Disco Elysium spiritual successor Hopetown plans to "redefine" psychological RPG genre

Independent studio Longdue has shed more light on its Disco Elysium spiritual successor, now officially known as Hopetown.

Londue comprises former staff from Disco Elysium, as well as industry veterans with credits on Cult of the Lamb and The Witcher universe. The studio's debut project was first teased towards the end of last year, although details remained scant.

Now, Longdue has announced the crowdfunding pre-launch for Hopetown, a game it says will redefine "the psychological RPG genre with groundbreaking mechanics and a world shaped by your words".

Want to know more? Well, words are your "deadliest weapon" in Hopetown, and the choices you make will leave their mark.

"Set in a mining town caught between decay and transformation, shaped by ambition, exploitation, and the fragile systems that bind society together, you step into the role of a rogue journalist - a chaotic, self-destructive provocateur who sees humanity as inherently selfish and cruel," reads the official blurb. "Unapologetically cynical and dangerously unhinged, you thrive on poking at bruises, pulling at loose threads, and watching what unravels."

As far as those aforementioned and groundbreaking mechanics, these have been built on those from Disco Elysium and Planescape: Torment. In Hopetown, there will be systems that the developer stated will "redefine player agency".

"The psychogeography system transforms how players interact with the game world: emotions, memories, and conversations replace traditional mechanics like keys and levers, becoming the tools that unlock doors, alter landscapes, and reshape relationships," Longdue explained. "Progress isn't just about solving puzzles or finding items - it's about navigating the protagonist's fractured psyche and the ripples it creates in the environment."

Hopetown will also have a new journalism-based RPG system in place. This system will give you the "tools to craft stories that shape the world - and yourself".

As shared by Longdue, there are currently a limited number of registrations for the pre-launch available at www.longduegames.com. Those that register early will be able to get first access to a limited set of backer rewards when the campaign goes live.

Hopetown is not the only Disco Elysium spiritual successor in the works. XXX Nightshift will be the first project from Dark Math Games, a studio describing itself as a "breakaway group from the original development team of Disco Elysium".

A report from November last year took a closer look at the various Disco Elysium spiritual successor games, and outlined a convoluted web of connections, fallouts, and legal action, suggesting the beloved RPG's legacy remains as messy as ever.