Earthblade: A Heartbreaking Cancellation
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.
Internal Conflicts Lead to Cancellation
In a poignant update on their website, EXOK Director Maddy Thorson revealed the difficult decision to cancel Earthblade. She explained that a fundamental fracture within the team, involving herself, programmer Noel Berry, and former art director Pedro Medeiros, played a significant role. The core issue stemmed from a disagreement regarding the intellectual property rights of Celeste, a detail Thorson chose not to elaborate on.
While a resolution was reached, it ultimately led to Medeiros' departure to pursue his own project, Neverway, under a new studio. Thorson emphasized that despite the circumstances, there are no hard feelings, stating, "Pedro and the Neverway team aren't the enemy and anyone who treats them as such isn't welcome in any EXOK community."
However, Medeiros' departure wasn't the sole factor. Thorson acknowledged that the project's progress was slower than anticipated, and the pressure of following up Celeste's immense success contributed to burnout. The team ultimately recognized the need to step back and reassess.
EXOK's Future Focus
With a significant restructuring, Thorson and Berry are now prioritizing smaller-scale projects, focusing on rediscovering the creative joy they experienced during the development of Celeste and TowerFall. They expressed hope for future collaborations with former team members. Thorson concluded with a message of resilience: "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, envisioned as an explor-action platformer, would have followed the journey of Névoa, a child of Fate, returning to a ravaged Earth. While its release is no longer possible, the team's commitment to future endeavors remains.
