ZA/UM's Next Mind-Melt: 'Zero Parades' Emerges From the Shadows (and Studio Drama)
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
ZA/UM, the brilliant minds behind *Disco Elysium*, are back from the depths with *Zero Parades*, a new espionage CRPG that looks set to pull us into another tangled, philosophical mystery, even if it's still brewing in the development cauldron.
Right, so you know that feeling when you've been waiting for a wizard to finally pop out of their tower after a bit of a... shall we say, 'chaotic' internal reorganisation? That's kinda what it felt like when ZA/UM, the brilliant minds behind *Disco Elysium*, finally pulled back the curtain on their next big thing, dubbed *Zero Parades*.
Bloody hell, it's been a minute, hasn't it? After the cosmic explosion that was *Disco Elysium* – a game that basically redefined what a CRPG could be, turning existential dread into an art form and making us all question our life choices (and our neckties) – the studio went through... a bit of a rough patch. If you've been following the tea leaves of the gaming industry, you'll know there were some serious whispers and outright shouts about internal disputes, key creatives departing, and a whole lot of questions hanging over the future of ZA/UM. It felt a bit like casting a spell and having it backfire, leaving the wizard's hat smoking and the lab in disarray.
But here we are, fresh from Gamescom Opening Night Live 2025, and as reported by Polygon (who were right there on the scene), ZA/UM has given us a tantalising glimpse of *Zero Parades*. And mate, if the trailer is anything to go by, we're diving headfirst back into the deep end of narrative weirdness.
The game is being pitched as a 'story-rich espionage RPG.' Now, that's a phrase that could mean anything from 'you're a spy' to 'you're a sentient teapot trying to overthrow the global elite through interpretive dance.' Given ZA/UM's track record, I'm leaning heavily towards the latter, perhaps with a side of philosophical musings on the nature of porcelain. The trailer itself was a delightful dose of ominous ambiguity, declaring, 'Your friends are you. Each a separate limb of the whole.' Sound familiar? It's got that same cryptic, slightly unsettling vibe that made *Disco Elysium* so compelling. You just *know* there's a rabbit hole waiting to swallow you whole, probably full of talking objects and moral dilemmas that would make a saint sweat.
We'll be playing as a 'tormented operant' (which, let's be honest, sounds like a job description for anyone surviving 2025), tasked with picking up the pieces of a 'broken network,' untangling 'a bloody web of intrigue at the End of History.' The stakes? Proving yourself on the 'big stage' or 'blowing it all up — again.' 'Again,' eh? That’s the kind of subtle hint that suggests our character has a past more complicated than a wizard's spellbook written in hieroglyphs and interpretive dance moves. It perfectly aligns with ZA/UM's knack for flawed, deeply human (or post-human) protagonists.
Now, let's be a bit Jeff here and apply a touch of gentle skepticism – not because I don't trust ZA/UM, but because it's always wise when dealing with early reveals. Geoff Keighley himself, the maestro of ONL, acknowledged the studio's turbulent journey, mentioning the 'host of changes' and the 'post-*Disco Elysium* breakdown.' He then championed those 'who now make up the studio' for being ready to show the world their next CRPG. It’s a testament to the perseverance of the talent remaining, keen to put their mark on the legacy. It's a tricky path, following up a game that was a genuine phenomenon while navigating the fallout of internal strife. It's like trying to reassemble a magical artefact after someone accidentally sat on it – you know it *can* work, but it's gonna take some serious effort and maybe a bit of glue.
The trailer, bless its conceptual heart, was heavy on concept art and sketches. That’s a clear sign *Zero Parades* is still in the cauldron, simmering nicely but far from being ready to serve. We're talking early development here, folks. Don't expect to be downloading this next week. But the art style, even in its nascent form, looks remarkably similar to *Disco Elysium*'s distinctive painterly aesthetic. So, visually, it seems we're in familiar, albeit potentially more shadowy, territory.
What does this mean for us, the eager gamers who’ve been patiently (or impatiently, let’s be real) waiting? It means hope. It means that the unique flavour of storytelling, world-building, and character depth that made *Disco Elysium* a cult classic might very well be returning. It also means we'll need to manage our expectations. A game of this narrative ambition, especially from a studio that's faced significant internal headwinds, will take time. But the fact that they're back, showing something, and it looks utterly ZA/UM-esque, is cause for cautious celebration.
You can wishlist *Zero Parades* on Steam right now, which is basically the digital equivalent of putting your name down for a magical quest that hasn't quite materialised yet. No launch date announced, naturally, but the journey to untangle this espionage web already sounds like a fascinating one. Here's hoping *Zero Parades* lives up to the wild, brilliant, and slightly unhinged legacy it’s set to inherit. I've got my digital magnifying glass ready; reckon this one's going to be a proper mystery.
Tags: CRPG, ZAUM, DiscoElysium, ZeroParades, Gamescom
Original article: Polygon