ZA/UM unveils upcoming game ‘Project [C4]’
No, this isn't a Disco Elysium sequel.
Years after the launch of Disco Elysium, ZA/UM unveiled its new game, codenamed “Project [C4]” – a new espionage RPG.
This upcoming game won’t be a sequel to Disco Elysium, though it still promises to deliver a similar experience. That’s because ZA/UM describes the game as a “mind-warping espionage RPG that blends player introspection, deep character-driven dialogue, and high-stakes encounters steered by dice rolls.”
Based on the description, the gameplay in this upcoming title should be familiar to those who have played Disco. While we still need to wait a bit longer to see actual gameplay footage, ZA/UM did share a teaser trailer that gives us a taste of what to expect, especially when it comes to visuals.
Check out the teaser here:
For a better idea of the game’s story, ZA/UM describes Project [C4] as:
The world of [C4] is rife with shadowy characters who help move the pieces for competing geopolitical powers in a game of concealed conflict. The player sets out to complete a desperate assignment which will put them at risk of losing their life, or much worse – being exposed for what they really are.
As an Operant serving a questionable global power, the player finds themselves locked in a vicious, clandestine struggle for truth and influence. Yet it is the mind that takes centre stage in Project [C4]. More vulnerable and more powerful than the physical world, it can be erased, changed, reordered, and of course significantly altered through regular use of psychoactive substances amongst other means. Players must steel themselves with whatever comfort they can in order to survive the violent canvas of the real.
While a new game from the studio behind Disco Elysium is an exciting one, note that this game is not being made with key members of the Disco development team. That’s because director Robert Kurvitz, art director Aleksander Rostov, and writer Helen Hindpere “involuntarily left the company” back in 2021. Since then, there have been various disputes between development team members and ZA/UM. Currently, there are other projects being made by former ZA/UM staff, all of which aim to be successors to Disco Elysium.
Even with all the reports over the past couple of years, ZA/UM is pushing through with this new project. Plus, this game does have staff members from Disco, including Jim AshileviSiim “Kosmos” Sinamäe who serve as C4’s writers.