According to a release, the demo became available on February 23rd and will remain live until March 16th. The title marks ZA/UM Studio’s next project following the commercial and critical success of Disco Elysium.

Described as an espionage RPG, ZERO PARADES: For Dead Spies follows Hershel Wilk — codenamed CASCADE — a disgraced Operant Bureau agent recalled for a final assignment. The game is set in the fictional city-state of Portofiro and centres on dialogue-driven storytelling.

The demo features a tailored version of the game’s opening hours, including two primary quests alongside side activities. ZA/UM Studio noted that certain mechanics, such as Conditioning and the progression system, were withheld from the demo build. Balancing and dialogue branching were also adjusted for the preview version.

One of the game’s core systems involves managing three psychological vitals: Fatigue, Anxiety and Delirium. Player decisions influence these attributes during dialogue interactions, with penalties applied if any single vital reaches its maximum threshold. The system also includes Exertion, allowing players to deliberately increase risk in exchange for improved skill-check outcomes.

The demo release followed a weekend key giveaway campaign in which ZA/UM Studio distributed more than 4,000 access keys. The studio stated that early player feedback had been positive.

ZERO PARADES: For Dead Spies is scheduled to launch on PC via Steam, GOG and Epic Games Store, with a PlayStation 5 release planned later in 2026. Alongside the demo, Disco Elysium – The Final Cut was discounted by 75% during Steam Next Fest.

ZA/UM Studio first gained industry recognition with Disco Elysium, a narrative-focused RPG that received multiple awards and established the developer as a prominent name in story-driven game design. ZERO PARADES represents the studio’s return to the genre.