Miyazaki-Inspired Lynn and the Spirits of Inao Canceled After Accusations of Not Paying Interns

Giuseppe Nelva May 18, 2016 10:28 AM EST

A while ago, we covered the opening of a Kickstarter project for a charming platformed named Lynn and the Spirits of Inao, developed by French indie developer Bloomylight Studio, and inspired by anime and by the art and mythology of Studio Ghibli’s movies.

Over the past few days, the studio received many accusations online by several developers who mentioned having worked on the game as interns, alleging that the work they did was unpaid. In France, where the studio is located, it’s illegal not to pay interns when the internship lasts more than two months.

Faced by growing negativity, Bloomylight Studio posted an update today on its Kickstarter page, announcing the cancellation of the project.

“First of all, thank you to all of the backers who supported Lynn and the Spirits of Inao. After being deeply affected by the various stories from the past few days, and conscious of the mistakes from the past which are now harming the game, we have taken the difficult decision to end the adventure here. In the face of the violent declarations made to us and the threats uttered against members of the team, we now have to end this project that was born in 2011. It is regrettable that a handful of individuals were able to destroy the work of so many people and that they spent so much energy to cause a relentlessness of incredible violence against our team. We would like to thank all the people who contributed to the game and got involved in the project. These last five years spent working hard on Lynn and the Spirits of Inao were an unforgettable experience motivated by the passion to create a game of quality and to offer a new experience. Thank you for your understanding. Bloomylight Studio.”

Before its cancellation, Lynn and the Spirits of Inao received €37,056 in pledges from 1,695 backers. That said, the campaign was not completed successffully, so no one will actually be charged for his pledge.