Moon Studios, the developer studio behind the beloved and award-winning Ori series, has announced its new games No Rest for the Wicked The studio's founder, Thomas Mahler, shocked the gaming world by announcing that negative user reviews about the game were seriously threatening the studio's future. In a striking statement on Discord, the studio's founder, Thomas Mahler, stated that the game's sales had dropped significantly due to negative reviews, and that this situation was endangering the studio's financial sustainability.
Thomas Mahler's Critical Warning: Comments Will Determine Studio's Fate
Thomas Mahler, in a heartfelt post on Discord, stated that if players who liked No Rest for the Wicked did not comment, Moon Studios could face closure in a few months. Mahler emphasized that many players generally assume that developer studios are backed by large, financially powerful publishers, but that this idea does not reflect the truth in indie projects like No Rest for the Wicked. Mahler stated that indie developers are not as financially secure as large publishers, and that positive feedback is vital.
Steam Reviews Are “Mostly Positive” But Recent Comments Are “Mixed”
While the overall rating for No Rest for the Wicked on Steam currently reads “Mostly Positive,” it’s notable that recent user reviews have been marked as “Mixed.” Mahler argues that even if some of the negative reviews aren’t traditional “review bombing,” each negative review has a direct negative impact on the game’s sales, which in turn seriously harms the studio’s profitability. This financial pressure poses a serious risk to Moon Studios’ long-term future.
“If You Don't Comment, Maybe We Won't Be Able to Make Future Updates”
Mahler made an emotional appeal to players, saying, “If you like the game, please leave a positive review. If you don’t, we may not be able to make updates to this game in a few months.” Mahler, who actively encourages positive players to comment, emphasized that negative reviews could lead the studio to the point of closing down. However, this open call received criticism from some parts of the gaming community. Many users argued that negative reviews are often constructive and valid criticisms that can contribute to the development of the game, so expecting only positive reviews is not the right approach.
The Content of Negative Comments and the Balance Between Criticism and Harm
When examining some of the negative comments made for No Rest for the Wicked, details such as the game's interface being found complex, the gameplay structure being overly punishing for some players, and the inadequacy of the storytelling stand out. Therefore, it is not possible to say that all of the negative comments the game has received are completely "unfair" or "unfounded". While this statement by Thomas Mahler strikingly reveals the sensitivity of independent game developers to user comments and the direct impact of these comments on financial sustainability, it also brings the issue of the culture of criticism within the gaming community and the delicate balance between criticism and harm to the agenda again. How Moon Studios will get through this difficult process and whether they will be able to improve their games by taking player feedback into account continues to be a matter of curiosity.
