Earthblade, the highly anticipated game from the creators of Celeste, has been cancelled due to internal team issues. This article details the circumstances surrounding the cancellation.
Internal Conflict Leads to Cancellation
Extremely OK Games (EXOK), the developers behind Celeste, announced the cancellation of Earthblade on their website. Director Maddy Thorson explained that a significant internal rift, primarily involving herself, programmer Noel Berry, and former art director Pedro Medeiros, contributed to the decision. The core conflict stemmed from a disagreement over the intellectual property rights of Celeste.
While a resolution was reached, it resulted in Medeiros' departure 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 wasn't the sole reason for cancellation. Thorson also cited the game's slower-than-expected progress and the immense pressure stemming from Celeste's success as contributing factors. The team ultimately decided that continuing development wasn't the best course of action.
EXOK's Future Focus
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. They expressed hope for future collaborations with former team members. The statement concluded on a positive note, emphasizing a return to their creative roots and a renewed focus on enjoyment in the development process.
Earthblade was envisioned as an explor-action platformer featuring Névoa, a child of Fate, exploring a ruined Earth.
