Rare's Everwild Update from Phil Spencer

So, what’s the story with Rare's Everwild? It's been more than five years since the game was first announced at Microsoft's X019 event. Its repeated absences from Xbox showcases, coupled with whispers of a complete reboot, have led many to speculate if Everwild has been quietly shelved. According to Xbox chief Phil Spencer, that's not the case.

In a conversation with XboxEra, Spencer named Everwild among the upcoming titles he's most anticipating. He mentioned recently visiting the UK-based Rare studio, the team behind the live-service hit Sea of Thieves, to check on Everwild's development progress.

“Absolutely, State of Decay is a franchise I've loved since the original, so it stays on the list. I'm also impressed by Double Fine's process and how Tim [Schafer] incorporates team feedback. And the other one I'll highlight is Everwild, especially after my recent visit to Rare. It was great to see the team's progress firsthand.”

Spencer noted that Microsoft has been able to give development teams like those working on State of Decay 3, Double Fine's next project, and Everwild the time they need, despite a packed release schedule bolstered by the acquisitions of Bethesda and Activision Blizzard.

“We can afford to give these teams the necessary time,” Spencer stated. “Next week, I'll be in Vancouver with The Coalition [the Gears of War studio]—how exciting is that?”

Regarding Everwild, the project has faced uncertainty over the years following rumors of a reboot—which Microsoft has denied—and the departure of creative director Simon Woodroffe in 2020. Rare appointed veteran designer Gregg Mayles to lead the project. Mayles has an esteemed history with franchises like Donkey Kong Country, Banjo-Kazooie, Viva Piñata, and Sea of Thieves.

But what exactly is Everwild? Early reports suggested a third-person adventure game with god-game mechanics, but given its lengthy development cycle, the vision may have evolved. The last trailer, released in July 2020, described it as: “a brand new IP from Rare. A unique and unforgettable experience awaits in a natural and magical world.”

Microsoft's development pipeline is packed, including the Perfect Dark reboot, the next Halo installment, and Playground Games' new Fable. Meanwhile, Bethesda is developing The Elder Scrolls VI, and Activision is, of course, focused on this year's Call of Duty. In the more immediate future, id Software's Doom: The Dark Ages is set to launch in May.