Pocketpair Ventures Into Publishing with Tales of Kenzera Dev's Next Game

Pocketpair, the developer behind the hit game Palworld, is venturing into the publishing world with its newly established division, Pocketpair Publishing. Their first project under this new label will be a horror game developed by Surgent Studios, known for their debut title, Tales of Kenzera: Zau, released in April of last year. This upcoming horror game will not be a continuation of the Tales of Kenzera universe but a standalone project that explores a unique theme within the entertainment industry, as stated by Surgent Studios CEO Abubakar Salim.

"We noticed a pattern in the entertainment industry, and Pocketpair has given us the opportunity to make a horror game about it," Salim explained. "Both Surgent and Pocketpair are well versed in taking risks. This game will be short and weird, and we think players will be interested in what we have to say."

While discussions about further projects in the Tales of Kenzera universe continue, this horror game serves as a significant milestone for Surgent Studios. No release window or title has been announced yet, indicating that the game is still in early development. This project is also distinct from the previously announced Project Uso by Surgent Studios.

Pocketpair Publishing is now open to pitches from other developers, emphasizing a hands-off approach. "We don't want to tell you what to do. We don’t want to take control from you. We don’t want to change your dream or push you to make a certain type of game," the company stated on its website.

John Buckley, head of Pocketpair Publishing, expressed enthusiasm about their new venture: "At Pocketpair, there is nothing we love more than games, and Pocketpair Publishing is our latest venture to help the world enjoy gaming even more. Game development comes with many challenges, but we want to ease that process as much as possible and provide an environment where creators can pursue their dreams."

Buckley also highlighted their commitment to supporting Surgent Studios: "We are pleased to be able to support Surgent Studios’ new title as our first step. We deeply sympathize with their original ideas and passion and are honored to help them realize their vision. We will respect the autonomy and vision of developers and work together to make great games for people all over the world."

Abubakar Salim, who also has a notable acting career with roles in Assassin's Creed Origins, House of the Dragon, and as the protagonist in Tales of Kenzera: Zau, expressed his gratitude for the partnership on X/Twitter: "It's an incredible honor to be Pocketpair Publishing's first partner. This is the energy I want to see driving games in 2025: developers lifting each other up, creating together, and pushing the industry forward."

Tales of Kenzera: Zau is a single-player Metroidvania game that delves into themes of grief and love. It received a 7/10 in IGN's review, praised for its moving narrative despite not revolutionizing the genre. Despite positive reception, the game did not achieve the commercial success needed to prevent layoffs at Surgent Studios in July, followed by further redundancy notices in October due to funding issues. The support from Pocketpair Publishing could be crucial for the studio's future.

Meanwhile, Pocketpair continues to navigate a patent infringement lawsuit from The Pokémon Company and Nintendo, filed after Palworld's record-breaking sales success.