CEO COMPARES WICKED DEV'S GAME TO LORD OF THE RINGS, DELAYS ORI 3

Moon Studios' CEO Thomas Mahler has announced that their latest title, No Rest for the Wicked, has entered early access and has hinted at a long-term development plan, comparing the game’s trajectory to the epic nature of Lord of the Rings. The studio, known for the acclaimed Ori series, has massive plans for the action RPG, suggesting a 5-10 year development period even after No Rest for the Wicked’s initial 1.0 launch. Mahler has implied that what players are seeing now is just a fraction of what’s been developed behind the scenes and that this project is intended to make a significant impact on the ARPG genre.

Mahler’s ambitions, however, mean that fans of the Ori series may have to wait a long while for a third installment, as the studio’s focus will be on their current project for the foreseeable future. The recent early access release aside, No Rest for the Wicked also received its largest hotfix, aimed at performance improvements and quality of life updates, amid mixed reviews from players.

While there is no specific release date provided, given the comparison to Lord of the Rings and the long-term development window of 5-10 years post-launch, it seems that full release could be several years away with the game’s 1.0 version serving as just the beginning of a broader, ongoing development process.

Moon Studios has been known for their visually stunning and emotionally resonant Metroidvania series, Ori and the Blind Forest, followed by Ori and the Will of the Wisps. Both games received critical acclaim for their art, music, and gameplay. With this strong pedigree, No Rest for the Wicked is highly anticipated to provide an equally rich and compelling experience within the ARPG genre.