Earthblade, a Game by Celeste Devs, Cancelled Due to "Disagreements"

The highly anticipated game Earthblade, developed by the creators of the indie sensation Celeste, has been officially cancelled due to internal issues within the team. This news marks a significant moment for fans and the gaming community who have been eagerly awaiting this next project from Extremely OK Games (EXOK).

Earthblade Is Officially Cancelled

Developers Cite Internal "Fracture"

Earthblade, which was poised to be the next major title from the studio behind Celeste, has now been officially cancelled due to internal disagreements among the team members. Extremely OK Games (EXOK) announced this difficult decision on their official website in a post titled "Final Earthblade Update."

In the announcement, EXOK Director Maddy Thorson explained the reasons behind the cancellation and shared the studio's future plans. "Late last month, Noel and I made the difficult decision to cancel Earthblade. Yes, we are opening the year with a huge, heartbreaking, and yet relieving failure," Thorson stated, expressing apologies to fans and acknowledging the team's ongoing process of grieving and reflection.

Thorson detailed that the cancellation stemmed from a "fracture" within the team, particularly between herself, EXOK Computer Programmer Noel Berry, and former Art Director Pedro Medeiros. The core of the conflict revolved around a "disagreement about the IP rights of Celeste," though Thorson did not delve deeper into the specifics, citing the sensitivity of the issue.

Despite reaching a resolution, Medeiros decided to part ways with EXOK and is now working on his own game, Neverway, under a new studio. Thorson emphasized that despite the split, "Pedro and the Neverway team aren't the enemy and anyone who treats them as such isn't welcome in any EXOK community."

Thorson further explained that Medeiros' departure was not the sole reason for cancelling Earthblade, but it prompted a critical evaluation of the project's future. "The project had a lot going for it but, frustratingly, it was also not as far along as one would expect after such a protracted development process," she noted. The pressure to surpass the success of Celeste added to the team's exhaustion, leading Thorson to conclude that it was time to admit defeat and move on.

EXOK’s Future Plans

With a significant portion of their team having moved on, Thorson and Berry are now focusing on learning from this experience and starting anew with smaller-scale projects. They are currently in the prototyping and experimentation phase, aiming to "rediscover game development in a manner closer to how we approached it at Celeste's or TowerFall's inception." Thorson expressed hope for future collaborations with former team members and concluded on an optimistic note, "We gave it all we've got, and life goes on. We are happy to return to our roots and reclaim some joy in our creative process, and see where that takes us."

Earthblade was envisioned as an "explor-action platformer" that would follow the story of Névoa, the enigmatic child of Fate, as they return to a ruined Earth to piece together the remnants of the desolate planet.