We just got an unexpected first look at Project [C4], a new game that the Estonian studio describes as “a new mind-warping espionage RPG that blends player introspection, deep character-driven dialogue, and high-stakes encounters steered by dice rolls.”
In C4, players will be able to consume psychoactive substances in the hopes of better navigating a shady and complex geopolitical narrative, but these may also prove to be their downfall. “Players must steel themselves with whatever comfort they can in order to survive the violent canvas of the real.”
This is all very exciting, should you not know the messed-up history of the studio.
Had this reveal taken place shortly after the release of the extraordinary Disco Elysium, everyone would have likely been extremely enthusiastic about C4. Unfortunately, too much shady stuff has transpired since then for fans to be more than cautiously optimistic about anything new coming from ZA/UM.
As you might have heard, the execs at ZA/UM have been notoriously severing ties with the people behind the original game. First, they had head writer Robert Kurvitz, co-writer Helen Hindpere, and head artist Martin Rostov leave the company “involuntarily”, then proceeded to get rid of an undisclosed but considerable percentage of its staff. Argo Tuulik, the last Disco Elysium writer, eventually also ended up losing his job and is currently in a very dire situation.
ZA/UM‘s mismanagement has caused such a leakage in talent that we can barely even count the number of supposed Disco Elysium successors currently in development by ex-members of the studio. That’s not, however, the most immediately egregious thing about C4. That’s how, despite their actions — actions most are aware of — the studio still rides the coattails of Disco Elysium on this promo.
The only positive highlight right now is the beautiful art by Anton Vil, the artist behind the original Disco Elysium’s magnificent thought cabinet.
Published: Mar 11, 2025 02:54 pm