Recently, Thomas Mahler stated on Discord that their latest game No Rest for the Wicked, released in Early Access about a year ago, isn't selling properly due to a flood of negative Steam reviews. As a result, the studio is facing financial difficulties.

The game was bombarded with negative reviews on May 1st following The Breach update, which introduced numerous artificial restrictions to increase difficulty. However, in reality, No Rest for the Wicked had already been criticized since launch for its dull, repetitive gameplay reminiscent of mobile games.

After this update, Mahler urged players to leave positive reviews, and while the situation has since stabilized, the studio’s future remains uncertain unless they secure a publisher to support them during this tough period. The bitter irony is that Moon Studios became independent in 2024, parting ways with Private Division and buying back their IP rights.

Unsurprisingly, the developer’s words quickly went viral, prompting him to clarify that he was misunderstood and that things had been blown out of proportion. Allegedly, despite the rocky start, the game has improved significantly after a series of hotfixes, and his call to buy the game and leave positive reviews was a response to what he perceived as deliberate hate from certain users.

Mahler also noted that he had faced backlash on social media due to the studio’s neutral stance on sensitive political topics and inclusivity. The situation escalated to the point where activists showed up at Moon Studios’ office and plastered posters. As for his remarks about the studio potentially shutting down due to negative reviews and poor sales—the developer avoided a direct response, claiming he was merely highlighting issues he considers important for the industry.

Main image: wallpapercave.com

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