Everwild Revival: Rare's Phil Spencer Shares Progress

What's the current status of Rare's Everwild? It has been more than five years since the game was first announced at Microsoft's X019 event. After multiple absences from Xbox showcases and persistent rumors of a reboot, many have speculated that Everwild might have been quietly shelved. However, Xbox chief Phil Spencer has clarified that this is not the case.

In a discussion with XboxEra, Spencer identified Everwild as one of the upcoming titles he is particularly excited about. He mentioned his recent visit to UK-based studio Rare, the team behind the live-service pirate adventure Sea of Thieves, where he was able to see the progress being made on Everwild firsthand.

"Yes, State of Decay is another franchise I've loved since the original, so that one stays on our roadmap. I'm also impressed with the work Double Fine is doing and how Tim [Schafer] actively seeks input from the team. The other title I'll highlight is Everwild, especially after my recent trip to Rare. It was great to see the team's progress and the strides they're making with the game."

Spencer explained that Microsoft has been able to provide the development teams behind these games—State of Decay, the next Double Fine project, and Everwild—with the necessary time to refine their work, all while maintaining a robust release schedule reinforced by the acquisitions of Bethesda and Activision Blizzard.

"We can afford to give these teams the time they need," Spencer noted. "Next week, I'll be meeting with The Coalition [the studio behind Gears of War] up in Vancouver—should be a great time."

Regarding Everwild, the project has faced scrutiny over the years due to reboot rumors—which Microsoft has denied—and the departure of creative director Simon Woodroffe in 2020. Rare subsequently appointed veteran designer Gregg Mayles to the director role, known for his work on Donkey Kong Country, Banjo-Kazooie, Viva Piñata, and Sea of Thieves.

But what exactly is Everwild? Early reports described it as a third-person adventure with god game mechanics, though given the lengthy development cycle, the direction may have evolved. The most recent Everwild trailer, released in July 2020, described the game as "a brand new IP from Rare, promising a unique and memorable experience set in a natural and magical world."

Microsoft has an extensive pipeline of games in development, including the Perfect Dark reboot, the next Halo installment, and Playground Games' new Fable. Meanwhile, Bethesda is working on The Elder Scrolls VI, and Activision is, of course, focused on this year's Call of Duty. More immediately, id Software's Doom: The Dark Ages is set to launch in May.