The highly anticipated Earthblade, from the creators of Celeste, has been cancelled due to internal team conflicts. This follows an announcement on Extremely OK Games' (EXOK) website detailing the reasons behind the cancellation.

Internal Disputes Lead to Cancellation

EXOK Director Maddy Thorson revealed a significant "fracture" within the team, primarily involving herself, programmer Noel Berry, and former art director Pedro Medeiros. The core issue stemmed from a disagreement regarding the intellectual property rights of Celeste. While a resolution was reached, it resulted in Medeiros departing to pursue his own project, Neverway, under a new studio. Thorson emphasized that there are no hard feelings, stating that Medeiros and his team are not considered adversaries.

The loss of Medeiros, coupled with the game's less-than-expected progress after a lengthy development cycle, ultimately led to the cancellation decision. Thorson acknowledged the immense pressure stemming from Celeste's success, contributing to the team's exhaustion and ultimately derailing the project.

EXOK's Future Focus

With a significant portion of the team moving on, EXOK, now comprised of Thorson and Berry, plans to refocus on smaller-scale projects. They aim to return to their roots, prioritizing a more enjoyable and sustainable development process, similar to their work on 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, exploring a ruined Earth. While the cancellation is undoubtedly disappointing, EXOK's commitment to a healthier development approach suggests a brighter future for the studio.