Moon Studios, the creative force behind the beloved Ori franchise, has announced that the official launch of its upcoming action‑RPG, No Rest for the Wicked, will now take place in March 2027. The title originally entered early access in April 2024 with an ambitious full‑release target of October 2026. Despite having sold two million copies by July 2026, the studio has decided to extend the development timeline in order to meet the high bar it sets for its projects.
In a candid statement, Moon Studios explained that while the game is "close" to a finished state, the team believes "close" is not sufficient for the kind of polished, flagship experience they intend to deliver. "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 studio wrote.
This commitment to quality has driven the decision to allocate additional months for refinement rather than rush a version that falls short of the studio’s vision. The extra development window will be used to address several core areas. Performance optimisation is a top priority, ensuring the game runs smoothly across all platforms without frame‑rate hiccups or loading delays. The class system, a central gameplay pillar that lets players customise their character’s abilities, will be tightened and balanced to provide a more rewarding progression experience.
Overall polish—ranging from visual fidelity and audio design to UI clarity and bug elimination—will also receive focused attention. Moon Studios emphasized that the delay is not merely a setback but an opportunity for deeper community involvement. The studio plans to roll out additional closed and open beta sessions over the coming months, giving players the chance to test new features, report issues, and influence the final build. An open beta is slated for December 2026, inviting a broader audience to experience the game in a near‑final state and contribute feedback that will shape the ultimate 1.0 version.
To reward early supporters, the studio announced a "Founders Pack" for anyone who purchases No Rest for the Wicked before January 1, 2027. This bundle includes exclusive in‑game items, cosmetic upgrades, and other perks designed to thank the community for its patience during the extended development cycle. PlayStation users will be able to secure the same rewards when pre‑orders open in January 2027, aligning console and PC incentives. The announcement was accompanied by a YouTube video featuring studio founder Thomas Mahler, who provided further insight into the development process.
Mahler described the team’s recent months as a "mad dash" to integrate additional content, finalize the class system, and incorporate all the features slated for the 1.0 launch. He admitted that extensive playtesting revealed that the game still required fine‑tuning before it could be deemed ready for release. "We've been playtesting a lot, and the truth is simply that we're not quite there yet," Mahler said. He traced the project’s origins back to 2016, when the first prototypes of No Rest for the Wicked were sketched.
Over the past decade, the studio has iterated on the concept, expanding its scope and ambition. With the launch now only a few months away, Mahler stressed the importance of taking the remaining time to "land this plane safely" and avoid shipping a product plagued by minor bugs or unfinished mechanics. Mahler also framed the upcoming title as a potential "generational" experience—one that could stand alongside landmark releases that only appear sporadically in the industry. By refusing to compromise on quality, Moon Studios hopes to deliver a game that not only meets but exceeds player expectations, cementing its reputation for artistic excellence and innovative design.
In summary, No Rest for the Wicked will see its full release in March 2027 after an extended development period focused on performance, balance, and polish. The studio will continue to engage its community through beta testing, and early purchasers will receive special rewards as a token of appreciation. Moon Studios remains committed to launching a game that reflects its uncompromising standards, even if that means waiting a little longer for the perfect moment.