ZA/UM Studio, the developers behind Disco Elysium, has just unveiled a preview video for its upcoming RPG Zero Parades: For Dead Spies. This marks the first substantial glimpse at the project, following a mysterious teaser last year when the project was known as Project C4.
Described as a highly stylized sci-fi RPG similar to Disco Elysium, this title features a distinctive scrapbook-inspired aesthetic. Marketed as a “psychedelic espionage RPG,” the name hints at a strong focus on spy tactics, and the visual presentation appears quite intriguing.
The announcement arrived as a surprise drop, with Zero Parades launching on PC on May 21, just two weeks away. A PS5 version is also planned, though it will arrive later this year. The game has remained largely under wraps since ZA/UM Studio lost its core development team that created Disco Elysium.
This exodus included creator Robert Kurvitz, art director Aleksander Rostov, and writer Helen Hindpere. All three were dismissed by the company’s new leadership in 2022, following accusations of misconduct and alleged intellectual property theft. Notably, Kurvitz originally wrote the novel that Disco Elysium is based on.
Legal disputes were initiated, and Kurvitz and Rostov established their own studio. The duo denied the IP theft claims and stated in an open letter that their termination was linked to an investigation into the acquisition of ZA/UM by Estonian investors Ilmar Kompus and Tõnis Haavel. These investors have previously been convicted of investment fraud and face accusations of fostering a hostile work environment for women.
“I know at least five women who’ve left or been made to leave the studio since Disco’s launch, naming Tõnis Haavel as a major factor. There are zero women in creative leadership and very few women in leadership positions in general,” a former writer for Disco Elsyium told PC Gamer.
Other former ZA/UM staff have formed a studio named Longdue, which is developing a new title called Hopetown that serves as a spiritual successor to Disco Elysium. Updates on that project have been scarce. Regardless, we have only two weeks to see if ZA/UM retains its creative momentum following the previously mentioned controversies. Zero Parades: For Dead Spies will be available for $40 on Steam, Epic Games Store, and GOG.