Abubakar Salim, the creator of Surgent Studios, has offered curious details about his next game, Tales of Kenzera: Zau, during the Game Awards. He has acknowledged that he had difficulty finding a publisher willing to back the project.
Although many studios initially expressed interest in the idea, none moved forward after the proposal. The situation changed when EA He found out about the game and showed interest in supporting it. “I was at a time when all these studios were saying, ‘Hey, we want to give you a chance. to black developers. But no one answered me…” she says.
“I remember thinking: Hey, okay, you’re looking for that perfect game that is impossible to achieve into something real,” he adds. “And those barriers are still there, even though you present something that says ‘let’s give black people a chance.’”
This story highlights the challenges that some developers, especially those from underrepresented communities, face when trying to bring their projects to market. Salim’s struggle to find support despite the studios’ apparent willingness underlines the continued need to address barriers and biases in the gaming industry.
The importance of great publishers supporting various projects like Tales of Kenzera: Zau, with its explanation of the loss, highlights the need for greater diversity and inclusion in all aspects of the gaming industry, don’t you think? We read your opinion in the comments!
