Earthblade, the follow-up to 2018 2D platformer Celeste, has been canceled, developer Extraordinarily OK Video games introduced in a weblog publish on Wednesday.
“We made this determination in December and felt it greatest to attend till now to announce it,” the developer wrote. “For us on the within we’ve had a while to course of, grieve, and work towards accepting this, though that course of is nonlinear and nonetheless ongoing.”
The publish particulars a “disagreement concerning the IP rights of Celeste” final yr between former artwork director Pedro Medeiros and present Extraordinarily OK Video games members Maddy Thorson and Noel Berry. The three of them “finally reached a decision, however each events additionally agreed in the long run that we must always go our separate methods.” Medeiros left the crew in November and is at present engaged on their very own sport, Neverway.
Extraordinarily OK Video games says the disagreement wasn’t the only motive for the sport’s cancellation, however that it prompted the corporate to “take a severe have a look at whether or not combating via to complete Earthblade was the suitable path ahead.” Though it was introduced in 2019, the crew mentioned it was “not as far alongside as one would anticipate after such a protracted improvement course of.”
Earthblade was meant to be one other 2D platformer within the fashion of Celeste, borrowing its pastel pixel artwork fashion and Metroidvania exploration parts. The sport would’ve adopted principal character Névoa as they explored a ruined Earth with a soundtrack composed by Lena Raine, who beforehand did the music for Celeste. The primary footage of the sport was proven on the 2024 Sport Awards and showcased its intricate 2D ranges and gloomy tone.
“Celeste’s success utilized strain on us to ship one thing greater and higher with Earthblade, and that strain is a big a part of why engaged on it has develop into so exhausting,” it wrote. “Pedro isn’t in charge for this — in actual fact the cut up with him has given us the readability to see that we have now misplaced our means, and the chance to confess defeat. I really feel some ways about it, however one massive feeling is undoubtedly reduction.”
Different members of the crew determined to go away final yr as nicely, leaving Thorson and Berry because the remaining workers of Extraordinarily OK Video games. The developer mentioned it needs to “wipe the slate clear” and refocus on “smaller-scale initiatives.” “We’re prototyping once more and exploring at our personal tempo, and making an attempt to rediscover sport improvement in a fashion nearer to how we approached it at Celeste’s or TowerFall’s inception.”