Xbox exclusive Everwild from Sea of Thieves studio Rare reportedly cancelled amidst layoffs

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According to reports, the developers at Rare, known for creating Sea of Thieves, have apparently concluded work on Everwild – their previously unseen stunning exclusive title that’s been in development for roughly ten years. This intriguing nature-themed adventure seems to have been canceled.

Everwild scrapped at Rare

Currently, Xbox is going through a large-scale reduction in staff due to its extensive workforce expansion following the purchase of numerous game development studios and over 40,000 employees. It’s been estimated that around 9,100 workers, including developers at King, Zenimax, and others, have been affected by these layoffs across Microsoft as a whole.

Simultaneously with the layoffs, it’s rumored that Rare is being instructed to halt work on Everwild, a project that began development back in 2014. This game was unveiled at the XO19 event in November 2019 and has been reportedly reworked in 2021.

In the year 2024, later accounts affirmed that the development of Everwild was progressing favorably, even with numerous restarts. However, it’s a sad turn of events as, amidst the layoffs, this long-awaited project seems to have been cancelled, according to VGC, from my perspective as a devoted fan.

Based on the findings from the report, it’s possible that those few team members who have been working on the project may face job loss due to the cancellation of the game. Currently, there has been no formal announcement regarding layoffs at Rare.

As a gamer, I’m thrilled to share that, just like us, the talented teams behind Everwild have been given the space to perfect their work. It’s a dream that Matt and I have nurtured for quite some time, and now, it’s finally becoming a reality. We’re excited about this journey, as we believe in giving these teams the time they need to create something extraordinary.

Initially purchased by Microsoft in 2002, Rare’s standing among developers has taken a hit since then. Despite producing numerous successful games during their time with Nintendo, the quality of Rare’s work under Microsoft has been lackluster, leading to many disappointing releases and abandoned projects over the last twenty years.

During their tenure at Xbox, one successful project launched was the ongoing pirate game, Sea of Thieves, which continues to receive numerous updates. However, there’s yet to be any announcement about other projects the studio might be developing.

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2025-07-02 17:40