Moon Studios faces crisis after criticism of No Rest For The Wicked

The recent release of the The Breach update for No Rest For The Wicked had a serious side effect: intense review bombing that left Moon Studios CEO, Thomas Mahler, on high alert. The game, released in Early Access on Steam, is far from meeting expectations—both from the public and critics—and now, according to the CEO himself, the studio is at real risk of closing its doors.

In a statement published on the official game Discord, Mahler made a direct appeal to the more engaged fan base:

"If you are enjoying the experience, please leave a positive review on Steam. We are putting everything into this project. If it fails, we may not be able to keep the doors open."

The title marks an ambitious attempt by Moon Studios to establish itself as a 100% independent studio, following the critical success of franchises like Ori and the Blind Forest (2015) and Ori and the Will of the Wisps (2020), both published by Xbox Game Studios. However, the new model of development and publication without external support also brought considerable risks, especially in a market where early access games face immediate public reviews.

The negative reaction to the The Breach update, released in early May 2025, generated an avalanche of criticisms, many of them related to changes in balance, technical issues, and the lack of truly meaningful content. Since then, reviews of No Rest For The Wicked have plummeted to the "Neutral" level on the Valve platform, which could directly impact the game's visibility in the store's algorithm.

Currently, the game is available for R$ 127.99 on Steam, and although it has received praise for its stylish visuals and combat system inspired by soulslikes, its reception is still marked by inconsistency and frustration from some players.

It is worth noting that No Rest For The Wicked is the first project from Moon Studios after its editorial separation from Microsoft. The decision to continue with independent publishing was celebrated at the time for ensuring total creative freedom, but it also implied greater financial and operational risks. In hindsight, this choice may now be demanding a response from the community that goes beyond criticism—something closer to active support for the studio's survival.

For now, the future of the Ori developer depends directly on the reception of future updates and the ability to engage already active players. The situation raises an alert about the challenges faced by independent studios trying to maintain technical and artistic ambition in an increasingly competitive and volatile market.