ZU/UM, the Indie Developer of Disco Elysium, Cancels Unannounced Project
According to reports from GLHF sources, ZA/UM, the independent Estonian studio behind the cult classic role-playing detective game Disco Elysium, has cancelled an unannounced project and is bracing for layoffs.
Project X7: Disco Elysium Standalone Add-on Cancelled
The unreleased project, code-named X7, was, in fact, an autonomous addon for Disco Elysium. ZA/UM’s president, Ed Tomaszewski, disclosed that the project was still one to two years away from being market-ready, but that it could have potentially taken more time and resources than Disco Elysium itself.
An unnamed source claims that this is ZA/UM’s third failed undertaking. Allegedly, the studio cancelled a sequel to Disco Elysium (code-named Y12) in 2022 and halted development of a new sci-fi franchise game (code-named P1) in 2023.
Unconfirmed Layoffs: 24 Staff Reductions
GLHF sources allege that the cancellation of X7 will result in approximately 24 layoffs – roughly a quarter of ZA/UM’s current workforce, with the majority originating from the X7 setup – in order to restructure the team to support two remaining projects.
Remaining Projects: Codenamed C4 and M0
The surviving projects are codenamed C4 and M0, with the latter linked to Disco Elysium. Although the genre is presently undecided, ZA/UM posted a job advertisement last week seeking a design director experienced in creating story-driven RPGs.
The Cause of the Situation: Alleged Management Issues
One source believes that the studio’s management, who seem to perceive everyone from the media, employees, to the original Disco team as adversaries, is to blame. There are allegations that the company’s key leadership does not value the talent within the studio.
Another informant criticizes ZA/UM for becoming the very thing that Disco Elysium reportedly stood against and encourages the studio’s gifted staff members to pursue opportunities elsewhere.
