Summary
Update 16/11:Longdue has commented on the matter in a statement to PC Gamer. Here, it confirms that there was a court hearing more than a week ago, in which a judge sided with Longdue. Here, it’s claimed that Tuulik previously worked with both Longdue and Dark Math, but says that its growth as a studio “did not align with his approach.”
Longdue does not comment on the nature of these legal disputes, other than the issues stemming from a breach in “agreements” made when Tuulik left Longdue.
Our original report follows.
Disco Elysiumis one of the greatest narratives ever told in the medium, but the real-life fracturing of the game’s development team is also proving to be quite the story. ZA/UM’s collapse seemed to begin when several key figures, including the setting’s creator Robert Kurvitz, departed the studio under contentious circumstances. Kurvitz and others allege that the studio’s executives have been mishandling funds, while ZA/UM claims that Kurvitz and others were fired with cause.
Since then, as many as five studios have cropped up with the promise that they’re building spiritual successors to Disco Elysium. Rather comically,three of these studios were all announced on the same day: Longdue, Summer Eternal and Dark Math Games. It’s these three studios, along with ZA/UM, that are named by Summer Eternal founder Argo Tuulik in an ongoing dispute.
The Antecentennial Revolution Reborn
Tuulik was a writer on Disco Elysium before leaving ZA/UM, citing “incompetence and injustice” at the remains of the studio. He then founded Summer Eternal, a development studio and art collective that’s certainly the most outwardly communist of the various Disco Elysium successors. Thestudio’s manifestopromises to build a “cultural megaproject” in the form of an RPG.
Tuulik has taken to social media to detail his recent legal troubles with ZA/UM and Longdue. The post reads, “Got some news. GoGrammar on behalf of Londgue and Riaz Moola has taken me to court and was granted an injunction against me, preventing me from working on anything Summer Eternal related until April 2025.”
“I have also received baseless legal threats from ZA/UM with whom Moola is collaborating against myself, Dora, Summer E and Dark Math Games. Today I learned press has been receiving anonymous tips insinuating there is conflict between myself and Dark Math. This is not the case. The Za/Moola – Riaz/UM alliance has been behind my legal struggles and silence as of late.”
Riaz Moola is the chairman of and investor in Longdue, one of the other successor studios which is currently developing a “psychogeographic RPG.” However, and this is rather confusing,PC Gamerclaims to have been previously contacted by Moola using a Dark Math email. In that email, Moola’s signature lists him as a co-founder of Dark Math, another successor studio that Tuulik claims he is on good terms with.
Unlike the other studios, Dark Math Games have titled their project, XXX Nightshift. It’s unknown if Moola is associated with Dark Math and Longdue, or just the latter. All in all, this kind of in-fighting among leftist game developers is something that was actually parodied in Disco Elysium, making the situation all the more ironic.
Disco Elysium
WHERE TO PLAY
Disco Elysium first launched in 2019 and sees you play the role of a detective investigating a murder. Critically acclaimed for its themes, art style, and largely combat-free gameplay, with a more complete version of the game, The Final Cut, launched in 2021.
