Surgent Studios Seeks Funding, Puts Staff on Redundancy Notice

Surgent Studios, the developer of Tales of Kenzera: ZAU, has placed its entire team on notice of redundancy while it seeks funding for its next game, which is described as 'darker, edgier, and more visceral' than its predecessor. The studio's current development efforts are on hiatus, with a prototype of the new project already completed. Despite receiving generally positive reviews, Tales of Kenzera: ZAU has not achieved the commercial success needed, prompting the studio to look for a publishing partner. Surgent has promised a few upcoming updates for ZAU but faces significant challenges, given the broader trend of layoffs and project cancellations in the gaming industry. Founded in 2019 by actor Abubakar Salim, Surgent is calling for potential funding partners to help secure its future. The studio's situation highlights the precarious nature of indie game development amidst financial instability in the sector.