A lot of ‘genre-breaking’ Disco Elysium sequels and successors are in the works now

If you wanted more Disco Elysium, well, you’re in luck, as we now have three studios making Disco Elysium successors and 'the next big thing' in RPGs

ZA/UM

If you wanted more Disco Elysium, well, you’re in luck, as we now have three separate studios created by ZA/UM developers, all making Disco Elysium successors and all claiming they’re the next big thing in RPGs. Maybe they’re right. ZA/UM’s writers and designers created an exceptional game and helped revitalize the CRPG, but things are getting a little confusing out there.

• Read more: Sources: Disco Elysium dev ZA/UM to lay off around a quarter of its staff, cancels new game

First up is Longdue, which former ZA/UM workers formed with former Rockstar and Bungie employees. They’re working on an untitled RPG inspired by Ultima, Wizardry, and Fallout and described as “psychogeographic,” and Longdue says their goal is achieving “real depth” in character development, settings, and themes. That sounds promising, though production is still in early stages – unsurprising, seeing as Longdue only just officially formed.

Next is Dark Math, led by ZA/UM graphic designer Timo Albert and with some involvement from former ZA/UM investor Karl Kender. Dark Math is working on the provocatively named XXX Nightshift, a “true detective RPG” (thanks, IGN).

“Set 2086, you play a Patrol Op, Dinorah Katz, who is stranded at a luxury Ski resort in Antarctica,” the description reads. “This original science-fiction setting lands you in a resort that shouldn’t exist with people that you shouldn’t know with the endless polar night covering a multitude of sins.”

“XXX Nightshift will deliver a deep single-player role-playing experience with many tools and layers of gameplay. A unique companion dynamic adds more fun and offers different paths to solve cases. The innovative and powerful role-playing system respects your time and trusts your intelligence with seismic choices. It’s up to you to decide how your story unfolds — and how it ends.”

• Read more: Last Disco Elysium writer laid off by ZA/UM speaks out

That sounds a lot like Antarctic Disco Elysium with more companion involvement, but Albert said the studio has something up its sleeve.

“Additionally to innovating the traditional RPG mechanics, we’ll bring something fresh to the table,” he said. “You will see. And of course, a few less words. And a few more bullets, perhaps. In total: lot more fun.”

I can’t say “fewer words and more bullets” was on my list of anticipated features for a Disco-like, but I’ll keep an open mind.

Then there’s Summer Eternal, which, in terms of creative continuity, seems like the best bet for something in the style and spirit of Disco Elysium. Disco writers Dora Klindzic, Olga Moskvina, and Argo Tulik are heading Summer Eternal’s debut project.

What that project will be like is still a mystery, though Tulik said they're aiming for another "genre-breaking" hit. Most of the studio’s website is devoted to explaining their co-op style structure, where developers and players own the studio and have a say in how it runs. Summer Eternal will hold a crowdfunding campaign soon.

• Read more: Best CRPGs to play after BG3

As for actual Disco Elysium 2 – well, don’t get your hopes up for it. What’s left of ZA/UM is undergoing severe internal strife after a very messy studio breakup and isn’t likely to have anything new to show for quite a while.