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 be delayed until March 2027. The game entered early‑access in April 2024 with an original full‑release target of October 2026.
By July 2026 the title had already moved two million copies, demonstrating a strong appetite from the community. In a statement the studio explained that while the project is "close" to a finished 1.0 version, the team believes "close" is not sufficient for the quality 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 announcement read. This commitment to excellence is the primary reason for the additional months added to the schedule.
The extra development window will be used to fine‑tune several core aspects of the game. Moon Studios highlighted three main areas: performance optimization, refinement of the class system, and overall polish. They emphasized that they would rather spend more time polishing the experience than release a product that feels unfinished or riddled with bugs. "We'd rather take a few more months than ship something that we know isn't quite perfect yet," the developers said.
To keep players engaged and involved during the extended timeline, the studio plans to run additional closed and open beta sessions. These tests will give the community more opportunities to try out new features, provide feedback, and help shape the final 1.0 build. An open beta is slated for December 2026, offering a broader audience a chance to experience the game before the official launch.
Early supporters will also be rewarded for their patience. Anyone who purchases No Rest for the Wicked before January 1 2027 will receive a "Founders Pack" containing exclusive in‑game items and bonuses. PlayStation users will be able to pre‑order the title starting in January 2027, granting them access to the same founder rewards. The delay was further explained in a YouTube announcement by studio founder Thomas Mahler.
He described the team’s recent efforts as a "mad dash" to integrate more content, finalize the class system, and incorporate all the planned 1.0 features. Mahler noted that extensive play‑testing revealed the game still needed additional work before it could meet the studio’s high bar.
"We've been playtesting a lot, and the truth is simply that we're not quite there yet," Mahler said. He reminded fans that development on No Rest for the Wicked began with early prototypes back in 2016.
After more than a decade of iteration, the team now finds itself in the final stretch, but they are unwilling to rush the launch. Mahler added, "We'd 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. 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." The decision to postpone reflects a broader industry trend where developers prioritize long‑term reputation over short‑term revenue.
By delaying the launch, Moon Studios hopes to avoid the backlash that can follow a buggy or incomplete release, preserving the trust they have built with their fan base over the years. From a technical standpoint, the extra months will allow the engineers to address performance bottlenecks on both current‑generation consoles and PC configurations.
This includes optimizing load times, stabilizing frame rates, and ensuring the game runs smoothly at its intended visual fidelity. The class system, a central pillar of the gameplay loop, will also receive additional balancing work to ensure each archetype feels distinct and rewarding. Community involvement will remain a cornerstone of the development process.
The upcoming beta phases will feature structured feedback channels, allowing players to report issues, suggest improvements, and vote on potential feature tweaks. Moon Studios has promised to publish regular update notes, keeping the community informed about progress and the impact of their contributions. In summary, No Rest for the Wicked is now slated for a March 2027 release, with Moon Studios using the extra time to perfect performance, refine gameplay systems, and polish the overall experience. Early adopters will be rewarded with exclusive founder packs, and a series of beta tests will keep the community engaged and influential in shaping the final product.
The studio’s unwavering commitment to quality aims to deliver a title that stands out as a landmark, generational experience in the action‑RPG genre.