Key things
- Surgent Studios, the developer behind Tales of Kenzera: Zau, has alerted its entire game staff to the redundancy.
- Despite positive reviews, Tales of Kenzera: Zau failed to meet sales expectations.
- The developer is seeking funding for its next game, which is said to be “darker, edgier and more visceral” than Tales of Kenzera: Zau.
A multimedia company that has evolved Tales of Kenzera: Zau he laid off his entire playing staff due to funding issues. Despite critical acclaim, Tales of Kenzera: Zau hasn't done well financially, and it looks like the developers' jobs may be in jeopardy due to a lack of funding for the studio's next project.
Developed by Surgent Studios, Tales of Kenzera: Zau was released in early 2024. It is a Metroidvania platformer, the game follows the adventures of Zau as he tries to revive his father. The title features a deep and emotional story, fast-paced action and inspiration from African mythology. Unfortunately, despite receiving positive reviews on OpenCritic with an average of 76, the game did not sell very well and Surgent Studios laid off over a dozen employees in July.
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Now it seems that Surgent Studios' financial situation is not improving as the company recently posted a message on social media claiming that the work of its game division is on hold. According to the studio, the entire team was also let go due to redundancy. The studio has been working on a “bold new project” said to be “darker, edgier and more visceral” than Tales of Kenzera: Zaubut the company currently needs funding to continue. This is certainly sad news, e.g Tales of Kenzera: Zau was one of the best Metroidvania games to come out in 2024.
Surgent Studios staff in layoff notice
Almost nothing is known about Surgent Studios' next game at the moment. Given the developer's experience with Metroidvania games, it's possible that his next title, if ever funded and completed, could be in the same genre. However, this announcement suggests that it will feature a big change in tone compared to the Tales of Kenzera: Zaua more heartfelt narrative.
Unfortunately, 2023 and 2024 have been tough years for the gaming industry due to the ongoing layoffs plaguing several companies. In February, Embracer Group cut nearly 8,000 jobs, Unity Technologies cut 2,900 jobs, and Microsoft laid off 2,880 people. The situation has affected many major companies, including Electronic Arts, Sony, Epic Games, Take-Two Interactive, Riot Games, Sega, Ubisoft and others. The problem doesn't seem to be slowing down yet, and it's becoming a big problem for smaller studios as well. Hopefully, Surgent Studios will get the necessary funding for their next game, but at the moment there is no telling when the current crisis in the gaming industry will end.