ZA/UM announced on Thursday, July 17 that it would serve redundancy or at-risk notices to up to 32 employees across all departments. According to a statement posted on Bluesky, the decision stems from the underwhelming commercial performance of Zero Parades: For Dead Spies, released two months prior.
"While Zero Parades: For Dead Spies was released to critical acclaim, its commercial performance has not enabled us to sustain a studio of our current size," the studio wrote. ZA/UM said it would continue consulting with representatives of the ZA/UM Workers' Alliance throughout the process.
The announcement arrives amid prolonged turmoil at the developer. Since the acclaimed launch of Disco Elysium in 2019, ZA/UM has weathered cancelled sequels, public disputes, and internal leadership conflicts. Zero Parades was intended as a recovery project for the studio.
In its statement, the team emphasized that "our artistic standards remain unchanged," signaling a commitment to creative quality despite the operational downsizing.
