Earthblade, the highly anticipated project from the Celeste developers, has been cancelled due to internal team conflicts. This article details the circumstances surrounding the cancellation.
Internal Discord Leads 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, ultimately led to the decision. The core of the conflict stemmed from a disagreement over the intellectual property rights of Celeste, a matter Thorson chose not to elaborate on publicly.
While a resolution was reached, it resulted in Medeiros departing to pursue his own project, Neverway, under a new studio. Thorson stressed that there are no hard feelings, emphasizing that Medeiros and his team are not to be considered adversaries within the EXOK community.
The loss of Medeiros, however, wasn't the sole reason for cancellation. Thorson acknowledged that the project's progress was slower than anticipated, and the immense pressure of following up on Celeste's success contributed to team burnout. The decision to cancel, she explained, was a recognition that continuing would not be the right path forward.
EXOK's Future Focus
With a significant portion of the team moving on, Thorson and Berry plan to refocus on smaller-scale projects, prioritizing a more sustainable and enjoyable development process. They are currently prototyping and experimenting, aiming to recapture the creative energy of their earlier projects like Celeste and TowerFall. They expressed hope for future collaborations with former team members.
Earthblade was envisioned as an explor-action platformer, centered around Névoa, a child of Fate, returning to a ravaged Earth. The cancellation marks a significant setback, but EXOK remains committed to future endeavors.
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