ZA/UM, the studio behind Disco Elysium, has fired or issued at-risk notices to up to 32 developers despite its latest release, ZERO PARADES: For Dead Spies, receiving strong critical reviews. The espionage RPG was praised on release, including a 9/10 review from Destructoid, but failed to translate that acclaim into commercial success, prompting the cutbacks. The move underscores the difficulty ZA/UM has faced rebuilding trust and momentum since its founding creators left the company under controversial circumstances.

The layoffs were announced by ZA/UM via Bluesky, which stated the studio could no longer sustain its current size following the game's poor commercial performance. Affected staff are members of the ZA/UM Workers' Alliance union, offering them some level of protection during the process. Commentators note that ZERO PARADES always faced an uphill battle being compared to Disco Elysium, a game made by creators no longer at the studio, which likely contributed to lukewarm sales despite the positive critical reception.