“Given current market conditions, we might only release on PS5 and potentially Switch 2 for the time being – we’ll have to discuss things with MS to see what makes sense for Xbox,” Mahler had posted. When he was asked for more details on social media platform X, he went on to say that this isn’t official confirmation about whether or not the title will come to Xbox, at least for now.

“There’s nothing to officially confirm yet,” he posted. “We want to support consoles and just looking at the numbers, PS5 makes the most sense at the moment. Ultimately we’ll ship on all platforms, but likely not at the same time!”

“We believe this will give you even more confidence in our vision, because we’re free to build No Rest for the Wicked exactly how we want, without needing to ever go silent again,” said Mahler, capping off the announcement.

This would mean that, while there is a chance that Xbox might not get No Rest for the Wicked at launch, the game might eventually still come to the console. However, this also means that, when it comes to consoles, the PS5 is a big priority for the studio. The Nintendo Switch 2, considering its early success, might also end up being one of the platforms that Moon Studios ends up prioritising.

Moon Studios had confirmed back in March that it had gained its independence from Private Division shortly after Take-Two had announced its decision to sell the indie publishing company. The announcement was made in a video where the studio also showed off The Breach, which at the time was getting ready to come to No Rest for the Wicked. The announcement was made by Mahler alongside Gennadiy Korol.

“Our publisher for No Rest for the Wicked was Private Division, a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive,” said Korol. “Take-Two decided to sell off Private Division, which was unexpected news for us,” continued Mahler. “After some deliberation, we saw an opportunity.”

“After months of negotiations, we reached an agreement to buy the publishing rights for No Rest for the Wicked back, so that Moon Studios could become fully independent,” Korol explained. “This legal process took time, and we couldn’t say much while it was all happening.”

As for No Rest for the Wicked, the action RPG got The Breach in an update back in April. The update brought with it a host of new content, including new narrative quests along with new scenes and two new handcrafted zones—Lowland Meadows and Marin Woods. These new zones also feature new settlements to explore like Hunter’s Vale and Marin Village.

For more details about No Rest for the Wicked, check out how Mahler believes PlayStation might also end up abandoning the concept of console exclusives.

VGC’s Andy Robinson said on the site’s recent podcast that he “heard more recently that pitches are being listened to” for reviving the platformer. The last title was Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts, which received mixed reactions for deviating away from what made the series so beloved.

That’s not all, as Robinson has heard of a few high-profile developers who allegedly want to head up a new project. “I heard constantly the name that comes up is Toys for Bob, who really wanna do one. Funnily enough, I heard Moon Studios, as well, was another one who’s really interested.” While the former is known for Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time!, the latter is renowned for the Ori series and is currently working on an action RPG, No Rest for the Wicked.

He noted that there’s “always talk about interest” for a cartoon or movie on Banjo-Kazooie. However, despite “talk for ages” about “outside interest,” Rare was seemingly more keen on making new properties. Gregg Mayles, who was directing the cancelled Everwild and worked at the studio for 35 years before leaving, was a huge proponent of looking forward.

Whether a new Banjo-Kazooie title is greenlit remains to be seen, especially given Microosft’s development troubles thus far. Stay tuned for updates, as always.

Two new handcrafted areas, Lowland Meadows and Marin Woods, have also been added, increasing the world size further. Players can look forward to new settlements like the Hunter’s Vale and Marin Village alongside new caves. All this becomes available after finishing the fifth step of “Spoken and Unspoken.”

The Plague system has seen revamps, activating after completing the new story content. It’s an end-game mechanic where various Plague Zones emerge throughout the world. Killing enemies and a plague boss will cleanse them, but you can also burn materials to increase the Plague level for higher rewards and challenges.

Other notable content includes over 50 weapons with new archetypes like the Gauntlet and Wand, new armor sets, two new enemy factions, bosses, and more. There’s also Hardcore Mode for those seeking a permadeath challenge. Check out some of the changes and full patch notes here.

Quality of Life Improvements:

• In-Line Hints introduced
• This is an optional toggle that isn’t enabled by default
• Removed popups at the top of the screen
• Item icons and input prompts appear beside the loot/interactable
• Updated item previews
• Existing cinematic polish/updates
• Players will now be able to claim the Cerim Armor set from Captain Randolph regardless of linking their twitch account via “Entitlements”
• Nameless Pass cranes now have proper physics
• Added the ability for NPCs to look at the player if they were previously unable to
• New skybox art
• The environment will no longer have extreme depth of field if the player is a distance away
• Many buff icons have been improved and are now indicative of their effects
• Fillmore has a 50% discount on items he sells & will repair gear for free while in Mariner’s Keep as a thank you for saving him. Once the player meets him in Sacrament for the first time, he will reward the player with upgrade materials
• Player characters now kneel and have a visual effect around them as they fast travel between areas
• Nameless Pass vista overlooking the Western Camp has been improved
• Rusty Khopesh backstab animation has been changed to fit the weapon better
• Finley now has updated attire and is accompanied by his companion
• Armor descriptions & names improved so that they match their item type properly
• Added new states and dialogue for many, many NPCs throughout Sacrament
• Added loot to some secret areas around The Shallows + Mariner’s Keep
• Added new types of dogs to Sacrament
• New Silver Ore icon
• Killing enemies results in them dropping experience orbs that fly to the player
• Players can now compare items when looking inside of a chest
• Updated model for Odessa’s Horn
• Interacting with Whispers has a new animation and is now smoother
• Added optional quest step to speak to Winnick before Odessa after defeating Darak for the first time
• Food ingredients from the environment will now have the plant of the ingredient disappear once looted
• Items in chests from houses or community chests are now able to be used directly at vendors without them being in the players’ inventory
• Some copper ore nodes are now available throughout Isola Sacra, instead of just being available in tier 1 zones
• Added rotation swaying to static camera shots, e.g when interacting with vendors
• Updated the map to include the cavern beside the Mountain Gate & the Cerim Chamber
• Key items that are one-use now disappear from the key items inventory tab after being used
• The exterior of Eleanor & Whittaker’s tier 3 shops now have added lighting, to make their significance clearer
• Players can now see their stagger bar on the HUD
• Bosses now have a much greater chance to drop enchanted gear
• Weapons that do not have their attribute requirements fulfilled by the player will show a new graphic on the item & will create a prompt reminding players if equipped
• The Black Trench now has ore and wood resources placed throughout
• Improved the distribution of herbs & ingredients throughout the game
• Gems are now stored in the “Misc” inventory tab
• Gems will now show their effects when placed in items within their tooltip
• One-way doors will now say if they cannot be opened from a particular side
• Health will be restored upon waking up in the Rookery
• Rings now show if they are damaged on the HUD
• Items will now automatically merge stacks in the inventory
• After enchanting an item, the item will now appear in the left window to view
• Refineries now have a “loot all” option
• Food ingredients will now state that they can be eaten, but are more effective when used in a recipe
• Indicators have been added to inventory tabs to show that there is a new item there
• Clicking on a realm no longer enters it, so players don’t accidentally enter realms
• Housing items now only show in the quick use menu when in a house
• “Whisper Stone” is now sold by Seneschal when the ability to buy items from him is unlocked. These can be placed in a player’s house to teleport directly to and from the house
• Food is now prioritised over ingredients when the currently selected quick-use item runs out
• The Fast Travelling Menu in Sacrament & the player’s house now shows the location of the last used whisper
• Fast Travel is automatically unlocked upon reaching Sacrament and the main Sacrament Whisper no longer needs to be touched
• Housing items now state in their descriptions that they can only be used in a house
• Nameless Pass will now be more accurate in showing the current danger level for each part of the zone

Quests:

3 New Quests:

• Weeping Sisters
• Roots That Bind
• Faith and Flame
• The Ellsworth Speech cinematic (and the Breach Content after) no longer requires the player to complete steps of “Spoken and Unspoken” to become available
• Finishing either “Servant of God” or “Of Rats and Raiders” will now increase the danger level of other zones

Game Modes

Hardcore Mode

• Take on the ultimate challenge of completing No Rest for the Wicked without dying a single time.
• Only Hardcore characters can enter Hardcore realms
• Once a Hardcore character dies, it is changed to a regular character that can be played on non-hardcore realms

Cinematics:

17 new Story Scenes

• 3 Cinematics
• 5 Hybrid Cutscenes
• 9 Game View Cutscenes

Areas:

2 New Danger Zones

• Lowland Meadows
• Marin Woods

1 New Unlockable Safe Zone

• Marin Village

1 New Temporary Safe Zone

• The Hunter’s Vale

1 Area Expanded

• Nameless Pass now 2 new sections and multiple new states

New Dark Caves

• Coast Cellar Cave at The Shallows
• Meadows Gate Cave in The Lowland Meadows
• Wolf Den in Nameless Pass

1 New House

• “The Burrow” is now available in Sacrament in Beggar’s Alley
• Character light now matches the rims of environment lighting and only brightens existing lights instead of adding white/beige/green rims of its own
• Improvements made to unify wind direction and wind strength

Vendors:

Vendor System Updates

• All vendors now have a limit to the items they can sell every day
• A new vendor named Ilaria has been added to Sacrament
• Four new vendors are available in Marin Village:
• Dolan
• Trello
• Cyriel
• Irmgard

Featuring Thomas Mahler and Gennadiy Korol, the video gives us a brief overview of the history of Moon Studios, including talking about its time working under Take-Two Interactive’s indie publishing label Private Division.

“Our publisher for No Rest for the Wicked was Private Division, a subsidiary of Take-Two Interactive,” said Korol.

“Take-Two decided to sell off Private Division, which was unexpected news for us,” continued Mahler. “After some deliberation, we saw an opportunity.”

“After months of negotiations, we reached an agreement to buy the publishing rights for No Rest for the Wicked back, so that Moon Studios could become fully independent,” Korol explained. “This legal process took time, and we couldn’t say much while it was all happening.”

Mahler excitedly caps off the announcement by saying that “it’s all done and that Moon Studios is now fully independent.”

“We believe this will give you even more confidence in our vision, because we’re free to build No Rest for the Wicked exactly how we want, without needing to ever go silent again.”

The duo then go on to talk about the new feature for No Rest for the Wicked in the form of The Breach. Korol describes The Breach as the biggest content update for No Rest for the Wicked so far.

“We heard you loud and clear,” said Korol. “You wanted more out of our campaign. You wanted more story, more zones to play in, more enemies to fight, more bosses to test your mettle against. In short, more of everything. And that is exactly what we have been focusing on.”

With the update, the story of No Rest for the Wicked will pick up right where it left off, after Ellsworth returns to Sacrament. The relationship between Ellsworth and his daughter Odessa is also explored, with Ellsworth helping Odessa escape from her imprisonment.

The Breach will feature new zones for players to explore, and the developers have said that, with this update, the size of the game’s world is essentially being doubled. Among the zones are the Lowland Meadows, which will also feature new enemies.

The update will also brings with it new weapons in the form of Gauntlets and Wands. The Gauntlet even brings with it a host of pro-wrestling moves, like a suplex and a dropkick, along with its more fisticuffs-based moveset.

No Rest for the Wicked is available as an Early Access title on PC. Once it exits Early Access, the game is also slated for release on PS5 and Xbox Series X/S. In the meantime, check out our review of the game from back when it first came out. And check out details of other content that has been added to the game through free updates.

Thomas Mahler – director on both Metroidvania hits and co-founder and CEO of developer Moon Studios – recently took to Twitter on the occasion of Ori and the Blind Forest’s 10th anniversary, and commemorated the occasion by revealing that the series has collectively sold over 15 million units worldwide across all platforms. It’s worth noting that these are sales figures, not player numbers, which means these numbers don’t account for players who jumped in via Game Pass.

Interestingly, this is the first time sales figures have been officially revealed for the Ori series. Back in 2020, it was announced that Ori and the Will of the Wisps had crossed 2.8 million players, while neither Microsoft nor Moon Studios have ever shared any specific numbers for Blind Forest.

The Ori series is available on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and PC.

In other amazing news:

The Ori series has now sold more than 15 Million copies.

Not too shabby for a Metroidvania and a genre we were told is dead when we started to work on it! 👍😂

So thank you to everyone who supported us so far – MUCH LOVE! ❤️

— thomasmahler (@thomasmahler) March 11, 2025

“I know some people always want me to join the console warning, but I strongly believe that [Spencer] has the right approach,” posted Mahler. “We decided a few years back not to make [No Rest for the Wicked] under Microsoft because back then we couldn’t have shipped it for PlayStation and Switch and since we knew how important multiplayer and cross play would be, we decided to partner with Take2 instead.”

In the post, Mahler goes on to talk about his conversations with Spencer about the nature of console exclusivity, and how the concept would have been crazy if it were applied to, for example, movie DVDs.

“In my emails to Phil over the years, I always brought up how crazy it would’ve been if you could’ve only watched certain DVDs on Sony players, while for others you would’ve needed a Samsung player, etc – I think we can all agree that this would’ve been nutty for films, so why are games any different?”

Mahler then pointed out how, at this point, the core architecture on both Xbox console and PlayStation consoles are so close together that developing games for multiplatform releases “isn’t that big of a deal anymore.” It also helps that the design of controllers has converged into similar designs on all platforms as well.

“Consoles have been stuck attracting the same 100-150m players for over two decades now,” he continued. “If we want to see the industry grow, it needs to be easier for everyone to access the content.”

Mahler caps off the post by talking about Sony potentially going for multiplatform releases as well, saying that people should be able to buy whatever hardware they want without losing access to games. He also pointed out how Nintendo will likely continue to do its own thing, focusing on first-party development for its own hardware.

“I’d be surprised if Sony won’t end up with the same strategy,” he wrote. “People should buy the device they like the most, but they should then have access to all the content. And yes, Nintendo will keep doing their own thing because Nintendo is Nintendo and that’s okay.”

Moon Studios is currently working on its action RPG No Rest for the Wicked, which is available on PC as an Early Access title. Since its release, the game has gotten a host of updates with new content as well as fixes for various bugs. It features an isometric perspective, allowing players to partake in its tactical combat with a better look at the battlefield.

One of the biggest updates No Rest For the Wicked got was back in July 2024, which brought with it the content surrounding the post-game dungeon Cerim Crucible. Check out our coverage of the update.

For more details, check out our review of its Early Access launch.

I know some people always want me to join the console warring, but I strongly believe that @XboxP3 has the right approach.

We decided a few years back not to make @wickedgame under Microsoft because back then we couldn’t have shipped it for PlayStation and Switch and since we… https://t.co/A0913IXMkx

— thomasmahler (@thomasmahler) January 25, 2025

“We know we’ve been quiet – a lot has been happening for us at Moon Studios this year, and we will finally be able to share all about it very soon!” There will be “better and more frequent” communication in 2025, starting with an announcement in January.

No Rest for the Wicked is exclusive to PC via Steam Early Access, with console versions in the works. You can check out our review for the launch version. While previously published by Private Division, Take-Two Interactive has taken over since selling the label last month.

Alongside improvements to combat and performance, Moon Studios’ last major update reworked the Cerim Crucible, adding new chambers, more randomization for the arenas, Echoes for customizing runs, and The Gloam, a new enemy type. Besides The Breach, the team is working on updates to farming and other features.

Speaking to Variety, Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick said the sale was made so it could “focus our resources on growing our core businesses for the long term.” The deal includes the label’s entire catalogue, including 2025 titles like Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game and Game Freak’s Project Bloom. There’s only one exception: Moon Studios’ No Rest for the Wicked, currently in early access for PC.

“We’re grateful for the contributions that the Private Division team made to Take Two, and we’re confident that they’ll continue to achieve success,” said Zelnick.

There have been changes afoot at the label for some time, starting with alleged layoffs for the “vast majority” of staff back in May. Around the same time, OlliOlli and Rollerdrome developer Roll7 had been shuttered alongside Kerbal Space Program 2 developer Intercept Games. It also cancelled its agreement with Bloober Team for Project C (likely Cronos: The New Dawn), and rumors circulated in June about Take-Two either shutting down or selling off the label.

Echoes provide random buffs throughout each run. Defeated enemies drop Traces, which allow for more Echoes to activate. As the vendor, they’re called The Seneschal. While their true identity is unknown, they can exchange Gloamseeds found in the Crucible for Fallen Embers and the ability to Exalt weapons (boosting weapon stats and Enchantments).

The new faction is The Gloam, who sport glowing fungi on their bodies and fight differently from existing foes. They’ll appear in the overworld with future updates, so stay tuned.

Other noteworthy features include earlier access to the Crucible – it can be activated upon first reaching Sacrament. Regions like the Black Trench and Nameless Pass have been extended with new features and secrets. There are also new combat additions, including shattering frozen enemies, exploding those hit by fireballs and more. Moon Studios is also working on adding more status to the Crucible for additional challenges and bosses.

No Rest for the Wicked is available for PC via Steam Early Access (check out our review). It’s also coming to PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

Gems should have increased drop rates while a new Torch offhand item is available at Whittacker’s, further helping visibility in dark areas. Several balance changes have been made to the Prologue ship, replacing Risen enemies with “special instances” to ensure the global changes don’t affect them. Save for the Risen Great Axe Raider, their health is also reduced by 40 percent.

For those suffering in the Cerim Crucible, the deadliest room has seen its enemies nerfed, while those in weaker rooms should be more challenging. The Plague Ring and Snake Ring have also been rebalanced – check out their changes below.

No Rest for the Wicked is playable on PC – check out our review. Several new features and story content are coming through the early access period, with Xbox Series X/S and PS5 versions also in development. Stay tuned for more details in the meantime.

Patch Notes – Early Access Hotfix 6

Art:

• Improved rim light rendering in the shadows to improve game readability in dark areas. This should help with the “game is too dark” feedback we were getting in some cases.
• Adjusted rim lighting looks even nicer and allows characters to feel more integrated into the environments!

Performance:

• Reduced unnecessary memory allocations for general rendering, fog, and other game systems
• Optimized shadow rendering for all Visual Effects

Quests:

• Changed Potion Seller quest reward from a Medium XP Potion to a Small XP Potion.

Loot:

• Increased drop rate of gems

Content Additions:

• Added new Torch offhand for purchase at Whittacker’s shop and crafting at the Workbench
  – Torches can be used for more light in dark areas

Balance:

• Replaced Risen enemies on Prologue ship with special instances so they won’t be affected by global balance changes
• Nerfed health on Risen enemies (except Risen Great Axe Raider) on Prologue ship by 40%
• Rebalancing Cerim Crucible by nerfing enemies in the most deadly room and buffing enemies in weaker rooms
• Increased timing of lowering platforms in Cerim Crucible so its more challenging and requires player to wait around less
• Rebalanced Plague Ring
  – Increased Gain Health effect to 1-3%
  – Decreased Lose Focus effect to -7-10%
  
• Rebalanced Snake Ring
  – Decreased damage dealt to player to 5%
  – Changed damage type dealt to player and enemy to Physical Damage instead of Plague Damage

Enemies and Bosses:

• Improved Risen Bruiser locomotion animations

Areas:

• Improved collision, faders and texture in Mariner’s Keep
• Improved set dressing, collision and faders in Nameless Pass
• Improved faders in Sacrament
• Improved set dressing, collision and faders in Cerim Crucible

Audio:

• Improved Falstead Darak intro audio timing

Localization:

• Added and updated localized text in many places across multiple languages
• Added localization support for the attribute insights tooltips, new Quit menu and depositing stacks UI

Bug Fixes:

• Fixed Crash on the Main Menu
• Fixed some transparency rendering artifacts
• Fixed Plagued Mutant Soldier bounty boss going invisible
• Fixed Fog of War not creeping back while the game is closed
• Fixed error spam on the Refinery
• Fixed Fierce Ring not dealing extra damage
• Fixed interior backgrounds no longer being black
• Fixed Bows not having full durability when being purchased at Whittacker’s Shop
• Fixed spot in Black Trench where you can go out of world
• Fixed spot in Prologue ship interior where you can sidle and get stuck
• Fixed spot in Echo Knight arena that resets the fight
• Fixed shadow flickering at Campfire in Black Trench
• Fixed spot with texture flickering in Black Trench
• Fixed Chest inside a Chest appear in Orban Glades
• Fixed UI layout so that coins are evenly spaced