Sometimes video games need something simple yet emotionally gripping to get their attention and showcase what a good game can be without all the “bells and whistles” that many franchises cling to. For example, when Ori and the Blind Forest came out, it stunned everyone with its hand-painted visuals, beautiful story, heart-wrenching moments, and exciting gameplay. That’s why it got a sequel that was just as beloved as the original. But since then, things have been quiet. So is it the end of the franchise as we know it? One rumor says that Ori 3 is in the works, and things are going well with it.
The rumor comes from Reddit, where a leakers tweet was translated to reveal the following statement:
“Ori’s third installment is in development, I still don’t have any information from the studio that is in charge of this new installment, but it seems that the development is on the right track.”
It should be noted that the previous developer of the first two games was Moon Studios. Therefore, it would be fair to reason that the team would return for Ori 3, given how much time, effort, and love they put into the first two. However, it’s not uncommon for developers to sometimes pass off a game if they feel they can add nothing more to it.
If you’re wondering about the sources’ reliability, Reddit has you covered. The person who translated the tweet noted that the person had some accuracy in the past and that they even cited another leaker as the source. So make of that what you will.
So let’s ask the obvious question. Could there be a third game with Ori on the way? Given the love the first two games received from fans and critics, it’d be hard to picture a third game not happening. That goes double when you consider the sales numbers for the games. They were considered some of the best games of those respective years when both titles came out. Moreover, the sequel built upon the first game’s feel and flow to deliver something as fresh as the first title.
Another key aspect is the story. In the second game, Ori’s “destiny” was touched upon, so it’s possible they did that so they could set up a third game plot-wise.
But, of course, we’re not part of the dev team, nor do we know if Xbox Game Studios, who served as the publisher for the first two titles, has greenlit a third game.
That just means we need to sit back and wait for confirmation one way or another.