When we talk about social entrepreneurship, we often picture startups solving real-world problems – renewable energy, mental health, education. 
But what if one of the most powerful case studies didn’t come from a startup at all, but from a video game set in a crumbling city full of corruption, broken dreams and poetry? 

That’s where Disco Elysium comes in. Created by the Estonian collective ZA/UM, this award-winning indie masterpiece isn’t just a game, it’s a mirror. A messy, emotional, political mirror. Players walk the streets of Revachol exploring not only crime and politics but also empathy, trauma, and morality. 

Just like our Video Games for Good project, Disco Elysium proves that games can be so much more than entertainment – they can engage, teach and challenge. 

ZA/UM started as a small group of writers, artists and dreamers in post-Soviet Estonia – not a huge tech company. They learned by doing, debating, building something that mattered. Their story reminds us: you don’t need millions to create impact. You need an idea, a message, and the courage to tell it. 

The game’s design is slow, text-heavy and choice-driven – the opposite of most modern action titles. That’s what makes it brilliant. It’s inclusive by nature: there’s no need for lightning-fast reflexes, so more players – including those with disabilities or learning differences – can fully experience it. 

From a youth perspective, Disco Elysium teaches that every choice has weight. That curiosity matters. That failure can be meaningful. It invites players to ask: What kind of person am I when no one’s watching? 

And that’s exactly what Games for Good stands for: designing experiences that make players think, feel and question. 

So next time you walk through the foggy streets of Revachol, remember this: Video games can be the new literature of our generation. They can spark empathy, creativity and activism. They can help us see the world and ourselves a little clearer. 

Maybe your next idea could be the one that changes someone’s perspective.