A new game development company has been established by former developers of Disco Elysium, named Dark Math Games

A new game studio, Dark Math Games, established by former staff of ZA/UM, is developing a game they refer to as a spiritual successor to the popular RPG, Disco Elysium.

This team consists of 20 individuals who label themselves as a "breakaway group" from the creators of the award-winning 2019 title. Among the founders is Timo Albert, who previously worked as a motion graphic designer on Disco Elysium.

IGN's research through Companies House indicates that the directors at Dark Math Games include Heiti Kender, the sibling of ZA/UM investor and Disco Elysium executive producer, Kaur Kender.

Dark Math Games is preparing their first release titled XXX Nightshift, described as a "true detective RPG" featuring a science-fiction backdrop and innovative companion features that offer diverse paths for case resolution.

In a statement, Albert noted, "Besides innovating standard RPG elements, we'll introduce something new. You'll see. And yes, perhaps fewer words and more action. Ultimately: more enjoyment."

News of Dark Math Games came on the heels of another announcement that more former Disco Elysium developers launched Longdue, a UK-based studio, which is also working on a similar project. We discussed their first venture and the effects of the ZA/UM contention with the team.

As of now, there are three companies developing games reminiscent of Disco Elysium.

The third, Red Info Ltd, was founded by Disco Elysium's project lead Robert Kurvitz and lead artist Aleksander Rostov in June 2022. They were part of a dispute with ZA/UM, asserting they were wrongly terminated. According to PC Gamer, Red Info Ltd was formed with support from Chinese publishing company NetEase.

Kaur Kender, noted as a former director of Dark Math Games, once sued ZA/UM's CEO Ilmar Kompus, alleging misuse of €4.8 million in company assets to illegally acquire a majority stake. This dispute concluded in March 2023, with Kender retracting his lawsuit and ordered to cover Kompus' legal expenses.

To delve deeper into the legal conflicts surrounding Disco Elysium, watch the detailed examination by People Make Games on YouTube.