The Tales of Kenzera: ZAU demo has been released early

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU
(Image credit: Surgent Studios)

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU had a demo release planned for Monday, February 5 until February 12 as part of Steam Next Fest, but it has been brought forward to make the demo available now. 

As announced on Twitter by Abubakar Salim, the founder of Surgent Studios: "We couldn't wait any longer, so we just decided to drop it." Alongside the announcement of the demo now being available on Steam, Salim encourages any players to share their feedback and thoughts about the experience. 

In addition to this, Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is being livestreamed as part of Steam Next Fest so those curious about what the game offers can tune in to watch Abubakar Salim and a "close friend" play through the demo.

Regarding who this friend, Salim states: "you all know who he is, some more intimately than others." However, more details about this livestream are expected to be released soon. If you're curious, it's worth keeping an eye on Salim's Twitter/X page for any updates on who this mystery guest might be. 

Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is scheduled to release on April 23, 2024, on PS5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox Series X|S and PC. So, there's plenty of time to get to see what the demo has to offer before its full release and whether or not you've got what it takes to embark on the emotional journey the game will put forward. 

As we stated in our preview: "Tales of Kenzera: ZAU is more than just your average metroidvania," so if you're looking for an upcoming game worth keeping on your radar, and you're a fan of metroidvanias that push you to your limits, then this likely isn't one to miss.

If you're looking for some more high-stakes action while you wait for the full release of Tales of Kenzera: ZAU, it's worth checking out our guide to the best roguelike games, alongside the best FPS games

Kara Phillips
Evergreen Writer

Kara is an Evergreen writer at TechRadar Gaming. With a degree in Journalism and a passion for the weird and wonderful, she's spent the last few years as a freelance video game journalist, with bylines at NintendoLife, Attack of the Fanboy, Prima Games, and sister publication, GamesRadar+. Outside of gaming, you'll find her re-watching Gilmore Girls or trying to cram yet another collectible onto a shelf that desperately needs some organizing.

Read more
The player prepares for a fight in Metal Eden.
I loved the bits of Metal Eden that I played and soon you'll be able to try it too thanks to this upcoming free demo
A character in heavy armor bows toward the left of the frame
Phantom Blade Zero - everything we know so far
The Future Games Show Spring Showcase
The Future Games Show returns this week for its Spring Showcase, here's how to watch and what games to expect
The player engages a flying drone enemy in Metal Eden.
Metal Eden is an exhilarating mix of Doom and Ghostrunner, and my hands-on preview left me craving more
Pulchra Fellini in Zenless Zone Zero.
Zenless Zone Zero Version 1.6 will finally let you play as a furry gunslinger
Dune Awakening screenshot showing the exploration of The O'odham
Latest Dune Awakening trailer provides a deeper look at open-world exploration on the planet Arrakis
Latest in Gaming
Hornet swings their weapon in mid air
Hollow Knight: Silksong gets new Steam metadata changes, convincing everyone and their mother that the game is finally releasing this year
Monster Hunter Wilds
Monster Hunter Wilds Title Update 1 launches in early April, adding new monsters and some of the best-looking armor sets I need to add to my collection
Four operators survey Verdansk. One holds a sniper rifle, one binoculars, another holds is landing with their parachute, while the last wears a skull mask
New Call of Duty: Warzone trailer shows a beautiful rebuilt Verdansk, but some fans want more: 'it won't be the same unfortunately'
Marvel Rivals
Marvel Rivals will get two new hero skins for Moon Knight and Black Panther this week meaning I'll now need to farm even more Units
A close up of the PlayStation symbol at the top of a PS5 Slim console with a white brick background
Sony has dropped a new PS5 update, improving activities and adding more emoji support
The RIG M2 Streamstar attached to a boom arm.
The RIG M2 Streamstar has the world's first Bluetooth audio gateway in a wired gaming microphone
Latest in News
Open AI
OpenAI live stream - could we see a major ChatGPT upgrade?
Apple WWDC 2025 announced
Apple just announced WWDC 2025 starts on June 9, and we'll all be watching the opening event
Hornet swings their weapon in mid air
Hollow Knight: Silksong gets new Steam metadata changes, convincing everyone and their mother that the game is finally releasing this year
OpenAI logo
OpenAI just launched a free ChatGPT bible that will help you master the AI chatbot and Sora
NetSuite EVP Evan Goldberg at SuiteConnect London 2025
"It's our job to deliver constant innovation” - NetSuite head on why it wants to be the operating system for your whole business
Monster Hunter Wilds
Monster Hunter Wilds Title Update 1 launches in early April, adding new monsters and some of the best-looking armor sets I need to add to my collection