The studio behind Tales of Kenzera: Zau has let go of "over a dozen" employees in another blow to the game industry. Over the past several months, numerous layoffs have impacted numerous game companies, with the latest victim being Tales of Kenzera: Zau developer Surgent Studios.

Founded by British actor Abubakar Salim, Surgent Studios began as Silver Rain Games in 2020 with Salim as its CEO. On April 23, the studio released its debut game Tales of Kenzera: Zau on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and Nintendo Switch. The 2.5D Metroidvania title follows the adventures of the titular protagonist, Zau, as he fights enemies and traverses unique environments on a quest to revive his father. Although the game fared well overall among critics, outside factors seem to have forced the company's hand into letting go of numerous employees.

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On Twitter, Surgent Studios announced that it has cut "just over a dozen jobs" following what it calls a "difficult time" for the industry. The post focused on the contribution of the Tales of Kenzera: Zau devs, explaining that the company was "incredibly proud" of the team. The announcement also revealed that Surgent Studios has shifted its attention towards "supporting" its former employees affected by this latest decision. In an attempt to assure Zau players, the British studio stated that it will continue to support the Ori-inspired game going ahead. Furthermore, the studio reassured fans about its immediate future, with the team setting its sights on its "next creative projects."

Tales of Kenzera: Zau Developer Conducts Job Cuts

The recent layoff announcement confirms what multiple Surgent Studios employees have expressed on social media. In response to the announcement, Salim took to X, sharing that the move "hurts deeply" and highlighting the team's resilience throughout the four years of Tales of Kenzera: Zau's development, calling it "inspiring." Acknowledging other companies are also facing job cuts, the studio head claimed that not being alone in making such decisions "doesn't make it easier." The CEO also shared several posts from affected ex-employees and endorsed them in the comments. Moreover, Salim shared having "so much faith" in the industry despite these trying times. "We just need to keep going," he added.

With Surgent Studios joining a long line of game companies that have recently conducted layoffs, the tally for 2024 is already looking rough. This includes some big names, such as PlayStation, Xbox, Sega, Ubisoft, EA, and many more. According to the latest reports, more jobs at Xbox may be scrapped as soon as this week.

Tales of Kenzera: Zau

Developed by Surgent Studios and published by EA, Tales of Kenzera: Zau is a Metroidvania about a shaman who leads souls to the other side. To bring back his father, Zau agrees to hunt down and contain the spirits of three monsters for the God of Death. While the studio has developed projects in other mediums, Tales of Kenzera: Zau is Surgent Studios' first game.

Platform(s)

PC , PS5 , Switch , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S

Released

April 23, 2024

Developer(s)

Surgent Studios

Publisher(s)

Electronic Arts

Genre(s)

Platformer

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