The release date for Bit Reactor and Respawn's XCOM-coded strategy game Star Wars Zero Company has leaked ahead of the Summer Geoffs. Those in the mood to order a squad around in the midst of the Clone Wars before the summer's out are in luck, as Zero Company's only a couple of months away.

According to regularly reliable leaker Billbil-kun at Dealabs, the game will hyperdrive jump into our lives on August 27th, 2026. That's just before a September slate that's ended up about as packed with releases as May was for reasons that rhyme with 'we two play, sticks?' gets rolling.

The leaker also claimed that a Zero Company standard edition will cost $49.99/€49.99 on PC, while a deluxe edition that doesn't offer earlier access for those who pony up extra cash will cost $59.99/€59.99 on PC. Both prices in dollars are $10 less than Billbil-kun claims the game'll cost on consoles.

Directed by XCOM veteran Greg Foertsch, it's no surprise that Zero Company's channeling that series in a major way as it tasks you with strategically guiding "an unconventional outfit of professionals" led by former Republic officer Hawks through the waning days of the Clone Wars. "Hawks and Zero Company are recruited for an operation that pits them against an emerging threat that will consume the galaxy if left unchecked," reads the blurb. "To succeed, Hawks will lead a team of uneasy allies who must set aside their differences to overcome nearly impossible odds." If you muck up and they get shot in the face, they can also die permanently.

Our resident XCOM head, Julian, spoke to Foertsch back in April for a feature that's well worth giving a read if you're interested in learning more about how XCOM 2 came together and how that's influenced Foertsch's approach to making the games he's worked on since.