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

Earthblade, the highly anticipated game 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 website. 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 disagreements regarding 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 and welcomes continued community support for Medeiros and his new endeavor.

The loss of Medeiros wasn't the sole reason for cancellation. Thorson also cited the game's protracted development and the immense pressure stemming from Celeste's success as contributing factors. The team recognized that continuing development wasn't the optimal path forward, given the project's incomplete state and the overall exhaustion within the team.

EXOK's Future Focus

With a smaller team, EXOK plans to shift its focus to 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 featuring Névoa, a child of Fate, journeying across a ruined Earth. The cancellation marks a significant setback, but EXOK remains committed to its future endeavors.