Tales of Kenzera: Zau dev Surgent Studios puts entire team on notice for redundancy

Company is looking for funding to finance its next project

Surgent Studios

Surgent Studios, the developer behind Tales of Kenzera: Zau, announced that it “had to put our entire team on notice for redundancy” as it’s pausing the work of its games division while trying to secure funding for its next project.

Surgent described this potential game as “darker, edgier, and more visceral than our first game.” It’s supposed to feature the same “high-octane combat and cultural depth” as Tales of Kenzera: Zau. The team has finished a prototype of this title and will release “a couple of exciting updates” for Tales of Kenzera: Zau before going on its hiatus, according to the announcement.

The studio is asking for potential publishing and funding partners to contact it and take a look at the prototype in order to facilitate its continued production.

GLHF’s Oliver Brandt wrote in their Tales of Kenzera: Zau review that it’s a game that “breaks a lot of conventions of the metroidvania genre, focusing more on story than exploration and outfitting you with most of your abilities from the get-go.”

“In a crowded metroidvania landscape, Tales of Kenzera: Zau stands out as one of the best in recent years,” they added.

Surgent Studios was founded in 2019 by British actor Abubakar Salim, who served as creative lead for Tales of Kenzera: Zau, the company’s debut game. It was released on PC, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and Nintendo Switch in April 2024 under EA’s indie publishing label, EA Originals.

Despite generally positive reviews, the game was evidently not the commercial success Surgent needed it to be.