BREAKING: As part of today's cuts, Xbox has canceled the troubled Rare game Everwild, according to people familiar. News on the job cuts is coming in drips — not sure why Xbox didn't announce it all at once — but I'll report what I can as I confirm it.

— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier.bsky.social) 2 July 2025 at 15:04

Last year Andy Robinson of VG Chronicles said that Everwild was in a good place now and progressing really well, I trust his comments because he is close friends with Rare employees and used to work at Playtonic. This really sucks, I guess Rare is now the Sea of Thieves Studio which is a major risk if Sea of Thieves ever loses popularity.

Fuck me, I'm really scared about losing Greg Mayles now...I wouldn't blame him for leaving after spending a few years on Everwild, I can only hope he isn't that bothered because Everwild wasn't his creation to begin with and he was brought onboard to try to salvage it after the original creator of Everwild had left the studio, but I also know Gregg has no interest in returning to older IP.

Bro gave Microsoft Sea of Thieves which has been wildly successful, they should have let him finish Everwild.

What a crummy day, this is.

:/

...again, what a beautiful week...

Remember how we was wondering how Microsoft would ever have a dry year ever again? We didn't take into account Microsoft shooting themselves in the face as per usual. This is how they're going to have a dry year. They spent years rebuilding their 1st party and they finally got to a great space once again, since May 2024 they've been banging out releases on a consistent basis, it will continue through 2025 and it looks like it will continue through 2026 too.

But now I have the sinking feeling they're about to cancel a bunch of stuff which will result in a dead 2027-2028 because they're fucking clueless and then we'll see Phil like "Omg, I'm so sorry we had a dry 2027-2028, it is unacceptable, I don't know how this happened!" It happened because you fucking idiots cancelled and closed a bunch of shit.

Contraband will be next to be cancelled.

NEW: An Xbox spokesperson told me the Xbox layoffs are in service of "reducing layers with fewer managers" and enabling staff to "spend more time focusing on meaningful work by leveraging new technologies and capabilities."

I've asked whether that means GenAI is about to be pushed in a big way.

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— Chris Kerr (@kerrblimey.bsky.social) 2 July 2025 at 15:11

Course it is, Satya will replace everyone with AI except himself.

I also asked Microsoft whether it could confirm that no studios had been shuttered as part of the latest layoff round.

The company refused to comment and said it wouldn't be sharing specifics at this time.

— Chris Kerr (@kerrblimey.bsky.social) 2 July 2025 at 15:15

So that's a yes.

Well, this kills all creativity Xbox had. Why would creative motivated employees stay here and not try elsewhere or better strike out on their own. Everyone staying understands their value is as assembly line workers, doing what is demanded, not thinking about the vision of the game, not injecting any creativity or passion. Thanks Satya for killing Xbox studios.

It is so disheartening, as in the past Xbox was a protection against the currents of the market to let creativity bloom. The output of Obsidian with stuff like Grounded, Pentiment or Outer World is an example, Double Fine doing Psychonaut, inXile with Clockwork Revolution. But I feel like such an indiscriminate layoff will push away anyone with ambitions. And that is already following the killing of Tango, so people know this is not one singular exceptional event.

Tbf, people also said Dragon Age Veilguard was in a good place after being in dev hell for ages...good place is kinda of a relative statement in this industry as far as I'm concerned at this point. There hadn't been a peep of official info on Everwild in ages. Not surprised on this one. Contraband gotta be scrapped too I'd imagine 

Everwild must have been another 2 years or so away from release. Of games to be canceled, this doesn't surprise me. They should have canceled it when the original creator left and started on something else. I'm not sure if Contraband is effected in this decision since it's developed by a 3rd party developer, but maybe. The only other game I'm worried might get canceled is Perfect Dark, but hopefully not. Now that would be a dumb decision.

Everyone in America is laying off so they'd have to relocate to Japan, Lol. Or go indie but to go indie means you need funding and funding for indies is drying up too, plus indies have to now compete with like 20-30 games releasing every damn week, alongside the blackhole games sucking the air out of the room, it is far from easy to just simply go indie in this industry now.

I think people are underestimating how many people we're simply just going to lose altogether from this industry, this industry is volatile as fuck right now, it really doesn't have much positivity, it's a constant state of layoffs and closures, funding drying up, etc. It's a brutal battle amongst the dozens of games releasing every week and the blackhole games, younger gamers being less interested, etc.

We're just going to lose talent to other industries and who would look at the gaming industry over the past few years and think it's a stable industry to enter? These executives aren't going to realise the damage they're doing to it because they aren't human and can't understand what this will do to morale and the workforce, they don't care anyway, they think it can be replaced with AI.

It's going to be a double whammy of people sick of this industry leaving it and fewer fresh faces entering the industry because of how rough it is lately and in a few years from now we're going to have executives wondering: "Where's all the talent gone? Why is it so hard to hire?" if AI doesn't magically save their asses.

Hmm... so I asked GPT 4.1: "You are made head of Xbox today and in charge of the studios. What would your strategy be?" (sorry VGC does not do Markdown which GPT uses)

If I were made **head of Xbox** and in charge of the studios, my strategy would focus on four main pillars: **Game Quality & Diversity, Studio Empowerment, Ecosystem Growth, and Community Engagement**. Here’s a detailed breakdown:

---

## 1. **Game Quality & Diversity**

- **Prioritize Quality Over Quantity:**
Ensure every first-party release meets high standards for polish, innovation, and fun. Delay games if needed to avoid unfinished launches.
- **Diverse Portfolio:**
Invest in a wide range of genres—blockbuster shooters, RPGs, family games, indie experiences, and experimental projects. Encourage studios to take creative risks.
- **Leverage Acquired IPs:**
Revitalize classic franchises (e.g., Banjo-Kazooie, Fable, Perfect Dark) while supporting new IPs from both established and newly acquired studios.

---

## 2. **Studio Empowerment**

- **Autonomy and Support:**
Give studios creative freedom while providing resources, technology, and cross-studio collaboration opportunities.
- **Talent Development:**
Invest in training, diversity, and well-being to attract and retain top talent. Foster a positive, inclusive culture.
- **Global Expansion:**
Open or acquire studios in underrepresented regions (Asia, Africa, South America) to tap into new talent and perspectives.

---

## 3. **Ecosystem Growth**

- **Game Pass as a Flagship:**
Continue to make Game Pass the best value in gaming, with day-one releases, third-party partnerships, and a mix of big and small titles.
- **Cloud Gaming:**
Expand cloud gaming to more devices and regions, making Xbox games accessible anywhere.
- **PC and Cross-Platform:**
Treat PC as a first-class platform. Support cross-play and cross-save across Xbox, PC, and mobile where possible.
- **Backward Compatibility:**
Preserve and enhance the Xbox legacy by supporting older games and remastering classics.

---

## 4. **Community Engagement**

- **Transparency:**
Communicate openly about development progress, delays, and future plans. Build trust with players.
- **Player Feedback:**
Actively seek and incorporate community feedback into game updates and future projects.
- **Inclusive Gaming:**
Invest in accessibility features and diverse representation in games and marketing.
- **Events and Esports:**
Host regular digital and in-person events, tournaments, and showcases to keep the community engaged.

---

## **Key Initiatives**

- **Annual Xbox Showcase:**
A major, transparent event highlighting upcoming games, studio spotlights, and community stories.
- **Indie Accelerator:**
A program to fund and mentor indie developers, bringing unique voices to the platform.
- **Sustainability:**
Commit to eco-friendly practices in hardware, packaging, and studio operations.

---

## **Summary Table**

| Pillar | Focus Areas |
|-----------------------|--------------------------------------------------|
| Game Quality & Diversity | High-quality, varied games, new & classic IPs |
| Studio Empowerment | Creative freedom, talent, global reach |
| Ecosystem Growth | Game Pass, cloud, PC, backward compatibility |
| Community Engagement | Transparency, feedback, inclusivity, events |

---

**In short:**
I would make Xbox the home of the most creative, diverse, and player-focused games in the world, powered by empowered studios and a thriving, inclusive community.