As the team continues to work on a sequel, it has been reported that many important Disco Elysium developers have ‘involuntarily’ left Studio ZA/UM.
As it works on its sequel, Disco Elysium creator ZA/UM “involuntarily” dismisses many important developers from the studio. With the release of Disco Elysium in 2019, ZA/UM, an independent game developer based across several studios in the UK and Europe, stunned the market. The sequel to Disco Elysium is currently in development. Still, as interest in it grows, it may be made by a different set of leaders than in the first game.
Martin Luiga provides information about the recently reported changes at ZA/UM. He explains that their official title is Secretary of the ZA/UM cultural association. This cultural organization, which can be thought of as the group of artists from which the concept for Disco Elysium originated, is separate from ZA/UM the business. The ZA/UM cultural association has been disbanded, according to Luiga, who claimed that it “no longer represents the ethos it was founded on.” For fans of Disco Elysium, Luigia shared more “bad news” in the statement.
some News…https://t.co/KbjJ1ySBTe
— ∞Luiga∞ (@martinluiga) October 1, 2022
Luiga clarified that other members of the cultural association were no longer affiliated with the company to distinguish between the two entities. He claims that Aleksander Rostov, Helen Hindspere, and Robert Kurvitz were no longer affiliated with ZA/UM and that their departure was “involuntary.” The three had the corresponding roles of narrative writer, lead writer/designer, and lead artist.
The trio’s departure was not explained; according to Luiga, it is their story to tell. Luiga responded to the rumor that the “money people” are to blame by saying, “The money comes from a background which says you gotta grab when you can use even when it does not make much economic sense.” A significant source of funding for Disco Elysium was venture capital. Additionally, Luiga advises a supporter that they ought to hate on “sociopathic criminals” rather than capitalism.
What Luiga, Kurvitz, Hindspere, or Rostov will do next is unknown. The dissolution of the cultural association between ZA and UM suggests that the group won’t cooperate outside Disco Elysium. Disco Elysium demonstrates its talent and the benefits they bring to the gaming industry, but this does not necessarily imply that they benefit from the gaming industry. Fans are advised not to worry because it is only an organization, and “we can build stuff on its ruins,” according to Luiga. Fans have already requested funding for a new project from the group from companies like Sony and Microsoft.
Regarding Disco Elysium 2, Luiga is still optimistic about the endeavor. The sequel is sweet enough, he claims, and fans might even “get it the way it was meant.” He does forewarn that Disco Elysium 2 development may still take a while. Still, he is grateful that RPG fans are “accustomed to waiting.”
Disco Elysium 2 is still in the works.