Zau Studio warns staff of redundancy as it seeks funding

Key points

  • Surgent Studios, the developer of Tales of Kenzera: Zau, has put its entire game staff on notice for layoffs.
  • Despite positive reviews, Tales of Kenzera: Zau did not meet sales expectations.
  • The developer is seeking funding for its next game, which it says will be “darker, edgier and more visceral” than Tales of Kenzera: Zau.



The multimedia company that developed Kenzera's Tales: Zau put the entire gaming staff on notice for redundancy due to funding problems. Despite being praised by critics, Kenzera's Tales: Zau it 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, Kenzera's Tales: Zau was released in early 2024. A Metroidvania platformer, the game follows the adventures of Zau as he tries to revive his father, with the title featuring a deep and emotional story, fast-paced action, and inspiration from African mythology. Unfortunately, despite earning positive reviews with an average of 76 on OpenCritic, the game didn't sell very well and Surgent Studios laid off over a dozen employees in July.


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Now, Surgent Studios' financial situation does not appear to be improving, as the company recently posted a message on social media stating that the work of its gaming division has been halted. According to the studio, the entire team was also fired. The studio was working on a “bold new project,” which is said to be “darker, edgier and more visceral” than Kenzera's Tales: Zaubut the company currently requires funding to continue. This is certainly sad news, as Kenzera's Tales: Zau was one of the best Metroidvania games released in 2024.


Surgent Studios employees on redundancy notice


At the moment almost nothing is known about the next game from Surgent Studios. Considering the developer's experience with Metroidvania games, it's possible that its next title, if ever funded and completed, could be in the same genre. However, this announcement indicates that it will feature a big change in tone compared to Kenzera's Tales: Zauit is the most heartfelt narrative.

Unfortunately, 2023 and 2024 have been difficult years for the gaming industry due to the continuous layoffs plaguing several companies. In February, Embracer Group laid off nearly 8,000 employees, while Unity Technologies laid off 2,900 people from its staff and Microsoft laid off 2,880 people. The situation has impacted many large companies, including Electronic Arts, Sony, Epic Games, Take-Two Interactive, Riot Games, Sega, Ubisoft, and more. The issue doesn't seem to stop yet, becoming a big problem even for smaller studios. Hopefully, Surgent Studios will get the funding it needs for its next game, but it's currently impossible to say when the current crisis in the gaming industry will end.


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