Ex-ZA/UM developers reveal Red Rooster, an “incendiary RPG” that is very intentionally not trying to be a “Disco Elysium successor” or “Disco-like”

Former Disco Elysium developers have unveiled Red Rooster, an ambitious new RPG from their newly formed studio Summer Eternal. The game is being positioned as intentionally distinct from its creators’ previous work, described as an “incendiary RPG” that draws inspiration from classic titles like Planescape: Torment, Vampire: The Masquerade - Bloodlines, and Baldur’s Gate 3, rather than attempting to recreate the narrative-focused experience of Disco Elysium.

Red Rooster is a 3D, real-time, third-person RPG set in Arta-Trantor, a magic-realist river city. The title features mechanics around “fire, water and alternate selves,” suggesting complex environmental and character progression systems.

Summer Eternal, founded by Disco Elysium’s writer and world-builder Argo Tuulik alongside fellow ZA/UM veterans Dora Klindžić, Anastasia Ivanova, and Michael Oswell, is distinguishing itself through its novel studio structure. Operating as a worker co-operative and non-profit, the studio is implementing “community decision-making,” giving players who purchase their work a voice in how the company operates—a significant departure from traditional game development structures.

The developers released a 500-page anthology detailing their vision for Red Rooster, indicating the project’s scope and creative ambition. The game remains in active development with no release date announced.

Ex-ZA/UM developers reveal Red Rooster, an “incendiary RPG” that is very intentionally not trying to be a “Disco Elysium successor” or “Disco-like”

Sources