Summary
ZA/UM, the studio behind the hit 2019 titleDisco Elysium, has announced its next game,C4. Following years of legal drama at the UK-based developer, theDisco Elysiumstudio 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 RPGDisco Elysiumleft 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 severalhigh-profile studio departures at ZA/UMhave 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 ofDisco Elysium, ZA/UM has announcedC4, 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 (viaEurogamer),C4will be far fromDisco Elysium 2, created by the team as a brand-new and fully original work. Fellow writer Jim Ashilevi explained that C4 isa spy espionage gamethrough 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 aboutC4at 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,formerDisco Elysiumdevs are working on their own games, with Longdue Games working on a spiritual successor and Dark Math Games developingXXX 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 Elysiumcontinues 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.
