This year has been particularly challenging for the studio, which has faced significant issues including targeted harassment linked to the release of their debut title, Tales of Kenzera: Zau.

Surgent Studios, originally founded as Silver Rain Studios in 2020 by actor Abubakar Salim, aims to create culturally sensitive action games.

In light of ZAU's underperformance, Surgent Studios laid off more than a dozen developers in June 2024, part of a broader trend affecting the gaming industry.

The studio is currently seeking a publisher for its next project, which is intended to continue the design lineage of Tales of Kenzera: Zau.

Despite receiving decent reviews, with a 7/10 rating from IGN for its compelling story, ZAU struggled commercially, leading to the layoffs of over a dozen developers shortly after its launch.

As a result of ongoing funding challenges, Surgent Studios has placed its entire games division on hiatus and issued redundancy notices to its development staff.

Surgent Studios is actively looking for partners to advance their upcoming project and has invited feedback from the gaming community regarding ZAU.

The new game is described as darker, edgier, and more visceral than its predecessor, with a prototype already developed but not yet greenlit for further production.

The announcement regarding the new project and the studio's current status was made via a post on social media, emphasizing the need for a partner.

The studio's communication indicated that the team has been put on notice for potential layoffs as they navigate these financial difficulties.

Despite its commercial struggles, ZAU received above-average critical scores, reflecting a disconnect between critical acclaim and market performance.

Earlier in 2024, Salim publicly addressed the harassment issues faced by the studio, highlighting a troubling trend of online misogyny within the gaming community.