Star Wars Zero Company Story Explained
Setting: the Clone Wars and the Serona system
Star Wars Zero Company is set during the Clone Wars era, the period between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith when Jedi Generals lead the Grand Army of the Republic. The campaign’s inciting crisis is a Separatist fleet massing in the Serona system — a threat unusual enough that it needs a unit the Republic can use quietly.
That unit is Zero Company: a squad of misfits pulled together to do the work regular clone legions cannot. Reviews of the launch build describe it as the story of a scrappy crew finding its place in a galaxy that officially has no room for it.
Hawks: from clone captain to company founder
The protagonist is Hawks, a former clone captain. He served under Jedi General Pong Krell until the Antene massacre, after which he was dismissed from the Grand Army. Rather than disappear, Hawks founded Zero Company and now takes contracts through Republic Intelligence — a path that keeps him fighting for the Republic, but outside its formal chain of command.
That backstory shapes the campaign’s tone: Zero Company is not a clean army unit but a second-chance crew, and the story leans into what that means for loyalty and command. For the full profile, see the Hawks explainer.
How the campaign is structured
The story is linear. The developers have confirmed there is no branching narrative — mission outcomes and cutscenes follow a fixed arc rather than responding to player choices in major ways. The team has framed the decision directly: in their words, “This is still a turn-based tactics game at its heart.” Your choices play out tactically, in how you fight each engagement, not in which story branch you unlock.
There are no romance mechanics either; character moments exist, but they serve the war story rather than relationship systems.
Campaign length
The lead producer has put the campaign at roughly 30 to 40 hours for a standard playthrough, which makes it one of the longer single-player tactical campaigns in recent Star Wars games. Difficulty settings push this higher — Expert and Beskar Mode playthroughs take longer because failed runs and careful pacing cost time.
Spoiler policy
Beyond the setup above, the campaign’s later beats are spoiler territory and are not covered here. Mission-by-mission story details are best experienced firsthand; coverage at launch has deliberately stayed at premise level for the same reason.
FAQ
Is the story branching?
No. The developers confirmed the narrative is linear with no branching paths. Your agency is tactical, not narrative.
What era is it set in?
The Clone Wars era, with Jedi Generals, clone legions, and Separatist fleets all in play.
Who is the main character?
Hawks, the clone captain dismissed after the Antene massacre who founded Zero Company.
Are there romance options?
No romance mechanics. The story focuses on the war and the company itself.
Is there DLC planned for the story?
No DLC expansions or New Game Plus were announced for launch. Future content plans have not been confirmed.
Sources
- Shacknews — Star Wars Zero Company review: The spaceship of misfit toys
- VGTIMES — Star Wars Zero Company Devs Detail Campaign Length, Customization and Linear Story
- Newsbreak/GamesRadar — Dev confirms no branching story or romances
All sources accessed August 29, 2026.