ZA/UM Returns With 'Zero Parades' Amid Lingering Turmoil

May 23, 2026 - 04:58

Five years after a bitter internal collapse stripped the studio of its creative core, the company behind the landmark RPG "Disco Elysium" has finally released a new title. "Zero Parades" launched today on PC, marking the first major project from ZA/UM since the original team fractured in late 2022.

The game is a narrative-driven detective story set in a surreal, crumbling city where a mysterious parade never stops marching. Players take on the role of an investigator trying to solve a disappearance while navigating a world that shifts between the mundane and the hallucinatory. Early reviews praise its dense writing and philosophical depth, drawing comparisons to the studio's breakout hit.

But the release is overshadowed by the same controversy that has haunted ZA/UM for years. The original lead writers and designers of "Disco Elysium" were pushed out or left after a series of legal disputes and accusations of mismanagement. The studio's former creative leads have publicly criticized the new direction, calling it a hollow imitation of their vision.

ZA/UM's current leadership has defended the project, stating that "Zero Parades" is a genuine evolution of the studio's style, built by a team that includes some original members. However, many fans remain divided. Some see the game as a worthy successor, while others view it as a corporate product stripped of the soul that made the original so beloved.

Whether "Zero Parades" can escape the shadow of its predecessor's legacy remains to be seen, but its arrival marks a pivotal moment for a studio still fighting to define itself.