Disco Elysium Studio Faces Layoffs Despite Critical Success of New Game

ZA/UM Studio, the developer behind the acclaimed game Disco Elysium, has revealed that it is implementing layoffs affecting up to 32 employees across all departments. This decision comes after the release of Zero Parades: For Dead Spies, which received positive reviews but failed to generate sufficient financial success. The studio announced the layoffs via social media, stating it is collaborating with its labor union to manage the process.

This marks another difficult chapter for ZA/UM, which has faced significant turmoil over the past four years. In 2022, three of the studio's founders—Robert Kurvitz, Aleksander Rostov, and Helen Hindpere—left under contentious circumstances, claiming they were forced out. Their departure led to legal disputes over the studio's ownership and allegations of a toxic work environment.

Since then, ZA/UM has struggled to maintain stability, canceling multiple projects and witnessing the exodus of key talent who have since formed new studios in pursuit of creating a worthy successor to Disco Elysium. The irony of the layoffs is particularly poignant given the themes of Zero Parades, which explores the concept of being trapped in unwinnable situations. As the studio navigates these challenges, the future of its projects remains uncertain.