Rare’s cancelled game has surfaced — Everwild screenshots reveal the game we never got

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Recently, screenshots of the cancelled game Everwild surfaced online, thanks to a former Rare artist. Fans first noticed the images, and sites like PureXbox reported on them, giving us a look at what the game might have looked like. Although not officially confirmed, the screenshots seem to be authentic.

Players were immediately intrigued when the game was first announced. Rare has a long history of success – starting with its collaborations with Nintendo and continuing after being acquired by Xbox.

For years, fans believed Rare wasn’t living up to its potential, but Sea of Thieves proved what the studio was capable of today. Their next new game, Everwild, generated a lot of anticipation. Sadly, development issues caused the game to be cancelled before it could be released.

From reboot to cancellation

Although fans were excited about Everwild when it was first shown in 2019, the game had trouble during its creation. While it looked beautiful, developers struggled to define what players would actually *do* in the game and establish core gameplay features.

I remember when Simon Woodroffe, the creative director at Rare, left back in 2020. It left the project a bit adrift for a while, without anyone clearly in charge. Then, in 2021, Gregg Mayles, a really experienced designer, came on board and basically started the game over. He led a complete reboot, changing both how it looked and how it played.

Following the initial trailer, no further updates were released to the public. Though Phil Spencer mentioned in early 2025 that development on Everwild was continuing, it wasn’t enough to save the project. Microsoft cancelled the game in 2025 as part of widespread layoffs impacting approximately 9,000 employees, including members of the development team at Rare.

The game’s cancellation significantly damaged the reputations of both the studio and Xbox, contributing to ongoing fan concerns about the brand’s future. These worries frequently reappear online in the form of rumors claiming Xbox is failing. Recently, a false claim that Target and Walmart were removing Xbox products from their shelves – based on an old photo – quickly spread online, forcing Xbox to issue a public denial.

What the screenshots show

The recently surfaced screenshots offer a clear look at what Everwild might have been like. They show an inventory system divided into categories for things like figments, tools, mosaics, seeds, and plants – suggesting the type of gameplay Rare was aiming for.

I find the little figments especially appealing. They remind me of Pikmin and the Koroks from The Legend of Zelda – charming, small companions that could have really brought the game world to life. Based on the seeds and plants elements, it seems like the developers were originally aiming for a game focused on farming or taking care of things. It’s too bad they weren’t able to fully realize that idea, because the game’s art style is truly excellent.

As someone who loves Viva Piñata, I see similarities between that game and Everwild. Unfortunately, it doesn’t look like we’ll be getting another Viva Piñata game – or anything quite like it – anytime soon.

Should Xbox have cancelled Everwild?

From what I’ve seen, it’s hard to get a full picture, but Rare is such a skilled studio that I find it difficult to believe they couldn’t have made something truly amazing for their fans. It would be a real loss if they ended up only known for Sea of Thieves, especially considering how much more they’ve demonstrated they’re capable of.

Even if I’m being a bit speculative, it’s hard to believe a game promising a beautiful, immersive world and a unique experience would fail on a console like the next Nintendo Switch. However, we won’t get to play as the Eternals – characters deeply connected to nature and its creatures – and that’s truly a shame.

Rare has always created games with a unique and appealing quality, and Everwild initially seemed like it would continue that tradition. I’m curious to hear what others think of the recent screenshots – would you be excited if Everwild was revived, or do you suspect it might end up like Scalebound, being talked about but never actually released?

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2025-10-13 17:10