Summary
- ZA/UM has announced a brand-new RPG titled C4.
- According to the studio, the 'genre-defining' espionage RPG is unrelated to Disco Elysium.
- More details about C4 will be revealed at the Game Developer Conference.
ZA/UM, the studio behind the hit 2019 title Disco Elysium, has announced its next game, C4. Following years of legal drama at the UK-based developer, the Disco Elysium studio is finally giving players a glimpse at what's on the way, and the creators seem to be pulling their inspiration from many of the world's most celebrated sci-fi authors and spy novelists.
Fans have long wondered what would be next for ZA/UM after the bizarre RPG Disco Elysium left a major mark on the gaming world. The title included an absolute maze of dialogue trees and skill checks, with the main character's personality and ideologies fully in the player's control. Its narrative and art style struck a chord with players, and many have voiced their desire for a sequel or spiritual successor, though several high-profile studio departures at ZA/UM have made this seem increasingly unlikely. While it may not be exactly what fans expected, the UK-based studio has finally revealed a little of what it's been working on behind the scenes.
Nearly six years after the release of Disco Elysium, ZA/UM has announced C4, described as a "mind-warping story of espionage and team-building in an original yet achingly familiar setting." A teaser trailer for the title features bizarre art reminiscent of ZA/UM's previous game, but according to studio writer Siim "Kosmos" Sianamäe (via Eurogamer), C4 will be far from Disco Elysium 2, created by the team as a brand-new and fully original work. Fellow writer Jim Ashilevi explained that C4 is a spy espionage game through and through, packed with allegiances and betrayals, and players should expect plenty of failure. "This is something very unique to our games, and we all know nobody fails more often than spies," Ashilevi said.
ZA/UM Announces 'Genre-Defining' RPG Project C4
Beyond its spy and science fiction influences, little is known about C4 at this point, including its planned release window or platforms. Luckily, ZA/UM has confirmed that more information will appear during the Game Developer Conference later in March. As fans await more about this unique work, former Disco Elysium devs are working on their own games, with Longdue Games working on a spiritual successor and Dark Math Games developing XXX Nightshift, a story-heavy detective RPG with similar gameplay. It's unclear when the latter will be released, though a new trailer appeared online earlier this month.
Years following its release, Disco Elysium continues to find success. An expanded version of the title, Disco Elysium: The Final Cut, was released in 2021 and includes full voice acting for the game's almost 100 characters and narration. Four quests cut from the original release were also included, as well as new art and animations.
ZA/UM
- Date Founded
- 2016
- Headquarters
- London, united kingdom