Moving on from Celeste and why Maddy and Noel say it felt right to cancel Earthblade - dev interview

Seven years after its release, Celeste continues to shape the gaming world—not just as a brutally precise yet fair platformer, but as a heartfelt story of self-acceptance that resonates deeply with players. In this episode of Lightmap, guest host Chris Button sits down with Maddy Thorson and Noel Berry of Extremely OK Games to reflect on Celeste’s legacy. They open up about: 🌈 How Celeste became a powerful and relatable trans allegory for LGBTQIA+ players 🎮 The personal journey behind its creation and what it meant for the team ❌ The challenges of cancelling a highly anticipated follow-up project Earthblade 🧗 The enduring joy (and pain!) of hardcore platforming Whether you’re a longtime fan regularly scaling Celeste Mountain or discovering the game for the first time, this conversation offers rare insight into the artistry, identity, and resilience behind one of indie gaming’s most beloved titles. 🎟️ Plus, hear what’s next for Maddy and Noel ahead of their exclusive appearance at ACMI on October 6. Tickets available online. https://www.acmi.net.au/whats-on/migw... ‍Pocket Casts: You can now rate the show on Pocket Casts, give us a five star review learn more by heading here https://pocketcasts.com/ratings‍ Apple Arcade: Enjoy unlimited access to over 200 incredibly fun games with no ads and no in-app purchases. From puzzle and adventure games to sports, racing, and multiplayer action games, everyone can count on finding something to love. Head to https://www.sifter.com.au/arcade to start your free trial* of Apple Arcade today and you'll be supporting independent video games journalism. *New subscribers only. AU$9.99/month after free trial. Plan automatically renews after trial until cancelled. You can support SIFTER's independent gaming journalism by ☕ Tipping us on KoFi https://www.ko-fi.com/sifterHQ 👕 Wearing our merch https://sifter.store/ 💬 Talking to us on the SIFTER Discord https://www.sifter.com.au/discord SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Courtney Smith, Adam Christou, Chris Button and Naomi Jackson. Cat Jahne is Social Producer, Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Audio Technica Australia and Apple for their support of SIFTER. #celeste #earthblade #gamedevelopment #CelesteGame #Celeste7Years #MaddyThorson #NoelBerry #ExtremelyOKGames #LightmapPodcast #IndieGames #GameDev #Platformer #LGBTQGames #TransRepresentation #MentalHealthInGames #StorytellingInGames #ACMI