This is the Disco Elysium successor to get excited about: Multiple writers from the original announce a manifesto to create an RPG 'with complexity and ambition to rival our wretched and wonderful world'

GamesRPGDisco ElysiumThis is the Disco Elysium successor to get excited about: Multiple writers from the original announce a manifesto to create an RPG ‘with complexity and ambition to rival our wretched and wonderful world’When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.

(Image credit: Summer Eternal)

Burning house in red tint with text "A Single Spark, a Prairie Fire"

As the inimitable V.I. Lenin once said, “There are decades where nothing happens, and days when way too many Disco Elysium spiritual successors get announced.” Well, we’ve got one more studio of former Disco devs laying their cards on the table, butSummer Eternalis actually telling us who’s involved: Heavy hitters from the development of the original game setting up an ambitious, crowd-funded artist’s collective. The members announced so far include:

That makes for a contrast with today’s other announced Disco successor studios,LongdueandDark Math, which largely have not disclosed which former developers from ZA/UM are part of the team. Summer Eternal is also distinguishing itself via messaging and structure: This is a self described artist collective with amanifesto.

Summer Eternal continues: “All art is communication⁠—dialogue across time, space, and thought. In its rawest, it is one’s mind’s ability to provoke emotion in another. Large language models⁠—simulacra, cold comfort, real-doll pocket pussy, cyberspace freezer of an abandoned im-chat⁠—which are today passed off for ‘Artificial Intelligence,’ will never be able to offer a dialogue with the vision of another human being.”

In other words, this is thatreal shit, and in order to “push back against big tech encroachment on the territory of our art,” Summer Eternal is seeking to build “a cultural megaproject, a role-playing game with complexity and ambition worthy to rival our wretched and wonderful world.”

If today’s other announcements of studio Longdue and Dark Math’s XXX Nightshift felt like business as usual, Summer Eternal feels like falling through an open manhole into near-freezing water on a sweltering day. This declaration is bracing, unexpected, but not entirely new⁠—it gives me the same feeling of excitement I had when I first played Disco and learned about ZA/UM’s lofty ambitions. That lightning strike, mad soul inspiration and the demonstrated talent of its named developers make Summer Eternal a studio to watch.

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals

More about rpgCD Projekt Red boss says ‘around 100’ Witcher 3 designers still work at the company, while the Witcher 4’s story director is ‘the same person since Witcher 1’Watching an all-romances speedrun of the legendarily janky Fallout: New Vegas is a delightLatestValve’s Steam page currently lists a second mystery game alongside Deadlock, sending Half-Life 3 theorists into another frenzy of speculationSee more latest►

More about rpg

CD Projekt Red boss says ‘around 100’ Witcher 3 designers still work at the company, while the Witcher 4’s story director is ‘the same person since Witcher 1’Watching an all-romances speedrun of the legendarily janky Fallout: New Vegas is a delight

The Witcher 4 - Ciri

CD Projekt Red boss says ‘around 100’ Witcher 3 designers still work at the company, while the Witcher 4’s story director is ‘the same person since Witcher 1’

null

Watching an all-romances speedrun of the legendarily janky Fallout: New Vegas is a delight

LatestValve’s Steam page currently lists a second mystery game alongside Deadlock, sending Half-Life 3 theorists into another frenzy of speculationSee more latest►

Latest

Valve’s Steam page currently lists a second mystery game alongside Deadlock, sending Half-Life 3 theorists into another frenzy of speculation

Half-Life: Alyx

Valve’s Steam page currently lists a second mystery game alongside Deadlock, sending Half-Life 3 theorists into another frenzy of speculation

See more latest►

Most Popular

Assassin’s Creed Shadows takes a run at improving parkour, as Ubisoft strives to make the system less ‘like a gas pedal’

Today’s Wordle answer for Saturday, January 11

The Last of Us season 2 trailer is a brief look at a story you should probably just play yourself in April

Lords of the Fallen publisher embraces fear of the DEI boogeyman, says it will not include ‘any social or political agendas’ in its games

Epic CEO Tim Sweeney says tech leaders are ‘pretending to be Republicans’ to gain favor with Trump, skirt antitrust laws, and ultimately ‘rip off consumers and crush competitors’

If you’re trying to convince me your ‘companionship’ robot is ‘lifelike’, maybe don’t rip her face off in the demo video

Square Enix launches new anti-harassment policy to protect its employees and partners from abusive fans

The Sims begins its 25th anniversary celebration next week with a Behind The Sims episode of news and announcements

Path of Exile 2 numberlord spends 16 straight days killing rare monsters to prove that a stat that makes loot better makes better loot

Palestinian developer raises more than $200,000 to make Dreams on a Pillow, a game about the horrors of the 1948 Nakba

HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review4Ikea Utespelare desk review5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

HARDWARE BUYING GUIDESLATEST GAME REVIEWS

1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

A bunch of the best Steam Deck accessories on a blue background.

1Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

Best Steam Deck accessories in Australia for 2025: Our favorite docks, powerbanks and gamepads

2Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop

Best graphics card for laptops: the mobile GPUs I’d want in my next gaming laptop

3Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most

Best mini PCs in 2025: The compact computers I love the most

4Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands

Best 14-inch gaming laptop: The top compact gaming laptops I’ve held in these hands

5Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested

Best Mini-ITX motherboards in 2025: My pick from all the mini mobo marvels I’ve tested

1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits

Thank Goodness You’re Here review

1Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits

Thank Goodness You’re Here! review: An anarchic treasure trove of jokes and skits

2Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback

Shiren the Wanderer: The Mystery Dungeon of Serpentcoil Island review—like juggling chainsaws on horseback

3WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review

WD Black SN850X 8 TB NVMe SSD review

4Ikea Utespelare desk review

Ikea Utespelare desk review

5Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

Asus ROG Harpe Ace Mini wireless mouse review

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals#

The biggest gaming news, reviews and hardware deals