Moon Studios Delays No Rest for the Wicked to March 2027
The creators of Ori push back their ambitious Action RPG to prioritize polish and avoid a crowded October window.
Moon Studios has delayed the full 1.0 launch of its upcoming Action RPG, No Rest for the Wicked, moving the release date from October to March 2027. The studio is prioritizing polish over a rushed delivery to ensure the title meets its internal quality standards.
To mitigate the impact of the delay, Moon Studios is introducing a new open beta test scheduled for December. Additionally, the studio is offering "founders rewards" to any players who purchase the game before January 2027. For console players, PlayStation pre-orders are set to open in January 2027, though the window to secure these specific rewards will be limited.
The Push for Quality
Developed by the creators of the Ori series, No Rest for the Wicked represents an ambitious leap for the studio. Moon Studios recently admitted to a "mad dash" to implement critical new content, including the game's class system. This internal pressure led to the realization that the title was not yet ready for a wide release.
In a statement shared via social media, Moon Studios explained the necessity of the move: "The honest truth is that we're a small team, and we're holding our games to a standard we won't compromise on. We're close, but close isn't good enough for our full 1.0 launch."
Industry Implications
The delay underscores the persistent struggle small development teams face when maintaining high quality standards during the final polish phase of production. By pushing the date to March, Moon Studios avoids a highly congested October release window. The original schedule would have seen the game competing for attention against major titles such as Castlevania: Belmont's Curse and Gears of War: E-Day.
What to Watch
While the March 2027 date provides a clear target, the upcoming December open beta will be the first major indicator of how the new class system and content updates are performing. Players and analysts will be watching to see if this additional development time resolves the stability and content gaps that led to the delay. For now, the focus remains on the January pre-order window for PlayStation users and the distribution of founders rewards.