The highly anticipated 2D adventure game,Earthblade,will never see the light of day. The developer behind the critically acclaimed 2D platformer game, Celeste, has officially abandoned the progress of the indie title. This news comes as a serious disappointment to fans, who were eagerly awaiting the release of the game several years after its initial proclamation.
In a statement, the Toronto-based indie developer, Extremely OK Games, revealed the unfortunate news about Earthblade. Promising a “2D explor-action” experience,the game was set to utilize a pixel art style,an aesthetic the studio is well-known for,demonstrated in their previous accomplished projects like Celeste and TowerFall.
The developers acknowledged the expectations of fans and gamers, but explained their inability to make the project work.According to Extremely OK Games, the development of Earthblade was riddled with challenges – insurmountable enough for the team to conclude they couldn’t bring it to fruition.
“We’ve been working on it for four years, and we’ve run into so many brick walls. We’ve made progress and lost progress and made it again and lost it again”, the studio wrote in a blog post. ”At some point, it has to be admitted that it just isn’t going to work, no matter how much we want it to.”
The disappointments associated with the game’s cancellation also affected the entire team at Extremely OK Games. The firm had invested ample resources and effort into Earthblade, but it seems the numerous obstacles eventually added up, leading to an insurmountable wall. They also noted that the comfort of returning to a familiar 2D format after the ambitious Celeste project was perhaps part of the reasons for the project’s unsuccessful development.
despite the news, the studio promises that it is not the end of their creative journey. landmarks set by Celeste have not only established a firm reputation for Extremely OK Games, but also expanded the possibilities for what indie games can achieve both visually and narratively.Now, the team’s focus will shift to other projects that fans can look forward to.
“We set out to make Earthblade and that didn’t happen, but we’re still here. We’re going to regroup, change course, start something new. And that ‘something new’ will also be marvelous. We can’t say how long it will take or what form it will take. But we’re excited for the future,” they concluded.
While the gaming community mourns the cancellation of Earthblade, there is hope in the developer’s words. The end of Earthblade is not the end for Extremely OK Games and no doubt, players and fans alike will eagerly anticipate the studio’s next project.