Earthblade, the highly anticipated project from the Celeste developers, has been cancelled due to internal team conflicts. This article details the events leading to this unfortunate decision.
Internal Disputes Lead to Cancellation
Extremely OK Games (EXOK), the studio behind the acclaimed Celeste, announced the cancellation of Earthblade on their official website. In a statement, Director Maddy Thorson explained that a significant internal rift, involving herself, programmer Noel Berry, and former art director Pedro Medeiros, contributed to the cancellation. The core issue stemmed from a disagreement over the intellectual property rights of Celeste, a matter Thorson chose not to elaborate on.
While a resolution was reached, it resulted in Medeiros's departure to pursue his own project, Neverway, under a new studio. Thorson emphasized that there are no hard feelings, stating that Medeiros and his team are not considered adversaries.
The loss of Medeiros wasn't the sole reason for the cancellation, but it highlighted underlying problems. Thorson acknowledged that Earthblade's development was significantly behind schedule, and the pressure to surpass the success of Celeste proved overwhelming. The team ultimately recognized the need to step back and reassess their approach.
EXOK's Future Direction
With a reduced team, EXOK plans to focus on smaller-scale projects, returning to a development style reminiscent of their work on Celeste and TowerFall. Thorson expressed a desire to collaborate with former team members in the future. The statement concluded on a positive note, emphasizing the team's commitment to rediscovering the joy of game development.
Earthblade was envisioned as an explor-action platformer, centered around Névoa, a child of Fate, exploring a ruined Earth. The cancellation marks a significant setback, but EXOK's commitment to future projects offers a glimmer of hope for fans.
