Moon Studios CEO Calls Ori 3 Rumors “Nonsense”

Rumors of a third Ori game have been shut down by Thomas Mahler, director of both existing games and CEO of Moon Studios. In two posts shared on Aug. 23, Mahler said the reports were false, even though his studio had discussed bringing the series back under its own control.

The rumor spread over the weekend around an unannounced Xbox title that could appear at Gamescom in Germany later in August. A ResetEra thread claimed that a studio under the Saber Interactive umbrella had been chosen to make another entry. NateTheHate later claimed in a ResetEra post that the project was a new Ori game, although the post did not confirm whether it would be shown at Gamescom. Fans also asked Mahler whether Saber Interactive might be involved.

Moon Studios made both released Ori games, while Microsoft and Xbox Game Studios published them. That rights situation would make a sequel without Moon technically possible, even though the original team created the series.

Once again there’s a bunch of people asking me about Ori 3 since there’s rumors floating about…

As before, I haven’t heard anything about any of this.

I think after having put billions into 343 to handle Halo and not being able to recapture the old magic, I’d guess that by now…

— thomasmahler (@thomasmahler) August 23, 2026

Moon Studios had discussed buying back the Ori rights

Mahler said he had not heard about the rumored project, then offered his own theory about why Microsoft might be reluctant to hand the franchise to a different team. He pointed to what he described as billions invested in 343 Industries and argued that the studio’s work had not restored Halo‘s earlier magic, in his view. Mahler suggested that Microsoft may have learned how important it is for the right creative team to handle a major series, rather than giving players “more slop.”

Mahler also doubted that another studio could do much with Ori and said bringing the series “home to Moon” made sense. That thinking led to internal conversations at Moon Studios about buying the property back. The idea would allow the series to return to the team that created it, but Mahler did not announce an agreement or a new game.

I can confirm that the Ori 3 rumors are nonsense 👍

That said, I had Gareth over for dinner a while ago since he was recording the No Rest for the Wicked Soundtrack in Vienna (you folks will LOVE it!) and even he asked me if we'd be ready to do another one.

"It's time", he…

— thomasmahler (@thomasmahler) August 23, 2026

In his second post, Mahler gave the rumor a direct answer: “I can confirm that the Ori 3 rumors are nonsense.” He then shared a lighter detail from a dinner with composer Gareth Coker, who had been recording the No Rest for the Wicked soundtrack in Vienna. According to Mahler, Coker asked whether Moon Studios was ready to make another Ori game and added, “It’s time.”

Moon Studios’ work after Ori

After Ori and the Will of the Wisps, Moon Studios focused on the action RPG No Rest for the Wicked. In March 2025, the studio became “fully independent” after regaining the game’s publishing rights from Take-Two.

For now, Moon Studios has no confirmed Ori 3 project to share. Mahler’s comments indicate that the studio had not been contacted about a new entry, while its own discussion about buying back the rights had not produced an announced sequel. No developer, release window, or evidence that production has begun has been confirmed. Microsoft could still choose to work with another team, but no such plan was confirmed.

Players who want more of the series can still find Ori and the Blind Forest and Ori and the Will of the Wisps on Xbox Game Pass. Those two games remain the only released entries in the series.

Do you think Ori should remain a two-game series, or would you like Moon Studios to return to it? Share your thoughts in the comments, then follow along on X, Bluesky, YouTube, Instagram, Steam, and Telegram.