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Tales of Kenzera: Zau Studio Announces Layoffs

Published Jul 3, 2024

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Having an educational background in computer science and a lifelong knack for writing, Priye is drawn to understanding the development side of games and driven by the desire to write about emerging trends. For the better part of a decade, he has worked as a writer and has mostly covered gaming and tech, with bylines across the Times of India, Gadgets Now, Sportskeeda, and more.

Summary

Surgent Studios, known for the recent Metroidvania title Tales of Kenzera: Zau, has laid off over a dozen employees.
No exact reason has been given for the job cuts, with Surgent simply pointing towards a 'difficult time in the games industry."

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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Posts

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.

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Tales of Kenzera: Zau

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Released: April 23, 2024

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A grieving boy begins to read a Bantu tale written by his late father. Adventure into the beautiful and treacherous lands of Kenzera as Zau, a young shaman who bargains with the God of death to bring his Baba back from darkness. With your cosmic powers and untried courage, you advance into unknown mythological lands. Once bursting with life, Kenzera is now rife with lost ancestral spirits. As Zau advances toward his goal, three mighty beings lie in wait, fearsome in their strength yet somehow strangely familiar. Will you embrace the dance of the shaman?

Embark on a poignant single-player story shaped by actor Abubakar Salim’s own experience with grief, discovering how love gives us the courage to press on after devastating loss. Wield powers from the Sun and the Moon to defeat restless spirits in rhythmic combat and become a worthy Nganga: a spiritual healer. Discover a rich universe with untold lore of chaos & order and journey through mystical 2.5D realms awash with colour and depth, emboldened by multi-award-winning composer Nainita Desai's enchanting original score.

Developer(s): Surgent Studios
Publisher(s): Electronic Arts
Platform(s): PC, PS5, Switch, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
Genre(s): Platformer

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