The story of ZA/UM, the Estonian studio that gave the world the masterpiece Disco Elysium, has been a messy and heartbreaking one. Since the game’s release in 2019, the studio has been embroiled in a constant storm of controversy, including the controversial ousting of key creators, massive layoffs, canceled projects, and bitter legal disputes. Now, in a powerful and historic response to this instability, the workers at ZA/UM’s UK branch have unionized, forming the Workers’ Alliance.
This isn’t just a big deal for ZA/UM; it’s the first-ever recognized video game workers’ union in the history of the United Kingdom. It’s a landmark moment born from a period of profound chaos, and it could have a ripple effect across the entire industry.
A Studio in Turmoil: The Road to Unionization
To understand why this is happening now, you have to look at the studio’s troubled past. After Disco Elysium became a critical and commercial smash hit, things went downhill fast. The original creators of the game were forced out in a hostile takeover, leading to public feuds and lawsuits. This internal chaos culminated in a massive wave of layoffs in early 2024, which saw approximately a quarter of the studio’s staff lose their jobs.
Alongside the layoffs, it was revealed that two highly anticipated projects had been canceled:
- A standalone expansion for Disco Elysium, codenamed X7.
- A new sci-fi IP, codenamed Project M.
For the remaining employees, the message was clear: their jobs were not secure, and the studio’s management was volatile. It was out of this environment of uncertainty and instability that the Workers’ Alliance was born.
What Does the Union Want?
The goals of the Workers’ Alliance are straightforward and aimed at creating a more stable and equitable workplace. They are fighting for:
- Fair and transparent pay.
- A say in working conditions.
- Protection against crunch and excessive overtime.
- A clear and equitable process for promotions and hirings.
- An end to the “fire and rehire” culture that plagues the industry.
In a statement, the union said, “We are workers in a notoriously precarious industry. Staff protection isn’t an abstract issue for us.” They aim to set a precedent for the entire UK games industry, which, like the global industry, has been battered by tens of thousands of layoffs in recent years.
The Bigger Picture: A Wave of Unionization
The formation of the Workers’ Alliance is not an isolated incident. It’s part of a growing global movement to unionize the video game industry. In North America, workers at major companies like Activision Blizzard, Sega, and ZeniMax (Bethesda’s parent company) have all successfully formed unions in recent years. This move by ZA/UM’s UK staff is a significant step in bringing that same momentum across the Atlantic.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- 1. Who are ZA/UM?
- They are the development studio behind the critically acclaimed 2019 RPG, Disco Elysium.
- 2. Why did the workers unionize?
- They unionized in response to years of studio instability, which included massive layoffs, canceled projects, and public disputes between the original creators and the new management.
- 3. Is this the first video game union in the UK?
- Yes. The Workers’ Alliance at ZA/UM is the first officially recognized union for video game workers in the United Kingdom.
- 4. What happened to the Disco Elysium sequel/expansion?
- A standalone expansion was in development but was reportedly canceled in early 2024 amidst the studio’s restructuring and layoffs.
- 5. Will this affect the development of future games from ZA/UM?
- The long-term impact is unknown. The union’s goal is to create a more stable work environment, which could lead to better and more consistent game development in the future. However, the studio’s future projects remain unannounced.
- 6. Are the original creators of Disco Elysium still at ZA/UM?
- No. The lead writer, lead artist, and other key creators were forced out of the company in 2021, which was the start of the studio’s public turmoil.
Conclusion
The formation of the Workers’ Alliance at ZA/UM is a story of resilience. Out of the ashes of one of the most creatively successful but internally chaotic studios of the modern era, a movement for change has been born. It’s a powerful statement that workers in the games industry are no longer willing to accept precarity as the price of passion.
While the future of ZA/UM and the Disco Elysium IP remains uncertain, the legacy of its UK-based workers may end up being just as impactful as the game they helped create. They haven’t just formed a union; they’ve lit a beacon for the entire UK games industry.