.

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Release Date?

🗓️ Not Yet, But Signs Point to Late 2025 or 2026

As of now, there’s no confirmed release window. The game was first announced in January 2022 alongside two other Star Wars titles from Respawn: a first-person shooter and the sequel to Jedi: Fallen Order.

Considering the development timeline and current studio focus, most industry watchers expect the strategy title to arrive sometime in late 2025 or early 2026. That gives it enough runway to polish up, build buzz, and slot nicely into the future Star Wars game lineup.

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Conclusion: Tactical, Thoughtful, and Potentially Game-Changing

Bit Reactor’s upcoming Star Wars strategy game might not be the loudest blaster in the armory, but it’s quietly shaping up to be one of the most important and innovative Star Wars titles in years. By pairing tactical gameplay with strong cinematic storytelling, it offers a fresh angle on a universe that’s often more about action than strategy.

And with seasoned developers, a powerhouse partner in Respawn, and the freedom to explore new corners of the canon, this game has the potential to open doors for a whole new genre of Star Wars storytelling.

It may not have Jedi backflips or Mandalorian jetpacks (yet), but it’s already doing something just as exciting: giving players a reason to think before they click.

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