Tales of Kenzera: Zau Studio Puts Staff On Notice for Redundancy As it Seeks Funding

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Tales of Kenzera: Zau Studio Puts Staff On Notice for Redundancy As it Seeks Funding

Key Takeaways

  • Surgent Studios, the developer behind Tales of Kenzera: Zau, has put its entire gaming staff on notice for redundancy.
  • Despite positive reviews, Tales of Kenzera: Zau didn’t meet sales expectations.
  • The developer is seeking funding for its next game, said to be “darker, edgier, and more visceral” than Tales of Kenzera: Zau.

As a seasoned gamer with over two decades of experience under my belt, I’ve seen the ebb and flow of the gaming industry – the highs and lows, the triumphs and tragedies. The recent news about Surgent Studios putting their entire gaming staff on notice for redundancy is certainly disheartening.

The creative team behind the multimedia game “Tales of Kenzera: Zau” has been informed that their positions could be at risk due to financial difficulties affecting the company, even though this title received positive reviews from critics. Regrettably, “Tales of Kenzera: Zau” failed to generate substantial revenue, which might lead to the potential loss of jobs for the developers as they grapple with funding challenges for their upcoming projects.

Released by Surgent Studios in early 2024, the game titled Tales of Kenzera: Zau unfolded its story. A Metroidvania platformer, it chronicles the journey of Zau as he endeavors to resurrect his father. The narrative delves deep into emotion, intertwining swift-moving action sequences with inspiration drawn from African mythology. Regrettably, despite garnering generally favorable reviews with an average score of 76 on OpenCritic, the game did not achieve significant sales success, resulting in Surgent Studios reducing their workforce by over a dozen employees in July.

As a dedicated fan, it’s disheartening to learn that Surgent Studios, known for delivering exceptional Metroidvania games like Tales of Kenzera: Zau in 2024, appears to be facing financial difficulties. Recently, they announced a hiatus for their gaming division and placed the entire team on notice for potential redundancy. The studio had been working on an exciting new project, described as “darker, edgier, and more visceral” than Tales of Kenzera: Zau, but they need funding to continue development. It’s truly disappointing to hear this news, as the anticipation for their upcoming game was high, and I had looked forward to experiencing their innovative take on the Metroidvania genre once again.

Surgent Studios’ Employees on Notice for Redundancy

Currently, there’s very little information available about Surgent Studios’ upcoming game. Given their background in Metroidvania-style games, it’s plausible that if the project is successfully funded and completed, it might fall under the same genre. However, this announcement hints at a significant shift in tone compared to the emotional storyline of “Tales of Kenzera: Zau”.

2023 and 2024 have been challenging times for the video game industry, marked by widespread layoffs across numerous companies. For instance, Embracer Group reduced their workforce by nearly 8,000 employees, Unity Technologies let go of 2,900 staff members, and Microsoft dismissed 2,880 people. This trend has affected many prominent companies like Electronic Arts, Sony, Epic Games, Take-Two Interactive, Riot Games, Sega, Ubisoft, and others. Unfortunately, the issue doesn’t appear to be resolving soon, posing a significant problem for smaller studios as well. Fingers crossed that Surgent Studios manages to secure funding for their upcoming game, but it remains uncertain when this ongoing crisis in the video game industry will come to an end.

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2024-10-18 22:35