A Celebration Amid Cancellation
Just days after Rare’s long-troubled fantasy title Everwild was officially canceled, a new product bearing the studio’s name has surfaced—this time in the form of a 40th anniversary Xbox controller. The limited-edition pad, manufactured by 8BitDo, appeared in an Amazon listing, suggesting an official reveal is imminent. But the timing is already raising eyebrows: why celebrate now?
The controller is a nice one, better than the Elite 2. Replete with stylish features: Hall-effect sticks, paddles, and compatible with Xbox, PC, and Android, though the patterning says “Sea of Thieves” more than it says Banjo-Kazooie, GoldenEye 007, or Perfect Dark. It’s clear that the celebratory tone of the hardware stands more as a testament to the Co-op pirate adventure’s financial successes rather than Rare’s creative output.
Everwild’s Quiet Collapse
Everwild, the studio’s first new IP since 2018’s Sea of Thieves, was quietly shuttered in July as part of Microsoft’s sweeping layoffs across Xbox Game Studios. Rare confirmed the cancellation in a developer update tied to Sea of Thieves, its one ongoing success story.
First announced in 2019, Everwild never reached a playable state, despite multiple reboots and nearly a decade of work. Rare insiders describe the project as vision-challenged from the outset, undergoing creative leadership changes and never recovering momentum. The most recent reboot, led by longtime designer Gregg Mayles, couldn’t salvage the title before Microsoft pulled the plug in its latest round of cost-cutting.
Rare’s Two Realities
That decision arrives at an awkward moment for Rare’s legacy. While Sea of Thieves continues to thrive—most recently passing 40 million players and launching on PlayStation 5—the studio’s broader future has narrowed. The same studio that once pushed boundaries in character-driven platformers and genre-defining shooters now finds itself tethered almost entirely to a single live-service title.
The leaked controller’s branding says “8BitDo teams up with Rare to honor four decades of unforgettable characters and iconic worlds”, so maybe—if we’re going to be optimistic—Rare has put this collab together as a way to send off their laid-off team. A custom controller as a parting gift would be nice, after all.
Still, the fact that the controller only stars the rare logo and various nautical paraphenalia indicates that it’s only for the Sea of Thieves crowd, so it may just be a cash grab.
Fans React: Nostalgia or Nonsense?
Online reactions have ranged from sardonic to scathing. “Let’s celebrate the company we gutted,” wrote one Reddit user, reflecting the growing sentiment that the controller feels less like a celebration and more like a merchandising distraction. Others pointed out that while Rare’s creative ambitions have stalled, its commercial viability via Sea of Thieves remains strong—suggesting the controller might be part of a broader strategy to capitalize on the brand without reinvesting in original IP.
Where Does Rare Go From Here?
Neither Rare nor 8BitDo has announced release plans. But whether the controller is viewed as a fitting tribute or an ill-timed cash-in may depend on what, if anything, Microsoft does next.