Star Wars Zero Company Draws Inspiration From Film Noir And Espionage Thrillers

Star Wars Zero Company may be set during the Clone Wars, but developer Bit Reactor has said it is looking beyond the traditional war films you might assume would influence the narrative.

During a virtual preview Q&A, narrative and cinematic director Aaron Contreras said the writing team drew inspiration from “film noir, screwball comedy and mid-century espionage books and films” while developing the game’s identity.

The team is calling Zero Company’s story within the larger Clone Wars the “War Beneath the War”, focusing on conspiracies, conflicting loyalties, and characters operating outside the clean Republic-versus-Separatist divide that fans of the Star Wars universe have come to know well.

Contreras also pointed to Rogue One and Andor as direct inspirations from within the Star Wars universe. However, he said Zero Company’s particular narrative and style are most visible in the dynamics between its characters and the way long-serving crew members speak to one another.

The main threat in Star Wars Zero Company (although you’ll come across different groups and factions) is the Infinite Coil, a Separatist-aligned paramilitary group led by Kundry Fathom. Coil recruits deliberately infect themselves with the ‘Shadow Plague,’ with survivors gaining unusual abilities.

Star Wars Zero Company is set to release on August 28 on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

Read more about my time with Star Wars Zero Company and what I learned from the press briefing in the articles below:

• Star Wars Zero Company Preview – Tactical Combat With A Big Star Wars Story
• Star Wars Zero Company Has Permadeath, And The Developers Recommend Using It
• Star Wars Zero Company Lets You Build An Entire Squad Of Astromechs
• Star Wars Zero Company’s Galaxy Map Features More Than 150 Planets