Former Disco Elysium devs are working on a spiritual successor at new studio Longdue, though Robert Kurvitz and Aleksander Rostov aren’t involved
A spiritual successor to Studio ZA/UM’s RPG Disco Elysium is currently in development at the newly-formed Longdue. It’s set in a world “conceived by the leads” of the canceled sequel.
A representative of Longdue told us that “the studio isn’t ready to talk about specific names at the moment beyond the people mentioned in the press release, but they are looking forward to sharing more about the game and the studio in the future”. They did, however, confirm that Disco Elysium’s lead writer and designer Robert Kurvitz and art director Aleksander Rostov are not involved.
Longdue currently consist of 12 people, “including team members that worked on the original Disco Elysium and its unreleased sequel”. They’re also “drawing talent from across the industry” in the shape of Bungie, Rockstar, and Yes, Your Grace’s Brave At Night alumni. Here’s how the game touts itself:
Longdue’s debut RPG explores the delicate interplay between the conscious and subconscious, the seen and unseen. Set in a world where choices ripple between the character’s psyche and environment, players will navigate a constantly shifting landscape, shaped by both internal and external forces.
The game introduces a groundbreaking ‘psychogeographic RPG’ mechanic, where every decision reshapes both the world and the characters that inhabit it. In this experience, the lines between the mind and the environment blur, colliding and transforming with each choice, leading players through an ever-evolving narrative landscape.
I’m withholding all personal judgment and comment for now, except to say that the press release contained the words “a bold new artistic endeavor that aims to trailblaze,” which reads like Harry DuBois describing the Sharpie dick he just drew in a toilet stall. It’s strange to read this kind of thing written without irony to promote a Disco Elysium game, is all I’m saying.
Narrative Director Grant Roberts says that Longdue are “inspired by decades of classic RPGs, from Ultima and Wizardry, through Fallout and Planescape, to the justifiably adored Disco Elysium.” He continues “we’re excited to continue that legacy with another narrative-first, psychological RPG, where the interplay between inner worlds and external landscapes is the beating heart of the experience.”
The messy events that followed the release of Disco Elysium have been covered extensively, most recently in an excellent report by PC Gamer, which I wrote about here if you want to get up to speed. Games aren’t made by a few lone auteurs, of course, although Disco Elysium felt like such a singular vision that I can’t blame anyone for being sceptical about anything that wears that “successor” badge so openly.