“I’m nearly bankrupt from fighting a CEO,” says the developer of one of the greatest RPGs ever made. Argo Tuulik, writer of Disco Elysium, was dismissed from ZA/UM in February 2024 and now battles to reclaim his rights and sustain himself.

The turmoil surrounding European studio ZA/UM and its debut title, Disco Elysium, has become a cautionary tale in the gaming industry. Once celebrated for creating one of the most ambitious RPGs ever, lauded as the best game of the decade by TIME magazine, the studio is now in shambles. With its leadership embroiled in controversy, Argo Tuulik, the writer behind the iconic title, has stepped forward to reveal his struggles and seek assistance as he teeters on the brink of financial collapse.

The Collapse of ZA/UM: Who Controls Disco Elysium’s Legacy?

Following the release of Disco Elysium in 2019, ZA/UM quickly began work on sequels, spin-offs, and even a movie adaptation. However, by 2022, the studio’s key figures and original founders exited, citing that the leadership “no longer represented the company’s founding spirit.” This departure sparked a chaotic sequence of accusations, lawsuits, and dismissals, leaving the intellectual property entangled in corporate disputes and halting any new game developments.

Among those impacted was Argo Tuulik. As the studio’s lead writer, he continued to work on the sequel until management abruptly canceled it. He was then tasked with creating an “independent expansion” without pre-production and under strict deadlines. Tuulik complied but became a vocal critic of the studio’s mass layoffs, particularly those targeting women and dissenting voices. His outspoken opposition led to his dismissal in early 2024.

Argo Tuulik’s Legal and Financial Battle

In a detailed GoFundMe post, Tuulik outlined his fight to regain the rights to the expansion and revealed how he and other original creators, including Robert Kurvitz, Alexander Rostov, and Martin Luiga, were stripped of creative control. The game’s intellectual property, he explained, was transferred to private investors who prioritized profits over artistic vision. Despite these setbacks, Tuulik is determined to reclaim Disco Elysium’s legacy for its rightful creators.

His situation worsened when a tech entrepreneur sued him, forcing him into a costly legal battle. Describing the plaintiff as a “malicious millionaire,” Tuulik claims the legal dispute drained his finances and left him with overwhelming debts. Facing nearly £80,000 (€96,506) in legal fees, he struggles to protect his ability to work and pursue justice. “I won’t give up,” he stated, emphasizing that yielding would jeopardize his new project’s purpose.

In a heartfelt plea to fans, Tuulik seeks support to endure the winter and resume his legal fight. “I promised the first house we’d burn would be our own, and here I am, standing in the ashes,” he wrote. Documenting every step of his journey, Tuulik remains hopeful for a future where justice prevails and Disco Elysium is restored to its original visionaries.

Source: 3djuegos