Earthblade has been canceled by Extremely OK Games

The game development company Extremely OK Games has decided to discontinue Earthblade.

Maddy Thorson, the director of research and development at EXOK, detailed in a blog entry that internal disputes over Celeste’s intellectual property emerged in early 2024, causing disruption within the team.

This led to the departure of art director Pedro Medeiros in November, as reported in his social media post, prompting Thorson and programmer Noel Berry to reassess Earthblade's continuation.

"Pedro's exit wasn't the sole reason for halting the game," wrote Thorson. "However, it made us question whether we should continue pushing forward with Earthblade, especially given its slow progress despite extended development."

Thorson pointed to the overwhelming expectations resulting from Celeste's achievements as a contributing factor, which rendered the development process "draining" for the team.

The split with Medeiros provided a moment of realization for the team, allowing them to acknowledge their lack of direction and to see canceling the project as a form of relief.

Thorson emphasized that the choice to stop developing Earthblade was made completely by her and Berry.

"I want to make it clear that the responsibility for the decision lies solely with me and Noel," she clarified. "If you're upset about Earthblade's cancellation, don't blame Pedro or the Neverway team; they are not at fault."

Other colleagues have left EXOK during the last year, leaving only Thorson and Berry as the remaining members of the company.

Thorson revealed that they are now redirecting their focus toward smaller projects, learning from past experiences to start fresh.

"We're back to prototyping and exploring at our own rhythm, trying to recapture the essence of how we began with Celeste and TowerFall," she concluded.