Years later, climbing CELESTE is as impactful as ever

Seven years on, CELESTE's impact is still felt on the gaming world. A hard but fair 2D platformer with a heartfelt story about self-acceptance, it's a game that lives on in the hearts of many.

Viewed by LGBTQIA+ players as a relatable trans allegory, Celeste also represents a deeply personal journey for its creators. Maddy Thorson and Noel Berry of Extremely OK Games spoke to Sifter where that journey took them, exploring identity, the struggles of cancelling an eagerly awaited follow-up game, and the joy of hardcore platforming.

Hear from Maddy and Noel on Lightmap, SIFTER's interview podcast, before they appear at an exclusive event at ACMI on the 6th of October 2025. Tickets for the event are available online.

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SIFTER is produced by Kyle Pauletto, Fiona Bartholomaeus, Courtney Smith, Adam Christou, Chris Button and Naomi Jackson. Cat Jahne is Social Producer, Mitch Loh is Senior Producer and Gianni Di Giovanni is our Executive Producer. Thanks to Audio Technica Australia and Apple for their support of SIFTER.