It’s always bittersweet to talk about a great game while having to report on layoffs at the studio that made it, but here we are.
It’s ZERO PARADES: For Dead Spies developer ZA/UM studio this time around, and it has taken to BlueSky to announce the issuing of at-risk and redundancy notices to up to 32 members of its workforce, many of whom were a part of the team that made the game as good as it was. We thought quite highly of it in our review, believing it worthy of carrying the Disco Elysium inspirations that it wears so proudly on its sleeve.
We were particularly impressed by the Faculties system and the way it made each stat a voice in your head, adding to the chaos of a story where the player balanced saving the world against losing their own sanity in the process. Top-shelf stuff, that. However, the game hasn’t been successful commercially, which is why its developer is looking to cut its workforce across all departments.
Where it goes from here remains to be seen, but ZA/UM says its artistic standards “will persist.” In the meantime, it’s consulting with the company’s Workers’ Alliance and hopefully aiding the transition for those laid off.
— ZA/UM Studio (@zaumstudio.bsky.social) 2026-07-17T16:55:35.128Z
