Key information
Summer Eternal, a studio formed by former ZA/UM staff including Argo Tuulik and Dora Klindžić, has announced its debut project, Red Rooster. The game is described as an incendiary, physics-driven RPG set within the fractalised border archipelago of Arta-Tantor. Players assume the role of Redrick Roost, an arson investigator navigating a political alternate history with science-fiction elements.
The title utilizes Unreal Engine to move away from isometric constraints, opting for a three-dimensional world with dynamic camera movement. The developers emphasize a focus on physical interactivity, allowing players to manipulate and burn objects within a reactive environment. The studio aims for a double-A production budget, drawing inspiration from titles like Arcanum and Dark Messiah of Might and Magic.
While the team explicitly distances itself from being a Disco Elysium successor, the project features a mental space called 'The Coop' where internal personalities manifest, bearing similarities to the Thought Cabinet. The studio is currently nearing the end of pre-production and possesses an internal playable tech demo.
The announcement coincides with the release of the Summer Eternal Anthology, a 500-page book detailing the project and industry labor issues. Purchasing the book grants membership in a non-profit organization, providing players with voting rights on studio governance and a share in five percent of the game's future profits.
