Tales of Kenzera: Zau development studio, Surgent Studios, released an update today stating that it has notified its team of layoffs as it works to secure funding for its next project.
Help us make our vision come true. https://t.co/ULAKd6wYxX pic.twitter.com/tZjnSqEP3A
— Studio Surgent | ZAU NOW (@surgentstudios) October 18, 2024
“We have decided to suspend the work of the Surgent games department until we secure funds for our next project,” we read in the update. “In the meantime, we unfortunately had to inform our team of the layoff.
“Our team has prototyped a bold new design,” the update continues later. “It’s darker, edgier and more exciting than our first game, but retains all of ZAU’s high-octane combat and cultural depth. And we are looking for a partner.”
Tales of Kenzera: Zau is the first release from Surgent Studios, founded by actor Abubakar Salim in 2020. The game received generally positive critical reviews, including our own 7/10 review, which said that while its action wasn’t groundbreaking, it “packs a punch with a truly moving story about how to survive in this world when your loved ones have passed on to another.”
Our work on #ZauTheGame is coming to an end (although there is still some time to go).
Now we look to the future with our next project… and we need a partner.
We have some things on fire, but YOU can assist move the needle by telling us what you think about ZAU and… https://t.co/AAMyp4YGAL
— Abubakar Salim (@Abzybabzy) October 18, 2024
Despite the game’s positive reception, Surgent Studios has had a complex year. The studio and its members fell victim to the attack growing campaign With continuous, targeted harassment since the release of Tales of Kenzera: Zau to such an extent that Salim addressed the wave of hatred in a public message in May. Earlier this year, Surgent laid off “a little over a dozen” developers, citing “a difficult time in the gaming industry.” These cuts are part of a broader trend of layoffs across the industry as funding for projects dries up, leading to: over 13,000 people released only this year.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Her posts can be found on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Have a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.
