Moon Studios, the creative force behind Ori and the Will of the Wisps, has announced that the full launch of its upcoming action‑RPG, No Rest for the Wicked, will now take place in March 2027. The title entered early access in April 2024 with an initial full‑release window slated for October 2026. By July 2026, the game had already moved two million copies, indicating strong community interest and solid sales performance during its early‑access phase.
Despite the impressive numbers, the studio has clarified that the project is "close" to a finished state, yet they insist that "close" does not satisfy the level of polish they aim to deliver for the official 1.0 launch. In a public statement, Moon Studios emphasized that their small development team adheres to a set of quality benchmarks that they are unwilling to compromise. "The honest truth is that we're a small team, and we're holding our games to a standard we won't compromise on," the statement read. The additional development window will be used to fine‑tune several core aspects of the game.
According to the studio, the extra time will allow them to improve performance across all platforms, tighten the newly introduced class system, and apply a thorough polish to the overall experience. "The extra time will help us improve performance, tighten the class system, and polish the whole game to the standard you all deserve. We'd rather take a few more months than ship something that we know isn't quite perfect yet," the developers explained.
Moon Studios also highlighted that the delay will open up opportunities for more extensive community testing. The studio plans to conduct further closed and open beta sessions in the months leading up to the final release, giving players a chance to provide feedback and directly influence the final build. An open beta is scheduled for December 2026, and participants who purchase No Rest for the Wicked before January 1 2027 will be rewarded with a "Founders Pack" as a token of appreciation for supporting the game during its early‑access period.
PlayStation users will be able to pre‑order the title starting in January 2027, which will also grant them access to the Founders Pack rewards. This aligns with the studio's broader strategy to maintain momentum across all major platforms while ensuring that every player receives the same level of content and incentives. In a separate video posted on YouTube, studio founder Thomas Mahler provided further insight into the reasons behind the schedule shift.
Mahler described the development team as being in a "mad dash" to integrate additional content, finalize the class system, and incorporate all the features originally promised for the 1.0 launch. "We've been playtesting a lot, and the truth is simply that we're not quite there yet," Mahler admitted. Mahler also reflected on the project's long history, noting that the first prototypes of No Rest for the Wicked date back to 2016. Over the past decade, the team has iterated on gameplay mechanics, narrative design, and visual fidelity, gradually shaping the game into what it is today.
As the studio approaches the final stretch, Mahler emphasized the importance of avoiding a rushed launch that could leave lingering bugs or unfinished systems. "We've been working on the first prototypes of No Rest for the Wicked all the way back in 2016, and given we're in the last couple of months, we would just like to take that extra time to make sure that we land this plane safely and that we don't ship with any silly little bugs left," he said. The developer's ultimate goal is to deliver an experience that feels "generational"—a title that stands out as a landmark release in the action‑RPG genre.
Mahler concluded with a hopeful vision: "We want everybody to have a wonderful experience and ship something that is one of those generational games that only comes out every so often." In summary, Moon Studios' decision to postpone the full release of No Rest for the Wicked reflects a commitment to quality over speed. By allocating extra months for performance optimization, class system refinement, and extensive community testing, the studio aims to ensure that the final product meets the high expectations set by both the developers and the fanbase. The upcoming open beta, early‑access incentives, and platform‑wide pre‑order plans all serve to keep the community engaged while the team puts the finishing touches on what they hope will become a defining title for the next generation of gamers.