Surgent Studios, the developer of Tales of Kenzera: Zau , announced this week that it has laid off its entire team. The decision is a direct consequence of the company's game division pausing its activities while they seek funding alternatives for their next project, which promises to be even more ambitious.
Founded in 2019 by British actor Abubakar Salim, Surgent Studios gained notoriety with the release of Tales of Kenzera: Zau , which received generally positive reviews but failed to achieve the financial success expected. The title was published under the EA Originals label and released in April 2024 for multiple platforms, including PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch.
Official company statement
The company officially released the statement on its X social media profile. According to the note, the focus now is on finding a partner to finance its next project, while some new updates for Tales of Kenzera will be released.
"Our team has developed a prototype for a bold new project. It's darker and more visceral than our first game, while still retaining the combat and cultural depth of Zau. We're looking for a partner. Help us realize our vision ," the post reads.
Surgent Studios' new project promises to be darker and bolder
According to the company's statement, the new game in development will be "darker, bolder, and more visceral" compared to the previous title, while maintaining the same intense combat and cultural depth seen in Tales of Kenzera: Zau . The Surgent team has completed the game's prototype and is already seeking potential partners to finance the project's continuation.
The developer also stated that, before going on hiatus, it plans to release a few updates for Tales of Kenzera: Zau . The goal is to maintain engagement with the fanbase while exploring new publishing and funding opportunities.
Despite its financial difficulties, Tales of Kenzera: Zau was widely praised by critics. GLHF's Oliver Brandt highlighted that the game breaks several conventions of the metroidvania , offering a more narrative-driven experience than exploration, and granting the player most of their abilities right from the start. Brandt also called the title "one of the best in recent years" within a genre saturated with releases.
However, despite positive reviews, the game didn't achieve the commercial success Surgent Studios had hoped for. Now, the developer is racing against time to complete and launch its new project, already in the prototype stage, with the necessary support.
Search for partnerships and financing
Surgent Studios' situation reflects the challenges faced by independent developers, who often rely on external funding to keep their projects running. With the market becoming increasingly competitive, finding partners is crucial to their survival.
In July, Abubakar Salim revealed that the company had to lay off some employees due to the underperformance of its debut game. In a series of posts on X, Abubakar expressed pride in the work his team has accomplished over the past four years. However, he emphasized the industry's challenges and admitted to making the difficult decision to lay off "about a dozen" employees.
