Disco Elysium is considered one of the best CRPGs of recent years and is already available on almost every common platform. Now a mobile version is to follow, but fans are skeptical.
What kind of game is it? Disco Elysium is a role-playing game from 2019 that focuses instead on a complex dialogue system rather than combat, in which conflicts are resolved through skill checks.
ZA/UM, the studio behind Disco Elysium, fell apart after the success of the CRPG, and now several projects are competing for the title of “spiritual successor” to the role-playing game. You can learn more about the background from our colleagues at GameStar.
Although the original creative minds behind Disco Elysium are gone, ZA/UM still holds the rights to the game – and the community is not always happy about how they are used. Recently, the studio was accused of exactly the type of greedy commercialization that is criticized in the game.
A new announcement is also causing skepticism: Disco Elysium is set to be reimagined for mobile devices. In the reveal trailer, you can get your first impression:
“[That] which audiobooks would like to be”
What is known about the game? The mobile version of Disco Elysium is not just a simple mobile port but a “complete reinterpretation.” As the responsible parties revealed to IGN, there will be new 360° scenes that aim to put the player in the middle of the action.
In addition, there will be a complete voiceover. While core elements of the original role-playing game involve long philosophical discussions, the mobile version is designed to be experienced in short segments.
With these changes, they aim to reach “the TikTok user” while simultaneously offering existing fans a fun alternative for on-the-go play. The mobile version of Disco Elysium is said to be “what audiobooks would like to be,” according to Narrative Lead Chris Priestman.
The game is slated to be released this summer exclusively for Android in the Google Play Store, with the first two chapters being free and ad-free to give potential buyers a first impression.
Fans ask: Is this a bad April Fool’s joke?
What does the community say? The reaction has been rather muted. On X, one user states: “The jokes write themselves.” On YouTube, “Wanna_Be_Desu” even wonders if this is an early April Fool’s joke.
Many also quote a line from the original game: “Capital has the ability to absorb all criticism into itself. Even those who would criticize capital end up reinforcing it instead.” For fans, this quote apparently highlights that Disco Elysium is becoming exactly what it was originally meant to criticize.
At the same time, players cannot help but note a certain irony. On YouTube, “eudgenius46” writes, “The corpse of the original ZA/UM’s work, devoured by greedy vultures, is as ‘Disco’ as it gets, and I’m glad the new people at the wheel understand the horrors of history so well that they have chosen to embody them.”
But not everyone is against the adaptation. Some players also state that the port looks appealing, and they are willing to give it a chance. However, it is also noted that for many, it likely does not feel right to support the project without the original creators.
Some indie games have already had great success with mobile ports. However, the big difference from the dialogue-focused original Disco Elysium is that the gameplay loop can already be experienced in short sessions – although the supposedly short gameplay unit can also extend longer than intended. MyMMO author Max can attest to this: I’m not a mobile gamer, but 2 games keep me glued to my phone for hours
