Surgent Studios Undergoes Staff Reduction Months Following Debut Game Release

Update: Surgent Studios has acknowledged that it is among the game studios affected by layoffs this year, with the reduction in force affecting slightly more than a dozen individuals. In a statement posted on X, the studio expressed: Regrettably, Surgent has become one of the many game studios hit by layoffs this year, resulting in just over a dozen staff members being impacted. Given the current challenges in the gaming industry, we remain extremely proud of the work our entire team has done on Zau and the acclaim it has received from both critics and players. Our current priority is to provide support to those affected, continue working on Zau, and look forward to our upcoming creative projects. Original story: Reports indicate that Surgent Studios has let go of an unspecified number of staff members. These cuts occur merely three months after the release of its latest title, Tales of Kenzera: Zau, which garnered positive reviews from critics and fans alike. Although neither the studio nor its founder, Abubakar Salim, has publicly commented on the layoffs, former Surgent developers have discussed their experiences with the redundancies on social media. On LinkedIn, former level designer Peter Brisbourne wrote: "The chapter titled 'Pete Works At Surgent Studios' will conclude by the end of the month." Producer Phillip Smy added: "I'm another victim of the volatile video game development industry." The previous day, a producer posted on Bluesky that there was a high likelihood of receiving unfortunate news and later updated with the message: "I've officially been laid off, as expected. It's disappointing." GamesIndustry.biz has reached out to the studio for a statement.