Ori 3 reportedly in the works according to an insider, Moon Studios denies it

Fabian Lainé August 28, 2026 at 2:10 PM

In brief

A reputable insider claims a new Ori is in the works at Xbox without Moon Studios, but Thomas Mahler, the studio's co-founder, bluntly shuts down the rumor, calling it "nonsense". No announcement at gamescom confirmed these rumblings.

A third Ori game is reportedly in development at Xbox, without Moon Studios. Insider NateTheHate hinted at it ahead of gamescom; the studio's co-founder shot it down shortly after.

What the rumor says

On August 15, on X, NateTheHate said he had gotten wind of a "nice Xbox announcement" at gamescom. The following weekend, on the ResetEra forum, he specified that it would be a new Ori, without knowing whether it would be shown at the show. No studio name, no release window: the rest is forum speculation.

What it's worth

NateTheHate isn't an anonymous account: over 70,000 followers on X and several acknowledged accurate calls, including the Switch 2 reveal timeline. He also has his misses, and here he produced neither documents nor screenshots.

Thomas Mahler replied on August 23 on X that he had "heard nothing of the sort," then that he could "confirm that the Ori 3 rumors are nonsense." When confronted with the insider's sources, he retorted that he had spoken "to people at Microsoft." One nuance: the license belongs to Microsoft, and Mahler says he's discussing an internal buyout.

On August 24, the insider revised his timeline, without retracting the information about Ori; Mahler quoted his mocking message, "You come at the king, you best not miss." Tuesday, August 25's Opening Night Live went by without a single Ori in sight. The studio is finishing up No Rest for the Wicked, whose 1.0 version is slated for October 2026 on PC and PlayStation 5.

Do you believe the insider or Thomas Mahler's denial more?

Frequently asked questions

Who is NateTheHate and why believe him?

He's an insider with over 70,000 followers on X who has been right about things before, notably the reveal timeline for the Switch 2. But he's also had his misses, and here he's offering no concrete proof, just a forum rumor.

Did Thomas Mahler really deny Ori 3?

Yes, on August 23 he first said he'd "heard nothing", then confirmed that "the rumors about Ori 3 are nonsense". He even claimed to have talked to people at Microsoft to back up his statement.

Why could Ori 3 exist without Moon Studios?

Because the franchise belongs to Microsoft, which could very well hand the project to another studio. Except Mahler says he's discussing internally a potential acquisition of Moon Studios by the American giant, which would make that scenario less likely.

Was Ori 3 announced at gamescom?

No, the Opening Night Live on August 25 went by without a single Ori in sight. The rumor didn't survive the show.

Key takeaways

NateTheHate, an insider with a solid track record, claims a new Ori would be announced at gamescom, but refuses to give any concrete details.
Thomas Mahler flies off the handle and calls the Ori 3 rumors "nonsense", while mentioning internal discussions with Microsoft about a potential acquisition.
No tangible proof: no documents, no screenshots, just forum speculation that didn't survive gamescom.
Moon Studios is currently working on No Rest for the Wicked, with a 1.0 release planned for October 2026 on PC and PlayStation 5.
The Ori franchise belongs to Microsoft, which theoretically makes an Ori 3 without Moon Studios possible, but the co-founder's denial seriously cools any excitement.

Comments

No comments yet. Be the first to react!