Earthblade Cancelled: Celeste Developers Announce Project Closure
The highly anticipated Earthblade, from the creators of the acclaimed indie game Celeste, has been cancelled. This decision, announced by Extremely OK Games (EXOK), follows significant internal challenges within the development team.
Internal Disputes Lead to Cancellation
In a heartfelt post titled "Final Earthblade Update," EXOK Director Maddy Thorson revealed the reasons behind the cancellation. She explained that a fundamental disagreement, primarily involving herself, programmer Noel Berry, and former art director Pedro Medeiros, arose concerning the intellectual property rights of Celeste. While a resolution was reached, it ultimately led to Medeiros’ departure and the formation of his own studio, Neverway, where he's working on a new game. Thorson emphasized that despite the circumstances, there are no hard feelings, stating, "Pedro and the Neverway team aren't the enemy."
Thorson acknowledged that Medeiros’ departure wasn't the sole reason for cancellation. The prolonged development process, coupled with the immense pressure stemming from Celeste's success, contributed significantly to the team's exhaustion and ultimately led to the decision to cancel Earthblade. The project, while promising, hadn't progressed as far as anticipated.
EXOK's Future Focus: Smaller-Scale Projects
With a significant portion of their team moving on, EXOK is now prioritizing smaller-scale projects. Thorson and Berry plan to return to their roots, experimenting and prototyping at a more sustainable pace, aiming to recapture the creative joy experienced during the development of Celeste and TowerFall. They expressed hope for future collaborations with former team members.
Earthblade, envisioned as an explor-action platformer, would have followed the journey of Névoa, a child of Fate, returning to a ruined Earth. While its release is no longer possible, EXOK remains optimistic about the future, focusing on a renewed creative approach and a return to their core strengths.
