# ZA/UM Studio Announces Layoffs Weak performance of Zero Parades leads to 32 employees affected. - **Source:** [Engadget - Technology News & Expert Reviews](https://brifing.si/source/16dd2da6-3eea-4d1e-b34f-45e846cdf037) - **Published:** 2026-07-18 - **Topic:** [Business](https://brifing.si/c/business) - **Original article:** - **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/4eb73389-db0b-477a-b000-786cfd3fccdb ## Layoffs Announced ZA/UM Studio announced layoffs affecting 32 employees across all departments. The decision was attributed to the poor commercial performance of their latest game, Zero Parades: For Dead Spies. Player numbers on Steam have declined rapidly since launch. ## Zero Parades' Performance Despite its release in May, Zero Parades: For Dead Spies failed to meet expectations. According to SteamDB, the game's peak player count was limited to 3,177. This situation threatened the studio's financial sustainability. ## Disco Elysium's Legacy ZA/UM achieved major success with Disco Elysium in 2019. However, subsequent conflicts with the core team and intellectual property lawsuits damaged the studio's reputation. Former employees founded a new studio called Longdue. ## Employee Reactions In response to the layoffs, discussions with the ZA/UM Workers' Alliance continue. The studio claims the process is transparent and fair, but employee concerns persist. ## Industry Trends Recent layoffs in the video game industry are drawing attention. ZA/UM's decision is seen as a reflection of financial instability in the sector. Other studios are taking similar steps. ## Future Projects ZA/UM has stated its intention to continue future projects. However, the impact of layoffs on creative processes remains a question. The studio's long-term strategy remains uncertain for now. ## Sources covering this story - https://www.engadget.com/2218116/disco-elysium-studio-za-um-layoffs-after-launch-zero-parades/ — --- _Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._