Sweet Baby Inc. Influenced 'Tales Of Kenzera: ZAU' Developer Begins Laying Off Employees... Despite Previously Claiming Boycott Did Not Crush Game
Surgent Studios, the video game development company behind Tales of Kenzera: ZAU, has begun laying off employees, despite earlier claims that the game was not adversely affected by a boycott. The layoffs come to some folks as a surprise, especially given the positive public statements made by the game’s director, Abubakar Salim, about the game's performance.
Surgent Studios Confirms Layoffs
Thanks to Minimal Effort gaming for the reporting, Numerous employees of Surgent Studios have taken to LinkedIn to announce their layoffs.
For example, Jordan Smee (above), a former Technical Artist, expressed his need for immediate employment, and Pete Brisbourne (below), a former Level Designer, seeking a new role within the tech and digital industries.
This is just a couple of the folks (of many) who have been let go. Surgent Studios officially confirmed these layoffs on their X (formerly Twitter) account, mentioning that just over a dozen employees were affected.
The company acknowledged the difficult times in the gaming industry but emphasized their pride in the work done on ZAU and their commitment to supporting those affected while continuing their creative projects:
Contradictory Claims by Director Abubakar Salim
These layoffs contrast sharply with the previous statements made by the game's director, Abubakar Salim. Salim had publicly stated that the game’s sales were not suffering despite targeted harassment and a significant boycott.
He attempted to frame the discounting of the game as a statement against this harassment and emphasized the broader interpretation of diversity that includes socio-economic challenges. Now that is an impressive pretzel to twist yourself into...
According to ThatParkPlace, Salim had asserted on multiple platforms, including an AMA on Reddit, that the sales figures being circulated were inaccurate and that the game's actual player base was much larger. However, data from SteamCharts paint a different picture, showing a peak concurrent player count of just 232 all time.
The Role of Sweet Baby Inc. and the Boycott
The involvement of Sweet Baby Inc., a consultancy known for its work on diverse and inclusive storytelling in games, has been a double-edged sword for Tales of Kenzera: ZAU. While the partnership was initially celebrated, it soon became a point of contention as the game was added to a boycott list curated by groups opposed to Sweet Baby Inc.'s influence. This boycott appears to have significantly impacted the game's visibility and sales.
Sweet Baby Inc. had, initially at least, proudly announced their collaboration with Surgent Studios, highlighting the game's deep connection to Bantu mythology and the poignant story of its protagonist, Zau. Despite this, the negative backlash and subsequent boycott seem to have overshadowed these positive aspects, leading to the current situation where we find ourselves.
Industry-Wide Impact
The layoffs at Surgent Studios are part of a much larger trend affecting the entire gaming industry. Sweet Baby Inc.'s influence, while well-intentioned in promoting diversity and inclusion, seems to always lead to financial repercussions for the projects they are involved with. Other studios, such as Compulsion Games and Avalanche Studios, have also faced significant layoffs and closures, indicating a broader crisis within the industry that at one point partered with the DEI firm. Seems like Rocksteady Studios isn't too far behind either, based on the lack of sales from Suicide Squad as well.
The layoffs at Surgent Studios underscore exactly what seems to happen all too often when partnering with a company like Sweet Baby Inc., as the history speaks for itself at this point. While Tales of Kenzera: ZAU received some critical acclaim, the economic realities and external pressures have taken a bigger toll, leaving developers in search of new opportunities.
The industry's path forward requires balancing creative innovation with the practicalities of sustaining a business in a highly competitive and often volatile market... But one thing seems to stand out - the relationship between a failed game, and a partnership with Sweet Baby Inc (or related DEI-injection firm) is all-too interconnected.
~Smash
