It seems like nearly ever since Disco Elysium arrived in our lives, it has been linked to behind-the-scenes messiness which, whereas it is taken varied kinds and concerned completely different events, normally follows some comparable themes. It is usually fairly complicated – as they stated/this different particular person stated online game drama typically is – generally litigious, and sometimes actually bizarre, if nonetheless clearly price taking significantly.
Anyway, keep in mind these three studios that each one introduced they had been engaged on new video games that kinda felt a bit Disco Elysiumy final month – Longdue, XXX Nightshift developer Darkish Math Video games and Summer season Everlasting, the latter of which we just lately interviewed people from? Effectively, a brand new report delves into some fairly difficult drama between all three of them.
The report from IGN makes for a rollercoaster of a learn, delving into the hyperlinks between all three, with Longdue and Darkish Math allegedly each having tech entrepreneur Riaz Moola concerned in some capability on the monetary aspect. IGN additionally experiences that Tuulik and fellow Summer season Everlasting co-founder Dora Klindžić each labored for Darkish Math Video games and CoGrammar – Longdue’s mum or dad firm – at completely different factors this 12 months.
The pair allegedly departed Darkish Math – which is helmed by former Disco Elysium government producer Kaur Kender, who had a authorized dispute with ZA/UM over the IP which was resolved final 12 months – in July 2024, after the corporate selected to not renew Tuulik’s contract, citing “artistic variations”.
That is the place issues get bizarre. IGN experiences that whereas Tuulik and Klindžić had been serving as recreation director and narrative director on XXX Nightshift, Darkish Math’s recreation, an incident passed off which noticed Tuulik accuse Kender of displaying him and different members of the staff bare photographs of Kender’s ex-wife. Kender instructed IGN that the photographs, which had been allegdly purported to act as real-life inspirations for characters in XXX Nightshift, denied that the lady was nude within the photographs, asserting that she was sporting a bikini in some and absolutely clothed in others.
In a press release Darkish Math gave to IGN, the studio mainly expressed that it needs to maneuver on from any previous incidents. In a Twitter thread following the report’s publication, Tuulik has steered that he shares this sentiment when it comes particularly to issues involving Darkish Math.
Following this, it appears there was an entire different factor between Tuulik, Klindžić, and CoGrammar. IGN experiences that Tuulik was serving as a guide on Longdue’s recreation, however the developer has denied this was the case in that aforementioned Twitter thread. Both manner, the pair ended up leaving, with Tuulik resigning, and what’s adopted is Longdue efficiently acquiring an injuction in England and Wales which stops Tuulik and Klindžić from engaged on Summer season Everlasting’s recreation for a six month interval, on the premise of how issues went down contract-wise within the break up – one thing each side naturally have their very own model of occasions relating to.
Then, there’s the ultimate little bit of the puzzle. Disco Elysium studio ZA/UM, which Tuulik instructed IGN he resigned from, reasonably than being laid off as had beforehand been reported, has issued the developer with a authorized grievance, alleging breach of contract, breach of confidentiality, and copyright infringement. The report cites sources as saying a playbable construct of Disco Elysium spin-off X7, which Tuulik allegedly confirmed to workers at Darkish Math and Longdue by way of a USB stick, is the sticking level. Tuulik has denied he did this.
So, what does all of this imply for Disco Elysium followers? Effectively, that is still to be seen, except for presumably offering extra ammo to the notion that the true Disco Elysium non secular successor is the bunch of arguing, allegations, and unusual turns of occasions that we have seen involving Disco or Disco-like issues over the previous few years.