Moon Studios, the team behind the critically praised Ori games, is now facing severe financial troubles. Their latest title, No Rest for the Wicked, launched in early access with high hopes but things did not go as planned. According to studio head Thomas Mahler, the game has fallen victim to review bombing and unless things change soon, it could mean the end of the studio.
No Rest for the Wicked is Moon Studios’ first release as a fully independent developer. Known for its artistic style and emotional storytelling, while some early access players praised the visuals and ambition, the game has been bombarded with negative reviews on steam shortly after launch.
No Rest for the Wicked review bombing can lead to Moon Studios shutting down because Mahler addressed the issue directly in a Discord channel, which ended up in a forum post warning fans that the Xbox sweetheart studio is in dire straits. He even asked fans who enjoyed the game to leave positive reviews saying that the negative ratings were scaring away potential buyers.
But the community response has been mixed. On forums like ResetEra and Steam some users argued that some of this criticism is valid, and calling it review bombing would be disingenuous. Complaints range from buggy gameplay and performance issues to the feeling that the game simply wasn’t ready for release. Others believe the game’s mechanics were poorly designed with one commenter calling it “mediocre.” Still, some fans defended the title insisting the No rest for the Wicked review bombing was harsh.
The bigger debate is on what qualifies as review bombing. Some players believe that what’s happening isn’t coordinated bombing but rather genuine user feedback on a product that underdelivered. Regardless of intent, the result is the same: Moon Studios is in existential trouble. Their revenue stream has dried up and No Rest for the Wicked’s future is uncertain.
The situation raises tough questions for developers. In an era where public feedback is immediate and brutally honest, how can a studio recover from a negative spiral once it begins? For Moon Studios, the next few months could decide whether No Rest for the Wicked is misunderstood or the game that brought a beloved studio to its knees.