Moon Studios goes independent: rights to No Rest for the Wicked also returned
Moon Studios, known for the Ori series, has announced its full independence after acquiring the rights to its latest game, No Rest for the Wicked. This decision was a key step for the studio, which now has full control over the development and future of the project.
Here's What We Know
In May 2024, rumours emerged that Take-Two Interactive was planning to sell or close its publishing division, Private Division. In November 2024, Take-Two confirmed the sale of Private Division to Haveli Investments. Although most of the Private Division's projects were transferred to the new owner, Take-Two retained the rights to No Rest for the Wicked.
However, Moon Studios decided to take advantage of the situation. The studio's co-founders explained:
"After months of negotiations, we have reached an agreement to buy back the rights to No Rest for the Wicked so that Moon Studios can become fully independent. Now we have the freedom to create the game the way we want."
The first major update to the game will be The Breach, which will be released on 30 April 2025. This is the biggest addition to the game, which will double the size of the world, add new zones, two types of weapons, new enemies, bosses, and many secrets.
Interestingly, the update will not be available as a standard add-on: to fully enjoy The Breach, players will have to start the game from the beginning. The developers explained that this approach ensures the most organic integration of the update into the game.
Moon Studios' decision to become independent allows the studio to avoid compromises with publishers and focus on its own vision of the project.
Source: @wickedgame
