Pocketpair, the developers behind Palworld, has announced their first project as a publisher—a new horror game alongside Surgent Studios. This comes a few months after the studio responsible for Tales of Kenzera: Zau announced layoffs as it scrambled for funding.

“We noticed a trend in the entertainment industry, and Pocketpair has given us the chance to create a horror game about it,” Surgent Studios CEO Abubakar Salim stated in a press release. “Both Surgent and Pocketpair are adept at taking risks. This upcoming title will be brief and peculiar, and we believe players will be intrigued by our perspective.”

This horror game won’t connect to Surgent Studio’s previous title, but it does not signify a complete departure from that universe. “We’re actively discussing more projects based on the ‘Tales of Kenzera’ universe, but this will be a standalone piece, marking our journey forward,” Salim added.

Salim also highlighted, “This is the momentum I want to see in game development in 2025—developers uplifting one another, collaborating, and fostering growth in the industry. Massive gratitude to the Pocketpair team! It’s a significant honor to announce this collaboration with Pocketpair Publishing. We’ve been working on something special and can’t wait to unveil it!”

However, this initiative deviates from the former Project Uso that Salim mentioned last year. Salim characterized Project Uso as a single-player isometric, Afro-gothic action RPG: “We have so much more to express and develop, and the audiences we’re cultivating are eager to learn more. We’re prepared; all that’s needed is your leap of faith with us.”

Regardless of the project’s details, it’s commendable to witness Surgent Studios reviving after a challenging period towards the end of last year. Before the layoffs, they had put their team on notice while searching for new funding and a publishing partner. Pocketpair evidently recognized Surgent’s potential and decided to assist in getting its projects back on track.

“Game development involves many challenges, but we aim to ease this journey for creators so that they can pursue their visions,” said John Buckley, head of Pocketpair Publishing. “We are excited to support Surgent Studios’ new title as our inaugural step. We truly resonate with their innovative ideas and passion, and are honored to help them achieve their vision. We will respect the autonomy and creativity of the developers and work collaboratively to build exceptional games for audiences worldwide.”

On another note, Pocketpair is also dealing with Nintendo’s patent infringement lawsuit, as they confirmed having received notification regarding it. They are addressing the situation diligently, ensuring it won’t impede new projects or ongoing maintenance of titles like Palworld.