Star Wars Zero Company: Optional Permadeath, Three Editions — What to Know Before August 27

Hawks cannot die, but the rest of the squad can die for good. Sixteen days before launch, Zero Company lets you switch permadeath off, sets the prices of its three editions and opens the final stretch for Collector’s Edition pre-orders, which were due to run until August 23.

Update, October 26, 2026: the game came out on August 27. Permadeath is still on by default and can be switched off; Beskar Mode is a separate setting, a single-save restriction. Limited Run Games now shows Collector’s Edition pre-orders closing on September 13, and the edition is marked sold out. Our post-launch buying analysis covers the verdict.

Permadeath: a setting, not a dogma

Permanent death is on by default in Star Wars Zero Company. An operator dies for good on their third Injury, and only Hawks, the commander the player creates, is exempt: if Hawks falls, the mission fails instead of the character leaving the campaign.

What earlier previews had not settled: the option can be turned off in the settings. That choice says a lot about the intended audience. A tactics game without permanent death sits closer to a squad RPG than to XCOM’s tension, because a failed mission no longer takes away a character you care about. Injuries are still counted, but they stop being final.

Whether this softer version holds its tension is a question only launch reviews can answer, and After Strategy has not played the game.

The three editions and where they sit

Standard Edition: $49.99 on PC, $59.99 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Steam lists it at 49.99 euros. It is the entry tier and the sensible choice for a first look at the genre.

Deluxe Edition: $59.99 on PC, $69.99 on consoles, 59.99 euros on Steam. EA’s press release says it adds two cosmetic packs and five weapon themes inspired by the Clone Wars. No gameplay content is announced at this tier.

Collector’s Edition: $299.99, sold by Limited Run Games for PS5, Xbox and PC. Pre-orders were due to close on August 23 at 11:59 PM Eastern, four days before launch. The full box is announced for April to June 2027, with console copies shipping before it.

Whatever the edition, pre-orders include the Crystalline Astromech Cosmetic Pack.

Campaign length and New Game Plus

Bit Reactor’s producer said in late July that the campaign takes 30 to 40 hours depending on difficulty and the player’s experience with the genre, and that the game will not have a New Game Plus mode. Later playthroughs can only unlock certain customization options. For a tactics game that is a clear contract: the value rests on a finished campaign, not on a replay loop. The panel details are in our SDCC article.

Who should buy, and when

For XCOM veterans: switch permadeath on from the start and take the Standard Edition, which gives access to the full game. For players drawn to the Clone Wars but less comfortable with campaigns that never forgive: the permadeath-free setting genuinely widens the audience.

The real decision is timing: wait for the first reviews on August 27 or bet on launch. Zero Company is Bit Reactor’s first game of this kind, so an uneven start is possible. For a collector the deadline is simpler: the Collector’s Edition is only sold through Limited Run Games, and the pre-order window is short.

Going further

• All our Star Wars Zero Company articles
• SDCC 2026: cast, a 30 to 40 hour campaign and the Collector’s Edition
• Star Wars Zero Company: is it worth its price two months after release?