The highly anticipated Earthblade, from the creators of the acclaimed Celeste, has been cancelled due to internal team conflicts. This article details the circumstances surrounding the cancellation.
Internal Disputes Lead to Earthblade's Cancellation
Extremely OK Games (EXOK), the studio behind Celeste, announced the cancellation of Earthblade on their website. In a statement, Director Maddy Thorson explained the reasons behind this difficult decision.
The cancellation stemmed from a significant internal rift between Thorson, programmer Noel Berry, and former art director Pedro Medeiros. A disagreement over the intellectual property rights of Celeste was a central point of contention. While a resolution was reached, it resulted in Medeiros leaving EXOK to pursue his own project, Neverway. Thorson emphasized that there are no hard feelings, stating that Medeiros and his team are not the enemy.
The loss of Medeiros, coupled with the game's slower-than-expected progress and the pressure of following up on Celeste's success, ultimately led to the decision to cancel Earthblade. Thorson acknowledged the exhaustion and admitted the team had lost its way.
EXOK's Future Focus
With a reduced team, Thorson and Berry plan to refocus on smaller-scale projects, aiming to recapture the creative energy of their earlier work on Celeste and TowerFall. They expressed hope for future collaborations with former team members. The statement concluded on a positive note, emphasizing a return to their creative roots.
Earthblade was envisioned as an explor-action platformer, featuring Névoa, a child of Fate, exploring a ruined Earth. The cancellation marks a significant setback, but EXOK is looking towards a renewed creative path.
