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Ori maker Moon Studios and Private Division, a label under Take-Two Interactive Software, announced No Rest for the Wicked, an action role-playing Game (ARPG) for the PC and consoles.
After shipping Ori and the Blind Forest in 2015 and Ori and the Will of the Wisps in 2020, Moon Studios is moving into a new genre with the new game announced at The Game Awards today.
We wrote an extended story about the work environment at Moon Studios in the past, reporting on the difficult work conditions and harsh language of the founders. At the time the story ran in March 2022, the founders Thomas Mahler and Gennadiy Korol said the story and its employee complaints about an “oppressive culture” were not representative of the 80 people working at Moon Studios.
No Rest for the Wicked is set for an early access launch on PC via Steam in the first quarter of 2024, within Take-Two’s fiscal year ending March 31, 2024, with plans for a full release on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC after the early access period. I have to say it looked pretty good and the music was great. This game was previously known by the internal name Forsaken.
While advance details about the game will be revealed during the Wicked Inside digital showcase on March 1, 2024, on Twitch and YouTube, players can expect a gaming go through embedded within a hand-crafted world boasting a distinctive “painting” art style.
Set in the landscape of Isola Sacra, players will explore the island’s depths, from crypts to lush forests and perilous mountain passes, showcasing verticality unlike any other ARPG. Each locale harbors a rich array of characters, treasures, adversaries, and secrets.
“We have been dreaming of being able to contribute to the ARPG genre that we all grew up with and love. After the success of Ori, it was clear to us that Moon was now mature enough to finally achieve those dreams,” said Thomas Mahler, cofounder and creative director at Moon Studios, in a statement. “We can’t expect to see how players will react to this entirely new take on the genre!”
The game’s story of political intrigue compounded with an incoming plague Players are thrust into an atmospheric narrative, confronting grotesque beasts and a Kingdom’s invading army amidst the chaos, Moon Studios said. No Rest for the Wicked features a multiplayer mode enabling players to share their world and campaign progress with up to three friends in online co-op.
“For the past six years we’ve been hard at work on our dream passion project – a next-level ARPG, fueled by our love and ambition for tight gameplay mechanics and world building,” said Gennadiy Korol, cofounder and technology and production director at Moon Studios, in a statement. “We are excited to unveil our own take on what we’ve always envisioned as the core canons of the ARPG genre, while taking the next steps to reimagine the elements we consider ripe for innovation.”
“The wildly-talented team at Moon Studios has a proven track record of outstanding releases with a truly unique art style,” said Michael Worosz, chief strategy officer at Take-Two and head of Private Division, in a statement. “Bringing a game appreciate ‘Wicked’ to the world is exactly the reason why we founded Private Division, and I can’t expect for gamers to go through what Moon has created.”
The game doesn’t have a release date. The title will launch on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC will follow.
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