Earthblade Cancellation: A Heartbreaking Update from Extremely OK Games

Extremely OK Games (EXOK), the creators of the acclaimed indie title Celeste, have announced the cancellation of their highly anticipated project, Earthblade. This decision follows significant internal challenges within the development team.

In a candid statement on their website, EXOK Director Maddy Thorson revealed a "fracture" within the team, stemming from disagreements regarding the intellectual property rights of Celeste. This dispute involved Thorson, programmer Noel Berry, and former art director Pedro Medeiros. While a resolution was reached, it ultimately led to Medeiros' departure to pursue his own project, Neverway. Thorson emphasized that despite the circumstances, there are no hard feelings, stating that Medeiros and his team are not considered adversaries.

Thorson also cited the immense pressure of following up on Celeste's success as a contributing factor to the challenges faced during Earthblade's development. The project, while promising, hadn't progressed as far as anticipated, leading to the difficult decision to cancel it.

Looking Ahead: A Return to Roots

With a smaller team, EXOK plans to refocus on smaller-scale projects, aiming to recapture the creative energy and collaborative spirit that defined their work on Celeste and TowerFall. Thorson expressed hope for future collaborations with former team members.

Earthblade was envisioned as an explor-action platformer featuring Névoa, a child of Fate returning to a ravaged Earth. While its cancellation is undoubtedly disappointing for fans, EXOK's commitment to learning from this experience and returning to a more sustainable development approach offers a glimmer of hope for future projects.