In November 2022 a high-profile dispute between the development studio ZA/UM and several of Disco Elysium’s founding creators became public, creating industry headlines that referenced both corporate governance and creative ownership.
Disco Elysium is a critically acclaimed role‑playing game developed by ZA/UM, originally released for PC in October 2019.
An expanded edition, Disco Elysium: The Final Cut, has since been released on multiple consoles, including Nintendo Switch, increasing the title’s profile across platforms and digital storefronts such as the eShop.
The dispute surfaced on November 10, 2022, when writers and designers Robert Kurvitz and Aleksander Rostov posted an online statement, joined in reporting by Helen Hindpere, alleging they were excluded from day-to-day operations and subsequently dismissed.
Kurvitz and Rostov said they were blocked from accessing company information and that their removal followed requests for corporate documents and financial data.
They further alleged that a newly empowered majority shareholder, identified as Tütreke OÜ, had acquired control through funds they characterized as improperly sourced from the company itself, a claim the creators said could amount to prosecutable wrongdoing.
The creators also named Tõnis Haavel as a majority shareholder and noted he had a prior fraud conviction from 2007.
ZA/UM issued a formal response to industry press, including GamesIndustry, denying the financial allegations and characterizing the departures differently.
The studio stated that the individuals in question were terminated for misconduct, citing limited engagement with responsibilities, creation of a toxic workplace environment, instances of verbal abuse and gender discrimination, and alleged attempts to sell ZA/UM intellectual property without authorization.
ZA/UM CEO Ilmar Kompus has also told Estonian Ekspress that longstanding concerns about behaviour and internal discussions over control of the studio’s IP factored into the decision.
ZA/UM has explicitly rejected the suggestion that contract terminations were motivated by financial gain, saying the moves were taken for “the wellbeing of the collective.” Both sides’ statements were published publicly in November 2022 and have been covered by outlets including GamesIndustry and Estonian Ekspress.
The matter remains a legal and corporate dispute that has drawn attention because of Disco Elysium’s critical success and cross‑platform presence, including its availability on Nintendo Switch and other console ecosystems.
Disco Elysium is a critically acclaimed role‑playing game developed by ZA/UM, originally released for PC in October 2019.
An expanded edition, Disco Elysium: The Final Cut, has since been released on multiple consoles, including Nintendo Switch, increasing the title’s profile across platforms and digital storefronts such as the eShop.
The dispute surfaced on November 10, 2022, when writers and designers Robert Kurvitz and Aleksander Rostov posted an online statement, joined in reporting by Helen Hindpere, alleging they were excluded from day-to-day operations and subsequently dismissed.
Kurvitz and Rostov said they were blocked from accessing company information and that their removal followed requests for corporate documents and financial data.
They further alleged that a newly empowered majority shareholder, identified as Tütreke OÜ, had acquired control through funds they characterized as improperly sourced from the company itself, a claim the creators said could amount to prosecutable wrongdoing.
The creators also named Tõnis Haavel as a majority shareholder and noted he had a prior fraud conviction from 2007.
ZA/UM issued a formal response to industry press, including GamesIndustry, denying the financial allegations and characterizing the departures differently.
The studio stated that the individuals in question were terminated for misconduct, citing limited engagement with responsibilities, creation of a toxic workplace environment, instances of verbal abuse and gender discrimination, and alleged attempts to sell ZA/UM intellectual property without authorization.
ZA/UM CEO Ilmar Kompus has also told Estonian Ekspress that longstanding concerns about behaviour and internal discussions over control of the studio’s IP factored into the decision.
ZA/UM has explicitly rejected the suggestion that contract terminations were motivated by financial gain, saying the moves were taken for “the wellbeing of the collective.” Both sides’ statements were published publicly in November 2022 and have been covered by outlets including GamesIndustry and Estonian Ekspress.
The matter remains a legal and corporate dispute that has drawn attention because of Disco Elysium’s critical success and cross‑platform presence, including its availability on Nintendo Switch and other console ecosystems.
