ZA/UM has announced a new round of layoffs affecting up to 32 employees. The studio, known for its work on Disco Elysium, confirmed the news alongside a statement regarding the commercial performance of its latest title, Zero Parades: For Dead Spies.

Quick Facts

  • Affected headcount: Up to 32 employees across all departments.
  • Reason provided: Disappointing sales performance for Zero Parades: For Dead Spies.
  • Studio stance: ZA/UM claims the layoffs change the "shape" of the studio but not its "purpose," and that it is working with the ZA/UM Workers' Alliance representatives.
  • Platform: Zero Parades: For Dead Spies is currently available on PC.

Commercial Performance and Studio Future

In a formal announcement, ZA/UM noted that the sales of Zero Parades: For Dead Spies, which released on May 21, 2026, have been insufficient to support the studio's current staffing levels. Despite the layoffs, the developer maintained that its "artistic standards remain unchanged" and that the team intends to persist with its operations.

The reception to the news has been largely critical among the developer's historical fanbase. Reaction on social platforms, including Bluesky, has highlighted ongoing tensions between the studio's management and its workforce. These latest redundancies follow a turbulent period for the studio, which has been marked by the cancellation of multiple projects, including a Disco Elysium sequel in 2022, and well-documented internal conflicts between leadership and former staff.

Reception of Zero Parades: For Dead Spies

Despite the studio's current instability and the commercial failure cited by management, the game itself received a three-and-a-half-star rating in its initial review, which noted that the title possessed "some of the old charm." The studio referenced this critical acclaim in its July 17 announcement, though it was not enough to prevent the current reduction in workforce.

For players and followers of the studio, the situation remains complex. While ZA/UM claims to be working with the ZA/UM Workers' Alliance, the move continues a pattern of downsizing that has seen many developers previously associated with the studio’s earlier successes move on to form competing independent teams.