Ex-Disco Elysium devs announce two rival studios

Two studios have formed from the smoldering ashes of ZA/UM, the developers of 2019's critically-acclaimed Disco Elysium. After several high-profile staff exits at ZA/UM and a slew of legal troubles, two new London-based studios have emerged: Dark Math Games and Longdue Games.

Longdue Games is comprised of 12 people, including Disco Elysium producers and ex-Bungie and Rockstar devs, and has announced a spiritual successor to Disco Elysium. While the project is currently untitled, Longdue has released a lone piece of concept art for the game.

The press release describes the project as “a psychogeographic RPG”  that “explores the delicate interplay between the conscious and subconscious, the seen and unseen. Set in a world where choices ripple between the character’s psyche and environment, players will navigate a constantly shifting landscape, shaped by both internal and external forces.”

A calculated risk

Dark Math Games is working on a single player ‘true detective RPG’ entitled XXX Nightshift. Comprised of 20 people—half of which “contributed” to Disco Elysium—the studio has released a trailer that looks remarkably similar to ZA/UM’s BAFTA-winning RPG.

Art director Timo Albert explains what players can expect from XXX Nightshift: “Additionally to innovating the traditional RPG mechanics, we’ll bring something fresh to the table. You will see. And of course, a few less words. And a few more bullets, perhaps. In total: lot more fun.”

Robert Kurvitz, the lead writer and designer of Disco Elysium and Aleksander Rostov, the game's art director, are at neither studio, and are reportedly working on a game of their own, at a third studio named Red Info.

The announcement of the studios comes amid news of layoffs at ZA/UM.