Bold statement: ZA/UM isn’t aiming to become a giant, blockbuster studio, and that choice defines its future. But here’s where it gets controversial… the studio behind Disco Elysium wants to stay deliberately small and independent, not chasing a AAA label, even if success explodes.
ZA/UM, the development team behind the acclaimed 2019 hit Disco Elysium, remains a relatively compact outfit. Lead writer and voice director Jim Ashilevi, in a recent IGN conversation, reiterated a clear preference: they’d rather not morph into a triple-A studio.
The team currently employs just under 100 people, with many working remotely from around the globe. The company maintains offices in Tallinn, Estonia; London, UK; and Porto, Portugal, and remains independently owned. While this is larger than many indie outfits, Ashilevi frames it as a comfortable scale for their creative approach.
“I hope we’ll never become a triple-A studio,” he stated. He emphasized that the indie scene continually fuels fresh ideas and that avant-garde work often starts on the fringes. He added a candid caveat: even if Zero Parades achieves phenomenal sales, he hopes ZA/UM will stay true to its core sensibilities and the values they hold as artists and storytellers.
Ashilevi also shared his thoughts on the broader gaming landscape. He described the industry as facing serious challenges but believes the creative side is thriving. In his view, the tech and distribution hurdles have become less of a barrier, enabling developers to craft games that resonate with large audiences.
This optimism follows the success of Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a project with a bigger budget than ZA/UM’s typical scope. Its reception underscored a growing appetite for single-player, story-driven experiences outside the orbit of major publishers. Ashilevi observed that the industry is less gatekept than before, though that shift introduces a new problem: how to effectively promote a game and ensure it finds its audience.
He remains focused on staying true to ZA/UM’s voice. “The only thing you can truly control is your own vision and your own voice,” he said. That commitment aligns with the studio’s guiding North Star for Zero Parades, a principle Ashilevi affectionately describes as central to their work.
Reflecting on the journey, Ashilevi expressed pride in what the team has accomplished. While player reactions—ideally positive—are welcome rewards, the storyteller’s real value lies in the deeper connections forged among friends and colleagues, and in the insights gained about the hearts and minds of those who create with him.
Further context from ZA/UM covers their stance on AI use and the similarities between their new RPG and Disco Elysium, both reflecting a shared creative identity. A free Zero Parades demo will also be available during Steam Next Fest for those curious to experience the studio’s ongoing vision.
If you’re curious to compare ZA/UM’s evolving philosophy with industry trends, you can explore their AI stance and the design parallels to Disco Elysium in the cited IGN pieces. A demo for Zero Parades will be accessible via Steam Next Fest so players can sample the experience firsthand.
— Matt Purslow is IGN’s Executive Editor of Features.
