Phil Spencer Updates on Rare's Everwild Progress

Rare's Everwild has been a topic of interest and speculation since its announcement over five years ago at Microsoft's X019 event. Despite the game's absence from several Xbox showcases and rumors of reboots, Xbox head Phil Spencer has confirmed that Everwild is still in active development. In a recent interview with XboxEra, Spencer expressed his excitement for the game, mentioning a visit to Rare's UK studio where he saw the progress being made on Everwild.

Spencer's visit to Rare was not just about Everwild; he also highlighted other projects in Microsoft's pipeline, such as State of Decay and the next game from Double Fine. He emphasized Microsoft's commitment to giving development teams the time they need to perfect their projects, even with a busy release schedule bolstered by acquisitions like Bethesda and Activision Blizzard.

Everwild has faced its share of challenges, including the departure of creative director Simon Woodroffe in 2020 and rumors of a reboot, which Microsoft has denied. The project is now led by veteran designer Gregg Mayles, known for his work on Donkey Kong Country, Banjo-Kazooie, Viva Pinata, and Sea of Thieves.

As for what Everwild entails, it was initially described as a third-person adventure game with elements of a god game. However, given its lengthy development period, the final product may have evolved. The last trailer, released in July 2020, promised "a unique and unforgettable experience" in a natural and magical world.

Microsoft's development slate is packed with other high-profile projects, including the Perfect Dark reboot, the next Halo, Playground's new Fable game, Bethesda's The Elder Scrolls 6, and this year's Call of Duty from Activision. In the near future, id Software's Doom: The Dark Ages is set to launch in May, keeping fans eagerly awaiting what's next from Microsoft's studios.