What Game Devs can Learn from XCOM: Insights from STAR WARS Zero Company Game Director Greg Foertsch

Recently Greg Foertsch, director of the highly anticipated Star Wars Zero Company, sat down for an interview with Rock Paper Shotgun. Drawing from his experience as art director on XCOM: Enemy Unknown and XCOM 2 at Firaxis Games, Foertsch highlights how the game's emphasis on team continuity mirrors strategies that could stabilize AAA studios. As the industry grapples with instability, these insights feel both timeless and urgently relevant, offering hope for developers navigating career uncertainties.

Foertsch's conversation delves into the core philosophy behind XCOM 2's success: prioritizing team retention over constant reinvention. Having worked on the series since its 2012 reboot, he credits long-term collaboration for the sequel's evolution. The interview, conducted amid announcements of Star Wars Zero Company, underscores how lessons from Firaxis apply to new projects under Bit Reactor.

"Our goal was to keep the team together." Foertsch explains that the core XCOM team from Enemy Unknown carried over to XCOM 2, building on prior projects like Sid Meier's Railroads! This institutional knowledge allowed seamless transitions, such as developing DLC to bridge launches without disbanding the group.

Applying XCOM Tactics to Real Studios

Translating XCOM's squad-based strategy to real-world studios requires rethinking talent management. In the game, soldiers level up through missions, gaining perks that enhance survival. Similarly, developers accrue skills over projects, making retention a strategic investment.

Foertsch's approach at Firaxis involved using expansions and DLC not only for content but to sustain momentum. For AAA studios, this could mean prioritizing internal promotions and cross-project assignments over external hires. At Bit Reactor, Foertsch reunited with XCOM alumni for Star Wars Zero Company, recreating that trusted dynamic.

"The difference between XCOM and XCOM 2 is like watching a team grow up right in front of your eyes. That's a huge takeaway for the industry right now." He describes how the art style shifted from miniature-like figures to dynamic, action-oriented designs, enabled by artists' familiarity and trust.

The interview is full of ideas about how to build up your team over time, and allow that dynamic to grow in such a way that everyone can do their best work. Here are a few practical examples of how to make that happen.

• Bridge Projects with Expansions: Like Enemy Unknown's DLC keeping the team engaged during XCOM 2 planning, studios could use updates to maintain payroll and morale without full-scale overhauls.
• Foster Organic Leadership: Allow mid-level talent to gain experience on smaller tasks, preparing them for bigger roles, much like XCOM soldiers advancing ranks.
• Build Trust for Adaptability: In high-pressure scenarios, like XCOM 2's engine switch to Unreal Engine 3, familiar teams pivot faster, reducing burnout and errors.
• Contrast with Churn: Unlike AAA practices of post-launch disbanding, Foertsch advocates viewing teams as evolving units, where visual and design improvements in XCOM 2 stemmed from collective maturation.

By adopting these tactics, studios could mitigate the "reset" culture that plagues the industry, turning potential weaknesses into strengths as everyone learns to work better together on each new project.

Team Building in a Time of Layoffs

The timing of Foertsch's interview could not be more poignant. The gaming sector has endured waves of layoffs, with over 10,000 jobs lost in 2023 alone. In 2026, the trend unfortunately persists: Epic Games cut more than 1,000 roles in March, Eidos Montreal shed 124, and Ubisoft's Red Storm Entertainment let go of over 100.

Closer to home for Foertsch, Firaxis faced its own challenges. In 2023, 2K announced cuts of over 30 at the studio, framing them as "sharpening focus and efficiencies." Then, in September 2025, further reductions hit to "optimize development processes." As a Take-Two Interactive subsidiary, Firaxis's struggles reflect broader parent company pressures. Take-Two itself reported restructuring in early 2026, citing market adjustments post-GTA VI delays, which indirectly impacted studios like Firaxis.

"Keeping teams together doesn't seem to matter to people, but for us it did." Foertsch laments the industry's tendency to undervalue expertise, noting that disruptions like layoffs erase hard-earned synergies.

Foertsch contrasts this with indie resilience, where smaller teams like Bit Reactor emphasize retention to punch above their weight. AAA churn, he implies, sacrifices long-term gains for short-term savings, exacerbating instability. Indie successes, such as Hades or Celeste, often stem from tight-knit groups that endure, proving that XCOM-style loyalty yields quality amid chaos.

Future of Game Dev Teams

Looking ahead, Foertsch's insights suggest a paradigm shift toward valuing human capital in game dev. As AI tools handle rote tasks, the irreplaceable element remains creative synergy, best nurtured in stable environments. Star Wars Zero Company, blending XCOM's tactical depth with Star Wars lore, exemplifies this: Foertsch's veteran team promises innovative squad mechanics without starting from scratch.

For career-focused gamers and developers, the message is clear: Advocate for retention in your workplaces. Studios that heed these lessons could lead a more sustainable industry, where teams "level up" together rather than scatter after each project.

Want to dive deeper? Hit the link for the full interview and let us know what you think on X or Facebook!