Star Wars: Zero Company takes place during one of the most densely packed periods in Star Wars lore: the Clone Wars. That gives it plenty of room to tell its own story, but it also means there’s a lot to anchor it against. So where exactly does Zero Company slot into the broader timeline?
The Era: Between Attack of the Clones and Revenge of the Sith
The Clone Wars span three years, starting with the Battle of Geonosis (22 BBY) and ending with Order 66 and the fall of the Jedi (19 BBY). Based on what’s been shown so far, Zero Company is set somewhere in the thick of it, after the war has escalated but before its final year.
There’s no mention yet of major closing events like the Siege of Mandalore or the Republic’s shift into open authoritarianism. That points to a setting likely in the middle of the war, perhaps around 21 BBY—the period where most of The Clone Wars animated series takes place.
Context Clues from the Developers
The developers have said the game will ‘expand on untold stories of a unique clone squad’ operating independently of major named Jedi. That suggests a setting far from the spotlight of Anakin, Obi-Wan, or Ahsoka. The tone hints at the kind of dirty ground-level missions explored in stories like Dark Disciple or the Umbara arc. High-intensity conflict with moral complexity.
Connections to Known Campaigns
Zero Company’s teaser includes hints of battles on jungle, desert, and industrialised planets, locations that resemble Felucia, Ryloth, or even Christophis. These worlds saw heavy combat across different stages of the war. The absence of major Jedi references could suggest this squad is deployed to remote, underreported fronts, possibly ones abandoned or written off by Republic command.
This gives the devs space to introduce new conflicts without contradicting existing canon. It also aligns with Lucasfilm’s current approach: original stories that enrich, but don’t overwrite.
Why the Placement Matters
Knowing when Zero Company takes place shapes how players might see its story unfold. If it’s before events like Umbara or Mandalore, there’s room to explore clone loyalty, early doubts, and growing cracks in the Republic. If it’s later, the spectre of Order 66 becomes more present raising questions of foreshadowing and fate.
There’s also the matter of tech and tone. A mid-war setting supports a mix of optimistic mission planning and grim battlefield exhaustion. Players might see new weapon variants, unfinished prototypes, or clone units in early testing phases. Things we know existed, but never had screen time.
Zero Company likely takes place during the middle phase of the Clone Wars, around 21 BBY. This puts it firmly within the animated series’ active timeline, but far enough outside the Jedi-centric narrative to carve out its own space. It’s a time of heavy combat, rising doubt, and personal stakes, ideal conditions for a squad-based tactics game focused on identity, loyalty, and sacrifice.
Truth is, there’s a war you don’t see.
The one fought in the shadows. The war beneath the war. A war that’s won with the right strategy — surveillance, ciphers, good old-fashioned sabotage.”