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

The highly anticipated Earthblade, from the creators of the acclaimed Celeste, has been cancelled due to internal team conflicts. This article details the circumstances surrounding the game's cancellation.

Internal Discord Leads to Cancellation

Extremely OK Games (EXOK), the studio behind Celeste, announced the cancellation of Earthblade on their official website. In a statement, Director Maddy Thorson explained the reasons behind this difficult decision.

Thorson revealed a significant internal fracture within the team, specifically involving herself, programmer Noel Berry, and former art director Pedro Medeiros. The core issue stemmed from a disagreement over the intellectual property rights of Celeste, a conflict that Thorson chose not to elaborate on further due to its sensitive nature.

While a resolution was reached, it resulted in Medeiros' departure to pursue his own project, Neverway, under a new studio. Thorson emphasized that despite the conflict, there are no hard feelings, stating that Medeiros and his team are not considered adversaries.

Medeiros' departure wasn't the sole reason for cancellation, but it highlighted the challenges facing the project. Thorson acknowledged that Earthblade's development was further behind schedule than anticipated, and the pressure to surpass the success of Celeste contributed to team burnout. The decision to cancel was made after a thorough assessment of the situation.

EXOK's Future Focus

With a significant portion of their team moving on, EXOK, now comprised of Thorson and Berry, plans to refocus on smaller-scale projects. 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. Thorson concluded with a message of moving forward and finding renewed joy in their creative process.

Earthblade was envisioned as an explor-action platformer, centered on Névoa, a child of Fate, exploring a ruined Earth. The cancellation marks a significant setback, but EXOK is committed to learning from the experience and charting a new course.