Disco Elysium Writer Seeks Fan Help Over ZA/UM Claims and Debts
One of the most highly rated RPGs, Disco Elysium, did not become a ticket to big game development for its creators. The ZA/UM studio practically destroyed itself, and its former developers are now forced to ask fans for money to survive the winter.
We recently wrote about the Summer Eternal studio, founded by one of the Disco Elysium scriptwriters, Argo Tuulik, and other ZA/UM veterans. However, not everyone was able to start creating the RPG of their dreams — Argo Tuulik faced financial problems and was actually on the verge of bankruptcy.
The scriptwriter recently opened a fundraiser on GoFundMe and published a post with an appeal to Disco Elysium fans. According to him, he made an unsuccessful financial deal with Riaz Moola, an investor in Longdue studio, the brainchild of another team of Disco Elysium creators. The latter began to effectively trade on the developer's name to attract investors and tried to appropriate Summer Eternal, which Argo Tuulik himself opposed. In retaliation, Riaz Moola sued the scriptwriter, achieving a ban on the development of the spiritual successor to Disco Elysium until April 2025. Argo Tuulik believes that the leaders of ZA / UM, who are trying to clear the field of competitors, allegedly participated in the process.
As a result, the scriptwriter and his family were left without a livelihood. Realizing that rent in London is beyond his means, he went with his things and his girlfriend to the mainland to relatives. In order to somehow cover his debts and survive the winter, Argo Tuulik turned to Disco Elysium fans with a request for financial assistance. According to him, he needs about £100,000.
I come to you now because I don't want to settle. I don't want [Riaz Moola] and [ZA/UM] to corrupt the flickering light on the horizon that's given me purpose throughout all of this. I promised the first house we burn down is our own, and here I stand in the smouldering ashes. April is almost here. I swear I saw some bluebells spring. Please help me survive the winter, and I *will* Return by your side in the Summer and stay.
Fans have already raised more than £20,000. The GoFundMe platform itself at some point closed access to withdrawal of funds, but a few hours ago the collection was resumed, which Argo Tuulik reported on social networks. He himself plans to continue the fight with ZA/UM and return the rights to Disco Elysium to its true creators.
Let us recall that in October, the founders of Summer Eternal criticized Steam for monopoly.
