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Rare's Everwild Has Been Rebooted And Now "Optimistically" Targeting A 2024 Release - Report

Development of the PC and Xbox game Everwild has "restarted from scratch" now that a new creative director has been appointed, according to a VGC report.

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It seems development on Rare's magic-filled maybe-adventure game Everwild has "restarted from scratch" following the appointment of a new creative director after veteran employee Simon Woodroffe resigned last year, according to a report from Video Games Chronicle.

Citing anonymous sources familiar with Everwild's development, VGC reports that the game has been completely overhauled, with the design undergoing significant changes now that Gregg Mayles in charge.

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Now Playing: Everwild Full Presentation | Xbox Games Showcase 2020

Under Mayles' leadership, Rare is now "optimistically" targeting a 2024 release window, indicating that it will be a long while before Everwild drops. GamesBeat reporter Jeff Grubb corroborated VGC's report on Twitter, saying that it "lines up" with what he's heard about the game and its development. And VGC's sources said that the team had a difficult time nailing down a vision, with a mandate from Rare's management requiring no combat instances in the game leading to development roadblocks.

Mayles has been with Rare for decades, first joining as a tester in 1989 before landing in various design lead roles on projects like Banjo-Kazooie and Donkey Kong Country. According to executive producer Louise O'Connor, the team has "never been stronger" now that Mayles is onboard.

Rare is still busy with other projects, including the Battletoads reboot and Sea of Thieves. The latter in particular continues to receive support, with a brand-new Pirates of the Caribbean crossover launching on June 22 that introduces eccentric buccaneer Jack Sparrow in a free expansion.

Despite making waves in 2019 and 2020, Everwild was absent from Xbox's E3 2021 showcase. Still, major announcements came from the conference, including Starfield's November 11 release date.

There's plenty more to come from E3 2021, so hit up our Play for All hub for the latest news, reveals, and interviews. And check out our E3 2021 schedule to learn which companies are left to present.

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