On The Record is our new behind-the-scenes series exploring the minds, methods, and inspirations of the Hopetown team.
We're kicking things off with lead writer and worldbuilder Martin Luiga — whose work helped shape the unforgettable world of Disco Elysium. Martin joined the Hopetown team in early development, bringing his sharp eye for layered storytelling, twisting truths, and worlds that bend to the people who walk them.
In our conversation, Martin shares what drew him to Hopetown, the kind of players he thinks will feel most at home here, and what he hopes they'll take away when the credits roll. You'll also hear about the parts of his Disco Elysium experience that prepared him for this project, and how he approaches the art of weaving story into systems.Martin’s work on Hopetown continues to help shape the strange, layered fabric of the town we’re building. This is a short, focused update – perfect for getting a first peek into the minds behind the game.
Next time we’ll be sharing our second dev blog — alongside the next interview in this series. We'll be speaking with developers, artists, writers, and more across the team. Each bringing their own angle on the world we're building. Until then, hop into the Discord and let us know:🗨️ What you want to see in future episodes🗨️ What stuck with you from Martin’s answers🗨️ Or what your “I’m stuck” ritual is