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So, like, 40 years ago—yes, that’s four decades, can you believe it?—this legendary British gig in the video game world, Rare, kicked off on August 4, 1985. It kind of sprang out of another company, Ultimate Play the Game (of all epic names, right?), way back in ’82. The dudes at Rare have been behind some of the coolest games ever. You know, like Donkey Kong Country and GoldenEye 007? My childhood! Then there’s Banjo-Kazooie, Viva Piñata, and Sea of Thieves. Oh, and they got all cozy with Nintendo and Xbox over the years. What a journey!
Fast forward to now, and they’re hitting that big 4-0. To mark the occasion, they teamed up with 8BitDo to make this snazzy limited-edition Xbox controller. It’s got patterns from their iconic games. But like, of course, the timing’s as awkward as running into your ex at a party – because Xbox and Rare are kinda in a hot mess right now.
Xbox and Rare’s Latest Drama:
You know when the universe just throws everything out of whack? Well, since 2023, Microsoft and Xbox have been axing thousands from their teams. Even though they kept bragging about stable finances. Xbox sales were dragging behind PlayStation and Nintendo. Like, yay? More layoffs in 2023, 2024, and 2025—it’s raining pink slips over there.
Anyway, these cuts hammered Microsoft’s global team, but Xbox took a massive hit along with several game developers under their wing. Phil Spencer, head honcho at Microsoft Gaming, said they needed to streamline to boost agility. Or something. Corporate speak that almost makes sense if you squint.
Oh, Everwild… What Happened?
Right, okay, so a load of these cuts also killed games mid-development. The Forza crew lost 70 folks, Candy Crush’s parent company King lost 10%, and it didn’t stop there. Zenimax’s MMORPG "Blackbird," Perfect Dark remakes, and Rare’s own Everwild—all done for. Like, poof, gone!
Let’s rewind a bit. Rare hadn’t launched anything fresh since Battletoads got a reboot in 2020. They’ve been busy pirate-ing away on Sea of Thieves. But yeah, in 2019, they told the world about this cool project, Everwild—supposed to be this magical adventure in a natural world. Development started ages ago, in 2014, but was rebooted in 2021. And then… nada. Well, a couple of trailers came out, but little else. People gossip it’s like Viva Piñata but with a third-person view.
2025’s Curveballs for Rare:
Everwild seemed back on track by 2024. Spencer said the game was shaping up nicely. Rumors flew around that Rare nailed that gameplay loop. But nope, in 2025, a curveball. Both Everwild and Perfect Dark got axed to keep up with industry shifts, according to Xbox Game Studios’ Matt Booty. The future’s murky.
Oh, right, add to this—Gregg Mayles, the Rare legend, called it quits. He was at Rare since he was a teen! Worked on stuff like Battletoads, Donkey Kong Country, all the good classics. Him leaving after Everwild bites the dust, well, it’s like losing the heart of Rare.
Ultimately, Rare’s anniversary celebration goes a bit sideways. Like having cake and then remembering you’re on a diet. But hey, a plaque popped up in Ashby-de-la-Zouch hailing Rare’s roots. A bittersweet kind of win, I’d say.
