Zero Company Two Weeks Later: The Cosmetic Wishlist, Permadeath Anxiety, and Mastering the Long Game

The dust has largely settled on the August 27 launch of STAR WARS Zero Company. Now that the initial wave of technical adjustments—including the much-appreciated patch fixing the infamous 100% hit chance bug—has been deployed, the community is fully entrenched in the trenches of Christophsis and the hostile jungles of Felucia.

Bit Reactor’s tactical RPG is proving to be a massive time sink in the best way possible. Players are crossing the 10-hour, 20-hour, and even 30-hour thresholds of the campaign, which means the conversation has shifted. We are no longer just talking about how the game runs; we are talking about how we survive the brutal late-game encounters against Kundri Fathom’s forces, who our favorite operatives are, and heavily debating the cosmetic options we want to see added to the Den.

If you have been monitoring the community hubs over the last 24 hours, three distinct topics are dominating the Holotable discussions: the psychological weight of permadeath, the push for more robust alien customization, and mastering advanced combat mechanics for the long haul.

The Permadeath Tension and Standout Operatives

One of the most praised aspects of Zero Company is how successfully it makes you care about a roster of procedurally generated and highly customizable mercenaries. The Mass Effect-style squad interactions combined with the ruthless XCOM-like combat mechanics create a perfect storm of player anxiety.

Take a look at the community feedback on platforms like Reddit, where players are sharing their campaign progress. User NerdySpiderDan recently noted they are about 10 hours in on the Xbox Series X without losing a single operative, but admitted, “I’m terrified that someone is gonna fall.” That lingering dread is the hallmark of a great tactical game. You aren’t just losing a set of stats; you are losing a character you’ve visually customized, leveled up, and grown attached to.

Interestingly, specific operative names and archetypes are already bubbling up as community favorites. Names like “Tel-Rea” and “Trick” are frequently mentioned as run-saving MVPs. Whether Trick is locking down a chokepoint with a heavy repeater or Tel-Rea is pulling off a clutch flank to break an enemy overwatch, these emergent stories are driving the game’s stellar word-of-mouth. If you are still trying to figure out how to build a squad that won’t get wiped on Umbara, checking out our combat tactics guide is a solid first step to keeping your favorites out of the medbay—or worse, the graveyard.

But keeping them alive is only half the battle. The other half is making sure they look exceptionally cool while returning fire.

The Community Cosmetic Wishlist

Zero Company already boasts a robust customization system. You can tweak everything from your operatives’ armor colors to the specific attachments on their blasters. However, as players spend more time staring at their squads in the Den, the hunger for more has predictably surfaced.

A highly upvoted cosmetic wishlist currently circulating the community highlights some brilliant ideas that Bit Reactor should absolutely consider for future updates or content drops.

First on the list is the demand for metallic armor finishes. Currently, players can apply metallic sheens to their weapons, but armor remains largely matte or battle-damaged. The community wants the ability to field operatives with gleaming, golden clone trooper helmets or brushed steel chest plates. It’s a small tweak, but in a game where visual identity is paramount, it would go a long way.

More pressingly, players want better headwear options for non-humanoid species. Right now, human and near-human operatives have a massive advantage in the helmet department. If you are playing with a Togruta, Weequay, or Neimoidian operative (refer to our species guide for the full breakdown of racial perks), your headgear options are noticeably limited. Players are requesting species-specific masks, rebreathers, and tactical goggles that accommodate alien anatomy like montrals or uniquely shaped skulls.

Finally, there is a massive push for looted enemy cosmetics. During the campaign, Hawks and the squad face off against various hostile factions, including the notoriously tough “Slugrats” and the heavily armored forces of the Infinite Coil. Players want the ability to repurpose their gear. Specifically, the community is begging for the ability to wear the Infinite Coil Guardian armor, complete with a stamped Zero Company logo over the chest plate. Allowing players to wear the armor of a difficult boss they just defeated is a classic gaming trope, and it fits perfectly within the gritty, mercenary vibe of the game.

Mastering “The Long Game”

Looking cool won’t stop a thermal detonator from wiping your squad. As players push into the back half of the 40-hour campaign, the difficulty curve ramps up significantly. Basic flank-and-shoot tactics stop working when Kundri Fathom starts deploying elite units that can bypass your standard cover.

To survive the late game, players are having to completely rethink their approach to the battlefield. Recent strategy breakdowns, including a deep dive by IGN, have highlighted four critical pillars for mastering what they call “The Long Game”:

1. Maximizing Overwatch

In the early hours, setting an operative to Overwatch is a safe way to end a turn. In the late game, it is an absolute necessity for survival. However, players are learning that simply hitting the Overwatch button isn’t enough. You have to create overlapping fields of fire. Positioning a sniper on high ground to cover a heavily armored vanguard unit creates a kill-zone that prevents enemy melee units from closing the distance. Understanding line-of-sight manipulation is separating the veterans from the recruits.

2. Effective Use of Backup

The Backup mechanic is easily the most underutilized tool in a beginner’s arsenal. When you are pinned down and outnumbered, calling in off-map support or secondary squad elements can completely flip the momentum of a firefight. Saving your Backup charges for the extraction phase of a mission—when enemy reinforcements infinitely spawn—is a tactic many players are learning the hard way.

3. Managing the Advantage Meter

Zero Company doesn’t just reward you for surviving; it rewards you for dominating. The Advantage meter builds as you successfully flank enemies, land critical hits, and chain abilities via squad synergy. Knowing when to cash in your Advantage meter for a massive, tide-turning maneuver is crucial. Wasting it on a single, low-health enemy is a rookie mistake that will cost you dearly in the subsequent turns.

4. Utility Loadouts via the Holotable

As highlighted by recent media coverage analyzing the Den’s base building, the Holotable is where campaigns are won and lost before the dropship ever takes off. Your Utilities—medpacs, personal shield generators, stims, and specialized grenades—need to be tailored to the specific planet you are deploying to. Bringing thermal detonators to the explosive, volatile fungus fields of Felucia might cause more harm than good, whereas bringing EMP grenades to take down shielded droids on Geonosis is practically mandatory. If you are confused about permadeath mitigation, ensure you are investing your hard-earned credits into medical utilities at the Holotable. If you need a refresher on the stakes, read up on how permadeath works.

The Road Ahead

Bit Reactor has delivered an exceptional foundation. The tactical depth is there, the character attachment is real, and the Clone Wars atmosphere is thick enough to cut with a vibroblade. While there are still minor technical performance updates rolling out for base PS5 and Xbox Series X users, the core experience is shining brightly.

The ball is now in the developer’s court. The community has made it clear that they are in this for the long haul. They want to survive the campaign, but they want to do it wearing Togruta tactical masks and repurposed Infinite Coil armor. Here is hoping the first major content roadmap addresses these highly requested additions to the Den. Until then, keep your heads down, watch your flanks, and trust your operatives.