Tales of Kenzera: Zau improvement studio Surgent Studios shared an replace immediately stating it had put its crew on discover for redundancy amid efforts to safe funding for its subsequent undertaking.
Assist us deliver our imaginative and prescient to life. https://t.co/ULAKd6wYxX pic.twitter.com/tZjnSqEP3A
— Surgent Studios | ZAU OUT NOW (@surgentstudios) October 18, 2024
“We have determined to place the work of the Surgent video games division on hiatus whereas we safe funding for our subsequent undertaking,” the replace reads. “Within the meantime, we have sadly needed to put our crew on discover for redundancy.
“Our crew has created a prototype for a daring new undertaking,” the replace later continues. “It is darker, edgier, and extra visceral than our first sport, however it retains all ZAU’s high-octane fight and cultural depth. And we’re searching for a companion.”
Tales of Kenzera: Zau is the primary launch from Surgent Studios, which was based by actor Abubakar Salim in 2020. The sport acquired typically constructive crucial critiques, together with our personal 7/10 evaluate that mentioned whereas its motion wasn’t groundbreaking, “it is elevated by a very shifting story about go on on this world when your family members have handed on to the subsequent.”
Our work on #ZauTheGame is coming to a detailed (though there’s somewhat extra on the best way).
Now we’re trying to the longer term with our subsequent undertaking…and we’d like a companion.
We’ve got a number of irons within the fireplace, however YOU may also help transfer the needle by telling us what you thought of ZAU and… https://t.co/AAMyp4YGAL
— Abubakar Salim (@Abzybabzy) October 18, 2024
Regardless of the sport’s constructive reception, Surgent Studios has had a rocky 12 months. The studio and its members have been the sufferer of a growing campaign of ongoing, targeted harassment since Tales of Kenzera: Zau’s launch, to the purpose the place Salim addressed the wave of hatred in a public message again in Might. And earlier this 12 months, Surgent laid off “simply over a dozen” builders, citing “a tough time within the video games business.” These cuts come as half of a wider pattern in layoffs sweeping the business as undertaking funding dries up, resulting in over 13,000 individuals laid off simply this 12 months.
Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. Yow will discover her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Bought a narrative tip? Ship it to rvalentine@ign.com.