Typically, I steer clear of articles about ‘announcements of announcements.’ They often generate undue excitement without revealing much about the game itself. However, Summer Eternal, the studio succeeding the creators of Disco Elysium, is taking an entirely different approach to unveil its first game. Rather than a digital reveal, they’re launching a full-blown physical campaign: a book, a soundtrack, and an art piece, all designed to arrive at everyone’s doorstep simultaneously.
Among the several studios formed by former Disco Elysium developers, Summer Eternal stands out. It bills itself as an arts collective, seemingly committed to preserving the original artistic spirit of ZA/UM. With Disco writer Argo Tuulik at its helm, the studio boasts a key figure behind Disco Elysium’s unique vision, and notably, it operates as a worker-owned collective.
(Original content included a video embed, which has been removed as per instructions to avoid external links.)
So, what exactly is this mysterious game? Summer Eternal’s debut project has been kept under wraps until now. We can confirm it’s an RPG, a genre many might have anticipated given the studio’s lineage, and it’s currently codenamed ‘Red Rooster.’ While codenames rarely offer hints about a game’s true nature, Summer Eternal is preparing a comprehensive announcement for next year to shed light on the project.
This isn’t your typical reveal via a website, press release, or social media post. Summer Eternal is consciously moving away from conventional methods, opting instead for a multi-faceted package comprising a book, a vinyl record, and several pieces of art. This ‘Anthology 1’ is designed to subtly hint at what Red Rooster will be about. The studio describes it as a ‘cultural mega-project,’ a fusion of a development diary, an interactive artwork, a game announcement, and a self-funding initiative for the video game, all rolled into one cohesive experience.
Argo Tuulik, the founder of Summer Eternal, shared his longing for the days of analogue media, when a handful of screenshots in a magazine could ignite boundless imagination and discussion among friends. He states, “Respecting the power of the human imagination and carefully crafting moments for it to do its magic is a core design-philosophy in Summer Eternal, because there is no more powerful graphics processor in existence.”
He further elaborated that beyond non-fiction essays on the state of the industry, Anthology 1 will offer tantalizing glimpses into Red Rooster. Tuulik explained, “Due to the way we build games with the heaviest of focus on the narrative from the get-go, even the internal design documents are written like their own little mini-stories. Imagination doesn’t need a lot—in fact, give it too much and you’re telling it how it is not how it could be.”
The ‘matchbox-themed’ Summer Eternal Anthology 1 is committed to supporting artists, small businesses, and sustainability. It’s slated for global delivery on the same day in summer 2026, offering a unique opportunity to engage with a different kind of games industry—one that stands apart from multi-billion dollar acquisitions and microtransaction-heavy monetization models. To reinforce this ethos, Summer Eternal explicitly promises that “zero percent of your money will be spent on executives or corporate bonuses.”
Pre-orders for Summer Eternal Anthology 1 are now open. The standard edition is priced at €69 / ~$79 / ~£59. For those seeking a more exclusive experience, the deluxe ‘Firestarter’ edition, limited to just 3,000 copies, includes the vinyl record, art prints, and a cardstock replica matchbox, costing €99 / ~$115 / ~£85. More information on the creatives involved in this project is available.
If the premise of Red Rooster sparks your interest, you might enjoy exploring other acclaimed indie games or the best PC games available, which can certainly keep you occupied until next summer.
Will you be diving into Summer Eternal Anthology 1? Share your thoughts and discuss the latest gaming news with fellow enthusiasts!