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 concerning the intellectual property rights of Celeste, a detail Thorson chose not to elaborate on.

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 the antagonists and should not be treated as such within the EXOK community.

Medeiros' departure wasn't the sole cause, but it prompted a reevaluation of the project's viability. Thorson acknowledged that Earthblade's development was significantly behind schedule, and the pressure of following up Celeste's massive success contributed to team burnout.

EXOK's Future Focus

With a reduced team, Thorson and Berry plan to shift their focus to smaller-scale projects, prioritizing a return to the creative spirit that fueled Celeste and TowerFall. They aim to rediscover their passion for game development at a more sustainable pace and hope to collaborate with former team members in the future.

Earthblade was envisioned as an explor-action platformer centered around Névoa, a child of Fate, exploring a ruined Earth. While its cancellation is disappointing, EXOK is looking forward to future endeavors. The statement concludes on a positive note, highlighting their commitment to regaining creative joy and exploring new opportunities.