Abubakar Salim, founder of Surgent Studios and director of Tales of Kenzera: ZAU, took to social media to address the “constant targeted harassment” directed at him and his team since the game’s launch on April 23, 2024.
In the video posted on Twitter at just under five and a half minutes, he declares that the constant criticism from people who “see diversity as a threat” has now “reached this peak”. He continues to promote the inclusion of diverse stories and characters in games, stating, “If there are people who are not like you in the game, I want you to know that the game is still for you.”
You can watch the full video below:
“The goalposts keep moving until me, my studio, and people who look like us just sit back, shut up, and accept the fact that you’re underdogs — but I’m not going to do that.”
“[Games] they have this potential to have such a profound impact not only on the people who make them, but also on those who play them. I really believe that games are for everyone. That’s why I insisted that the cost of ZAU be at the price of a pizza.”
Citing its commitment to exposing ZAU to as many people as possible, it also announced a discount for the game on Switch to $14.99 in the US down from $19.99emphasizing the quick reaction of Nintendo in the sales campaign.
Salim notes in the video that the discount will be active until “the end of June,” though it is official eShop site currently states that it will end at June 20, 2024. Furthermore, subsequent posts from Salim suggest that the decline in prices could be permanent. We’ve reached out to EA for clarification on this. It’s also worth noting that the discount is not available in Europe at the time of writing.
In our review, we said that Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is “a decent game, but overshadowed by the much better Metroidvania on Switch,” noting that the story and setting are worth the price of admission, but the exploration and combat can often feel a bit repetitive. Check out our full thoughts in the article below.
