32 workers at ZA/UM laid off following release of Zero Parades: For Dead Spies - GamesIndustry.biz

What the report says

GamesIndustry.biz reports that ZA/UM, the studio best known for Disco Elysium, has laid off 32 employees after the launch of Zero Parades: For Dead Spies. The cuts affect staff across departments, according to a statement the developer posted on social media. ZA/UM said sales performance for the new title had left it unable to maintain its previous headcount, while adding that the studio’s creative ambitions would continue.

The report says ZA/UM consulted representatives of the ZA/UM Workers’ Alliance during the redundancy process. UK-based staff at the company unionised last year through the Workers’ Alliance, represented by the Independent Workers Union of Great Britain. At the time, marketing manager Poppy Ingham told GamesIndustry.biz that workers wanted a stronger voice in management decisions and aimed to make the studio more collaborative between employees and leadership.

GamesIndustry.biz also notes that ZA/UM went through another round of layoffs in 2024, when roughly 20 employees were affected after three projects were cancelled, including a Disco Elysium sequel and an expansion. ZA/UM president Ed Tomaszewski previously told the outlet that staff had initially been moved to other projects after earlier cancellations, but the expansion’s cancellation forced further reductions.

The latest layoffs underline continuing pressure on independent game studios, where project cancellations or weaker-than-expected launches can quickly affect staffing. For ZA/UM, the restructuring is especially notable because Disco Elysium remains a prominent critical success, while the studio has faced repeated disruption in efforts to build on that reputation.