Speculation surrounding a potential third installment in the beloved Ori series has been definitively shut down by Moon Studios CEO Thomas Maher. In a statement, Maher clarified that rumors of an "Ori 3" are untrue, emphasizing that the studio's development efforts are currently dedicated to their new action-RPG, "No Rest for the Wicked." The whispers of a new Ori game appear to have originated from discussions on online forums before circulating across social media platforms.
Maher shared his clarification on X, formerly Twitter, stating, "I can confirm that the Ori 3 rumors are nonsense." He recounted a recent dinner with Gareth Coker, the composer for the Ori series, who was in Vienna recording the soundtrack for "No Rest for the Wicked." During their conversation, Coker even inquired about the possibility of a new Ori game, suggesting it might be "time" for another entry.
The last game in the series, "Ori and the Will of the Wisps," was released in 2020 for PC and Xbox One, serving as a sequel to 2017's "Ori and the Blind Forest." The game later became available on Nintendo Switch. Moon Studios has since been concentrating its resources on "No Rest for the Wicked," which entered Early Access in 2024. Despite a somewhat rocky initial launch, the game has garnered positive player reviews on Steam due to continuous gameplay enhancements and substantial updates. The full 1.0 release of "No Rest for the Wicked" is slated for October of this year on PC and PlayStation 5.