Xbox and Rare's Everwild was first announced in 2019 as a unique brand new IP with the promise of unforgettable experiences in a natural and magical world. The game has since gone somewhat dark, and in fact, some reports say that Everwild's development has been rebooted. Now, a brand new developer has joined the team, one that previously worked on Alien: Isolation.
Everwild's initial reveal was one that was awe-inspiring, as the trailer showcases a world that is begging to be explored. But it has been two years since the game's unveiling, and earlier this year Rare shared that it was searching for a senior designer to join the Everwild team. The Sea of Thieves developer looks to have found its guy in Gary Napper.
Recently, Napper revealed on Twitter that he had joined Rare as the Design Director on Everwild. He has experience working for Supermassive Games, Sony, Criterion, and EA. He was also the Lead Designer on Alien: Isolation with Creative Assembly. While Everwild does appear to be going through some development changes, it is unlikely that the open sandbox-type adventure game will suddenly become a survival horror game, which is what Alien: Isolation was. Napper, however, appears to be a solid hire.
Everwild is a title that some fans have wondered about in terms of the long-term health of the game's development. Xbox has plenty of interesting games under development--and although Everwild may top the list in terms of being unique--it takes announcements such as the hiring of Napper to confirm the game is indeed still on track. Some of the recent rumors point to the idea that Rare has completely started from scratch with Everwild's development. Additionally, a 2024 release window may now be what the team is shooting for. If those rumors are true, Napper's hiring is certainly one of the key pieces to the puzzle.
While little has been shared about the title for some time, apparently Rare still has ambitious plans for Everwild. The X019 trailer itself from November of 2019 managed to capture the imagination of fans with a combination of tranquil and gorgeous visuals with a scale and feel that seemed larger than life. If Rare can pull that off with the full release--with the help of Gary Napper and his experience--it could be a massive win for Xbox, regardless of whether or not the game has gone through some sort of development reboot.
Everwild is currently in development for PC and Xbox Series X|S.