It's been over five years since Rare's Everwild was unveiled at Microsoft's X019 event, leaving fans curious about its status due to its absence from subsequent Xbox showcases and whispers of reboots. However, Xbox boss Phil Spencer has reassured fans that Everwild is still in the works.
In a recent interview with XboxEra, Spencer expressed his excitement for upcoming titles, specifically mentioning Everwild. He revealed that he had visited Rare's UK studio, known for running the live service pirate adventure game Sea of Thieves, to check on Everwild's development progress.
"Yeah, State of Decay is just one of the franchises I love back from the original one, so that one stays on the board. I do think the work that Double Fine’s doing and how Tim [Schafer] kind of solicits feedback from the team. And the other one, I’ll say because I was recently out at Rare. It’s nice to see the team with Everwild and the progress that they’re making."
Spencer emphasized that Microsoft has been able to provide the developers of Everwild, along with State of Decay and the next game from Double Fine, ample time to work on their projects, despite a busy release schedule bolstered by the acquisitions of Bethesda and Activision Blizzard.
"We can give those teams time," Spencer stated. "And next week I’m going to be up in Vancouver with the Coalition [Gears of War developer] — and how fun is that?"
Concerns about Everwild's development have arisen over the years, particularly after rumors of a reboot, which Microsoft denied, and the departure of creative director Simon Woodroffe in 2020. Rare responded by appointing veteran designer Gregg Mayles, known for his work on Donkey Kong Country, Banjo-Kazooie, Viva Pinata, and Sea of Thieves, as the new director.
As for the game itself, Everwild is reported to be a third-person adventure game with elements of a god game, though its long development cycle may have led to changes. The last trailer, released in July 2020, described Everwild as "a brand new IP from Rare. A unique and unforgettable experience await in a natural and magical world."
Microsoft's portfolio of in-development games is expansive, including the Perfect Dark reboot, the next Halo, and Playground's new Fable game. Bethesda is also working on The Elder Scrolls 6, while Activision is preparing this year's Call of Duty. In the near future, id Software's Doom: The Dark Ages is set to launch in May.
