Xbox’s Rare 40th Anniversary Controller is a Controversy Waiting to Happen

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Forty years ago, on August 4, 1985, the renowned video game developer from Britain known as Rare was established. Originating as Ultimate Play the Game in 1982, Rare later gained fame for creating popular games like Donkey Kong Country, GoldenEye 007, Banjo-Kazooie, Viva Piñata, and Sea of Thieves, thanks to its collaborations with Nintendo and Xbox.

In honor of its 40th anniversary, Rare teamed up with 8BitDo to manufacture a special edition wireless Xbox controller with designs based on some of Rare’s classic games. Unfortunately, the timing for this announcement couldn’t be worse considering the recent issues between Xbox and Rare.

Xbox and Rare’s Recent Controversies Explained

Despite consistently showing financial stability, Microsoft and Xbox have been letting go of thousands of workers since 2023. While both companies’ overall financial status remains strong, Xbox hardware sales have lagged behind those of Nintendo and PlayStation. In 2023 alone, Microsoft cut around 10,000 jobs, followed by 2,550 in 2024, approximately 6,000 in May 2025, 300 in June 2025, and a further 9,000 in July 2025.

The job reductions impacted various parts of Microsoft’s worldwide employees, particularly affecting Xbox and multiple game development teams associated with its 25-year-old gaming sector. As stated by Phil Spencer, CEO of Microsoft Gaming, these cuts aimed to either discontinue or reduce work in specific business areas, while also mirroring Microsoft’s approach in streamlining management structures to enhance flexibility and efficiency.

Despite Xbox boasting a record number of players, games, and gaming hours, these reductions were implemented, as Spencer himself stated. Consequently, these job cuts led to substantial staff decreases at various studios. For instance, Turn 10 Studios, the developer behind Forza Motorsport, let go 70 employees, and King, the creators of Candy Crush Saga, dismissed 10% of their workforce.

As a devoted gaming enthusiast, I can’t help but share my disappointment over the cancellation of some highly anticipated titles due to unforeseen circumstances. Among these was Zenimax Online Studios’ MMORPG, codenamed Blackbird, The Initiative’s revamp of the classic first-person shooter Perfect Dark, and Rare’s innovative action-adventure game Everwild.

The cancellation of the reboot for Perfect Dark not only dashed our expectations but also led to the shutdown of The Initiative, a first-party developer founded by Xbox Game Studios in 2018 with the sole purpose of bringing the Perfect Dark reboot to life.

The Development of Rare’s Everwild

Since 2020, Rare hasn’t come out with a new game like their reboot of the iconic beat ’em up series “Battletoads.” Instead, they have been focusing on updating their 2018 multiplayer, action-adventure pirate game, “Sea of Thieves.” However, during the 2019 X019 event, Rare announced their upcoming original project named “Everwild.” This new game is said to provide players with unique ways to interact in a realistic and enchanting world.

The initial work on Everwild started in 2014; however, after the departure of its creative director Simon Woodroffe in 2021, the project underwent a revamp. Initially planned for launch in 2024, updates about this game have been scarce, leaving many speculating it as a third-person title similar to Viva Piñata. Despite having two cinematic previews out, the specifics of Everwild’s gameplay remain unknown.

Back in the day, as a gamer, I remember being thrilled when Rare unleashed the legendary Perfect Dark series onto the gaming world with the 2000 N64 gem, Perfect Dark. Fast forward to 2005, and they leveled up the excitement again by crafting the prequel, Perfect Dark Zero, exclusively for the Xbox 360.

Rare’s Controversial 2025 Developments

Despite some turbulence during its development, it appears that Everwild was making steady strides in 2024. In October of that year, Phil Spencer paid a visit to Rare’s studio in Twycross, England to check on the progress and give the game a spin. Simultaneously, Windows Central’s Jez Corden reported that the development team had been successfully refining the gameplay mechanics, with the statement that they had “perfected the gameplay loop.

As stated by Matt Booty, the leader of Xbox Game Studios, the decision to halt the production of both Everwild and Perfect Dark was made as a means to reallocate resources and realign priorities in order to better position their teams for success amidst the evolving video game industry landscape. At this time, it remains unclear whether Rare is developing any other games aside from Sea of Thieves or how many employees at Rare may have been let go.

Beyond the cancellation of Everwild and an unspecified reduction in staff, Rare also suffered a significant loss with the departure of one of its most esteemed and longest-serving developers, Gregg Mayles. Mayles started at Rare in 1989, when he was just 18 years old, and played pivotal roles in designing classics such as Battletoads, Donkey Kong Country, Banjo-Kazooie, Viva Piñata, and Sea of Thieves. In 2007, Mayles ascended to the role of creative director at Rare, and since 2021, he had been serving as the director for Everwild.

In summary, Rare’s 40th anniversary and Xbox controller announcement were tinged with both joy and sadness due to the uncertainty surrounding Rare’s future after Mayles’ departure and the cancellation of Everwild. However, not all news about Rare in 2025 is bittersweet; a plaque was recently installed at Ashby-de-la-Zouch to honor and commemorate Rare’s birthplace and its creations.

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2025-08-05 03:34