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

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

Internal Disputes Lead to Earthblade's Cancellation

Extremely OK Games (EXOK), the studio behind the indie success Celeste, announced the cancellation of Earthblade on their website. In a statement, Director Maddy Thorson explained that a significant internal fracture, involving herself, programmer Noel Berry, and former art director Pedro Medeiros, ultimately led to the decision. The core issue stemmed from a disagreement regarding the intellectual property rights of Celeste, a conflict that Thorson chose not to elaborate on 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 circumstances, 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 prompted a reevaluation of the project's viability. Thorson acknowledged that Earthblade's development was significantly behind schedule, and the pressure to surpass the success of Celeste proved overwhelming, contributing to team burnout.

EXOK's Future Focus

With a reduced team, EXOK plans to refocus on smaller-scale projects, prioritizing a more sustainable development process. Thorson and Berry aim to rediscover the creative joy they experienced during the development of Celeste and TowerFall. They expressed hope for future collaborations with former team members. The statement concluded on a positive note, emphasizing the team's commitment to returning to their roots and finding renewed creative energy.

Earthblade was envisioned as an explor-action platformer, centered on Névoa, a child of Fate, returning to a devastated Earth.