In 2019, a relatively unknown Estonian studio, ZA/UM, stepped into the gaming world with its debut project on Steam: Disco Elysium. This isometric, narrative-focused RPG traced its lineage back to classic cerebral RPGs like Planescape: Torment. At its heart, the game was driven by dialogue and had minimal combat, following the story of a detective grappling with alcoholism and amnesia, as he tried to solve a murder in a city weighed down by poverty. Despite its unconventional nature, Disco Elysium captured hearts worldwide, earning accolades from gamers and critics alike, and clinching several Game of the Year awards.
Initially, Disco Elysium was exclusive to Windows PC. However, its reach gradually expanded. 2020 saw its release on macOS, followed by a revamped edition, The Final Cut, which rolled out in March 2021 on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and Google Stadia. By the year’s end, it was available on Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch. This impressive spread means that ZA/UM’s beloved RPG can be enjoyed across almost every modern platform—except mobile phones, but that exclusion is soon ending.
This week, ZA/UM pulled a rabbit out of the hat by announcing that Disco Elysium would land on Android phones in the summer of 2025. But this isn’t just a straightforward port. Instead, it offers a fresh take, adopting a first-person perspective suitable for vertical screens, featuring 2D visuals. This approach turns the RPG experience into more of a point-and-click adventure. The original game allowed for long play sessions, but this version caters to shorter bursts, perfect for those living life on the go. This new iteration might tempt fans to replay the game in a new format. However, recent controversies surrounding ZA/UM may keep some players at bay.
ZA/UM has recently found itself in hot water over its treatment of employees integral to Disco Elysium’s success. October 2022 saw revelations from a former staffer about involuntary exits from the company a year before, including co-founder Robert Kurvitz. Kurvitz, the creative mind behind the game’s design and narrative, alleged that his dismissal was due to his opposition to selling ZA/UM and the Disco Elysium IP to a holding company linked to CEO Ilmar Kompus. ZA/UM countered these claims, suggesting that the departures were due to a toxic work environment fostered by Kurvitz and others.
The ongoing dispute between ZA/UM and Kurvitz remains unresolved, and the truth of the allegations is still murky. As a result, nearly all of the original Disco Elysium team has moved on to new ventures. Disillusioned fans, wary of the current leadership, may choose not to support the Android port, feeling that profits should not enrich those at odds with the original creators. Consequently, anticipation for this mobile version is marred by the surrounding drama.
