In the wake of mounting criticism over comments about the potential closure of Moon Studios, CEO Thomas Mahler has taken to social media to clarify and defend his position—walking back earlier statements that suggested the studio behind No Rest for the Wicked might shut down if negative Steam reviews continued.

The controversy began after Mahler posted on Moon Studios’ official Discord server, warning that if the studio’s newest ARPG didn’t see a turnaround in its Steam review score, it could “very well mean the end” of the company. The message was quickly interpreted as a thinly veiled ultimatum to fans: leave a positive review or risk losing the studio that brought you Ori and the Blind Forest.

But after the comments sparked media attention and community backlash, Mahler clarified that the studio is not in imminent danger of closing and that his remarks were meant to draw attention to what he sees as a growing problem in the digital games marketplace—review bombing and exploitative refund behavior.

“People are buying the game, playing it for hours, leaving a negative review, and then refunding it,” Mahler wrote in a follow-up message. “That’s damaging not just to Moon Studios, but to all indie developers trying to compete on a platform like Steam.”

According to Mahler, the intent was not to guilt fans but to highlight a broader systemic issue—players manipulating Steam’s refund and review systems to express dissatisfaction in ways that may be disproportionate or misleading.

Moon Studios’ latest title, No Rest for the Wicked, launched in Early Access in April and currently holds a “Mostly Positive” rating on Steam, based on over 35,000 user reviews. The game recently received a substantial update titled The Breach, which added new quests, performance fixes, and additional narrative content. Despite the early hiccups, many in the community have praised the game’s ambitious mechanics and striking art direction—hallmarks of Moon Studios’ previous work on the Ori series.

In his defense, Mahler reiterated the importance of constructive feedback from players and argued that if negative reviews are allowed—especially from refunded purchases—then developers should also be able to advocate for positive ones from genuine users.

“The review system needs to be fair,” Mahler said. “If we’re being held accountable by the score, let’s make sure it reflects actual engagement—not just rage clicks.”

The timing of the controversy couldn’t be more precarious. In March, Moon Studios finalized its independence after acquiring publishing rights to No Rest for the Wicked from Take-Two Interactive. The move was heralded as a bold step toward creative freedom, but it also means the studio now shoulders full financial responsibility for its flagship title.

While Mahler’s comments may have been poorly received, they underscore a real tension in the indie gaming world: how digital storefronts and community behavior can directly impact a studio’s future. With development costs rising and visibility harder to maintain in a saturated market, even a few thousand negative reviews can have real consequences.

Whether Mahler’s blunt approach helps or hurts the long-term success of No Rest for the Wicked remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: Moon Studios isn’t backing down just