Longdue has released a new gameplay teaser for Hopetown, the studio’s in-development narrative RPG. The teaser gives a first look at the game’s journalist-driven systems, including investigation, interviews, photography, publishing, and world changes shaped by the player’s stories.
The studio also announced that Olga Moskvina, a key writer and editor on Disco Elysium, has joined the Hopetown team.
Disco Elysium Alumni Join the Team
Moskvina joins a team that already includes ZA/UM co-founder and Disco Elysium writer Martin Luiga, early Disco Elysium software developer Veljo Hagu, and narrator Lenval Brown. The team also includes art director Astri Lohne and writer Stark Holborn, known for work on Shadows of Doubt and Nivalis.
Disco Elysium, Moskvina wrote characters including Ruby and Bird’s Nest Roy, while also contributing final language polish across the game.
Journalism Shapes the Story
Hopetown takes place in New Greenwich, a mining town on the island of Entre. Decades after a global disaster called The Flare destroyed electronics and communications, the De Luna Corporation discovered Quicksilver, a substance capable of reconnecting the world.
After a new aurora storm, miners begin disappearing, and Quicksilver production stalls, raising questions about De Luna’s official version of events.
Players take on the role of a journalist investigating the island’s secrets. Three journalism classes are available: Correspondent, Columnist, and Gonzo, each with a different approach to truth, culture, and sensationalism.
Publish Stories With Consequences
Hopetown’s systems include photography, interviews, observations, and publication. Players can gather evidence, choose quotes, decide their angle, and even fabricate parts of a story.
Published stories then affect the island through Psychogeography, changing relationships, faction standings, public popularity, and the wider fate of New Greenwich.
The game will also feature 21 skill-voices tied to seven personas, shaping how players interpret the world and write their stories.
Newsflash Edition Available on Kickstarter
To mark the teaser, Longdue has made a limited Newsflash Edition available on Kickstarter until May 29. Backers who choose this edition will have their name featured in an in-game newspaper and gain access to an exclusive Discord tier with added developer updates.
