Earthblade: A Heartbreaking Cancellation
The much-anticipated Earthblade, from the creators of the acclaimed Celeste, has been cancelled. This follows internal disagreements within Extremely OK Games (EXOK).
Internal Disputes Lead to Cancellation
In a heartfelt announcement on their website, EXOK Director Maddy Thorson revealed the difficult decision to cancel Earthblade. The announcement detailed a fracture within the team, stemming from a disagreement regarding the intellectual property rights of Celeste involving Thorson, programmer Noel Berry, and former art director Pedro Medeiros. While a resolution was reached, it resulted in Medeiros departing to pursue his own project, Neverway. Thorson emphasized that despite the conflict, there are no hard feelings, and Medeiros and his team are not considered adversaries.
Thorson explained that Medeiros' departure, coupled with the game's protracted development and the pressure to surpass the success of Celeste, contributed to the cancellation. The team ultimately felt it was time to acknowledge the project's shortcomings and move forward.
EXOK's Future Focus
With a significant portion of the team moving on, Thorson and Berry intend to refocus on smaller-scale projects, returning to a more organic development process reminiscent of their work on Celeste and TowerFall. They expressed hope for future collaborations with former team members. The statement concluded on a positive note, emphasizing a renewed commitment to rediscovering joy in their creative process.
Earthblade was envisioned as an explor-action platformer, following the journey of Névoa, a child of Fate, as they navigate a ruined Earth. While the game's cancellation is undoubtedly disappointing, EXOK's commitment to learning from this experience and pursuing future projects offers a glimmer of hope for fans.
