You might assume that only one spiritual successor to Disco Elysium was announced on Friday, particularly one involving members of the original team. However, three projects were unveiled, all aspiring to build upon what many regard as one of the best video games of all time.
The first announcement came from Dark Math Games, which introduced its title XXX Nightshift on the same day. The studio describes itself as a “breakaway group” from the original development team. The initial footage of XXX Nightshift showcases visuals reminiscent of Disco Elysium, but the studio promises a distinctive “companion dynamic,” a rich RPG system, and various methods to unravel a mystery at a ski resort in Antarctica, set in the year 2086.
The studio is being led by Timo Albert, a former motion graphics designer at ZA/UM, along with three other founders. Currently, the development team consists of 20 members. However, it remains unclear whether additional former Disco Elysium developers are part of the project; they simply mention they have been “trained” in the acclaimed CRPG style.
“We’re not only innovating within traditional RPG mechanics, but we’re also aiming to introduce something fresh. You’ll see what we mean. And yes, expect fewer words and perhaps a few more bullets. In total, a lot more fun,” Albert, now the art director at Dark Math, stated in the release.
Next, we have Longdue, a compact team of about a dozen developers, some of whom previously contributed to the indie classic. They are crafting a game that aims to extend Disco Elysium’s illustrious legacy while also embarking on a bold new artistic journey that plans to redefine the narrative-driven CRPG genre. Although the title hasn’t been announced, a press release mentions a revolutionary “psychogeographic RPG” mechanic, indicating players’ choices will dynamically affect the game world in intricate ways.
According to GamesIndustry.biz, former designer Robert Kurvitz and former art director Aleksander Rostov are among those involved. They are two of the individuals who involuntarily left ZA/UM in 2022, coinciding with the dissolution of the ZA/UM Cultural Association. A subsequent GamesIndustry.biz report suggested that their departure was tied to “misconduct.”
Lastly, there’s Summer Eternal, which explicitly named the Disco Elysium artists and writers on their team in a series of blog posts released Friday. This roster includes writers Argo Tuulik, Olga Moskvina, and Dora Klindžić; art director Aleksandar Gavrilović; concept artist Anastasia Ivanova; graphic designer Mitchell Oswell; and even narrator Lenval Brown.
Summer Eternal operates as a co-operative where full-time members “should always maintain control over their creative processes.” Their mission is to further both the technical and artistic legacy initiated by Disco Elysium.
“I believe we previously created something that shattered genres and crossed boundaries—something entirely unique. I’m not ready to abandon that,” Tuulik expressed in a post. “So we returned to the drawing board with one aim in mind—let’s start fresh this time, but let’s avoid repeating past mistakes.”
This sentiment seems fitting considering the tumultuous events that followed the success of Disco Elysium. The game initially launched on PC, was later ported to numerous consoles, and received numerous prestigious end-of-year accolades. It was reported that Amazon is working on a potential adaptation for its Prime platform. Unfortunately, internal disputes and a complicated legal battle have stalled any proper sequel to Disco Elysium (although ZA/UM is still engaged in another project).
Although Summer Eternal has yet to reveal specific details about their game, its tone resonates closely with the political themes of Disco Elysium, more so than those of the other studios. The website opens with a comprehensive manifesto addressing the current state of the video game industry, the rise of generative AI, and the relentless cycle of capitalism. “We create games because we must. It is our calling,” the manifesto states.
