The creative minds behind the genre-defining RPG Disco Elysium are embracing the new wave of narrative-driven games they helped inspire, even as they push forward with their next project, Zero Parades.
A New Era of Narrative RPGs
When Disco Elysium launched in 2019, it stood as a singular achievement in gaming, often compared to the legendary Planescape: Torment due to its depth and verbosity. Today, the landscape is shifting. Titles like Esoteric Ebb and Tangerine Antarctic are drawing clear inspiration from the path ZA/UM paved, proving that there is a thriving, hungry market for highly intricate, text-heavy RPGs.
From Humble Beginnings to Industry Impact
Reflecting on their journey during this year’s Game Developers Conference, the ZA/UM team expressed genuine wonder at how a project born in a “fucking squalid flat” in Estonia managed to leave such a permanent mark on the gaming medium. Writer Siim “Kosmos” Sinamäe emphasized that, despite the maturity of other narrative arts like cinema or theater, video games are still a young frontier where they are constantly learning to refine their craft.
Challenging the “One-Hit Wonder” Narrative
Rather than feeling threatened by the rise of spiritual successors, the team at ZA/UM views the influx of competition as a healthy motivator. Honey Watson, a writer for the upcoming Zero Parades, noted that the studio’s passion for games extends beyond just making them; they are fans of the genre themselves.
Sinamäe echoed this sentiment, rejecting the idea of resting on past laurels. Borrowing an analogy about fishing, he explained that in their creative process, “there are no czars”—meaning their previous success doesn’t guarantee future results. To stay relevant, the team remains focused on the daily challenge of outdoing their previous work.
Looking Ahead: The Promise of Zero Parades
Early impressions of Zero Parades suggest the studio is well-positioned to maintain its momentum. The upcoming spy thriller retains the sharp, engaging writing style that made Disco Elysium a sensation, while establishing its own unique tone. By translating the complexities of spycraft into branching, high-stakes text choices, ZA/UM appears ready to prove that their creative potential remains as sharp as ever.
