- Microsoft cancels Everwild after years of complicated development and internal restructuring.
- Mass layoffs at Xbox and Rare, with thousands of employees affected across various departments.
- Creative struggles and reboots mark Everwild's journey, which never found a clear direction.
- The departure of veterans such as Gregg Mayles and Louise O'Connor is a major blow to Rare.
The Doubts and rumors surrounding Everwild, the Rare project that had generated so many followers since its announcement in 2019, is finally confirmed: Microsoft and Xbox have decided to cancel its developmentThe news comes after a series of layoffs that have shaken the entire video game division of the tech giant and its British subsidiary, leaving fans of one of the most original offerings of the new generation without a job.
The decision to cancel Everwild has occurred in the context of a Wave of large-scale layoffs at Microsoft Gaming, which has affected more than 9.000 employees across various subsidiaries such as Xbox, Activision Blizzard, Bethesda, King, and RareThis internal restructuring, justified by the company as a way of focus resources on areas with the greatest future potential, has ended up taking its toll on the teams responsible for some of the platform's most anticipated projects.
A problematic development from the start
Everwild was officially unveiled in 2019 as a new intellectual property from Rare, the legendary studio responsible for hits like Banjo-Kazooie y Sea of ThievesHowever, the title had been in the making for years, and problems soon began to define its approach and mechanics.
In 2021, The company decided to restart the project from top to bottom, and put veteran Gregg Mayles—key to games like Donkey Kong Country—in charge. This decision, far from relaunching development, revealed the lack of a clear direction, since then hardly anything new has been heard about the game's progress.
Over the years, Communication about Everwild was significantly decreasing. After an initial trailer, information was limited to vague mentions that the team was still working, but Neither gameplay nor concrete details were shownThis, along with the departure of key figures and internal reports of creative uncertainty, ended up fuel the suspicions of fans and the specialized press.
The impact of the layoffs and the situation at Rare
The outcome of Everwild cannot be understood without taking into account the wave of mass layoffs carried out by Microsoft in 2024 and 2025The company has cut more than 9.000 jobs globallyIncluding Hundreds of employees across studios like Rare, King, ZeniMax and support teamsIn some cases, staffing levels have been reduced by up to 10%, severely impacting the resources available for ongoing projects.
The direct consequences for Rare have been particularly notable. Veterans like Gregg Mayles, director of Everwild and a key player since the end of the last century, and executive producer Louise O'Connor, have left the company after the cancellation was confirmed. Rare, which had been undergoing significant changes and departures in recent years, thus loses two of its most iconic figures at a delicate time for its creative future.
What went wrong with Everwild?
The case of Everwild It reflects the challenges that even the most experienced studios face. Since its inception in 2014, the lack of a defined vision and frequent changes of course prevented the game from achieving a solid playable version. Although an attempt was made to relaunch the project in 2021, creative issues persisted, and the teams failed to deliver the unique experience promised in their initial announcements.
Internal sources have indicated that Even in the final development phase, there was no clarity about the direction of the game.. The secrecy, the absence of relevant trailers since 2020 and the constant restructuring fueled a feeling of stagnation that, added to the pressure from corporate cuts, led to the final decision to halt the project.
Rare will focus its efforts on maintaining and expanding Sea of Thieves. and other projects underway, adapting to the new reality of the studio and the entire video game industry under the Microsoft umbrella.
Microsoft, for his part, has assured that continues to invest in the development of new IPs and support for its creative teams, although the cancellation of Everwild has been a hard blow for both the team involved and the gaming community that was expecting an innovative proposal from one of the most emblematic studios in the sector.
Everwild's story highlights the challenges of turning promising visions into tangible realities in an increasingly demanding and competitive market.
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