Moon Studios is under fire: CEO Thomas Mahler blames “political” review bombing for threatening the studio – but did fans really revolt over woke culture, or simply an unfinished, under-polished game?
Moon Studios, best known for the critically acclaimed Ori and the Blind Forest and Ori and the Will of the Wisps, is now caught in a storm of controversy surrounding its newest title, No Rest For The Wicked. While the game holds a “Mostly Positive” rating on Steam, CEO Thomas Mahler claims that review bombing — allegedly driven by political backlash — is threatening the studio’s future.
"We Might Not Be Around In A Few Months"
In a now widely circulated message on Discord, Mahler urged players to leave positive reviews, warning that negative feedback could put Moon Studios in financial jeopardy. He stated:
“Folks, if you’re writing here and are enjoying Wicked and are excited for future updates, but haven’t left a positive review, it’s entirely possible that we won’t be around in a couple of months to do anything anymore simply because we got review bombed, which leads to people not buying the game. Which means we’re not making any money and will have to shut down.
While Mahler later toned down the severity of his statement, clarifying that the studio wasn't in immediate financial peril, he stood by his right to address industry issues he finds troubling.
Controversial Explanation For Negative Rewies And Sales Drop
In a controversial tweet, Mahler blamed “crazies” on Twitter for allegedly review bombing No Rest For The Wicked due to its lack of political themes and trans representation. He suggested that his decision to exclude such elements led to political-driven backlash.
Review bombing typically involves a large number of users intentionally leaving negative reviews to tank a game’s visibility or reputation, often in response to controversy unrelated to gameplay. Mahler argues this is exactly what’s happening to No Rest For The Wicked.
He posted on X (formerly Twitter):
“These days, apparently anyone who doesn’t include five trans characters in their game and doesn’t let their products be influenced by political bu****** is a Nazi. What a world we live in"
You can read his full post here:
lol, this is what happens when the press just picks up Discord posts and writes an article around them Overall, pretty much everyone who's tried Wicked after the last few hotfixes is extremely positive. The reason I left the post on Discord up was simply to push back... https://t.co/Hk8Xc23ULZ
— thomasmahler (@thomasmahler) May 11, 2025
The "Woke Culture" Controversy
A likely factor behind the controversy that Mahler points to as the cause of the alleged review bombing is the rejection of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives by Moon Studios. Mahler and his colleagues have repeatedly faced criticism for their negative stance on modern DEI efforts. Mahler once stated:
"I would rather quit than let someone else dictate how we do our art. That would make a mockery of everything I believe in."
In 2022, a detailed investigative report from GamesBeat revealed that Moon Studios had long suffered from a toxic work culture, directly linked to the comments and behavior of the studio's leadership. The report documented repeated unprofessional behavior from the executives, inappropriate jokes (for example about genitalia).
These claims were backed by former employees, providing a clear picture of the problematic culture within the studio.
One widely criticized example was a “joke” by Mahler in a company-wide chat open for everyone to read. Its as follows:
“Tyler is the only person who is aware of my devious plans to kill the Jews by making them work to death through game development”
Former employees described the studio’s environment as emotionally draining and professionally unsafe — a far cry from the wholesome image of its games.
Under the guise of “radical honesty,” leadership regularly criticized workers in public channels, withheld praise, and blurred the lines between candid feedback and verbal abuse. Employees reported being left burned out, demoralized, and in some cases, dealing with long-term mental health consequences.
Is Political Backlash Really to Blame?
Critics argue that Mahler’s focus on "woke" expectations distracts from the game’s actual issues – its lack of polish, content, and the rough early access launch.
Many agree that No Rest For The Wicked suffers from significant gameplay flaws, which are a key factor behind its negative reception.
The game’s release was seen as premature, with players pointing out that it was far from polished, even in its early access phase. Many fans felt that the game didn’t provide enough content to justify its release, leaving them dissatisfied with the experience.
As one user succinctly put it:
“Begging to your own consumers for positive reviews in exchange for nothing isn't very professional. I'm not buying their game knowing they might close the studio and leave it unfinished. I play videogames, I'm not a charity.”
Ultimately, whether you believe the backlash against No Rest For The Wicked is driven by genuine gameplay issues or by misplaced political outrage, one thing remains clear: Moon Studios must decide if they’ll deliver the updates and polish fans are demanding.
So, what do you think: can this game still be saved, or is it already too late?