Alright, here we go. Bear with me — it’s a bit of a mess, but that’s kind of the point, right?
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So, yeah, Rare. You remember them, don’t you? If you’ve ever touched a joystick or mashed a button on an Xbox or a Nintendo in the last four decades, you definitely know these guys. Founded way back on August 4, 1985. (Geez, I was just figuring out which shoe was left or right back then!) Anyway, this crew emerged from another developer – Ultimate Play the Game. What a name, right? They were rocking it with classics like Donkey Kong Country, GoldenEye 007 (Ah, the memories…), and Banjo-Kazooie. And later stuff like Viva Piñata and Sea of Thieves. Seriously, who saw that pirate sensation coming?
Aaaaand now they’re celebrating a big 4-0. Wild, right? They teamed up with 8BitDo for this slick limited-edition Xbox controller. It’s got these cool patterns from their iconic games. Or so they say. But, hold up — there’s drama. Just as this shiny controller hits the scene, there’s some beef between Xbox and Rare. Timing, eh?
### Xbox and Rare’s Rollercoaster Ride
Let’s dig into it. Microsoft — you know, the tech overlords — along with Xbox, have been on a bit of a firing spree. It’s crazy how they say they’re doing great financially, but bam, employees are out. Like, 10,000 in 2023. Can you even picture that many people? And it keeps going. May, boom, 6,000. June? Another 300. July kicks off with 9,000 more. How are they even keeping track of all this?
Apparently, Xbox divisions got hit hard. Imagine being told, “Hey, we’re agile now, so… you’re fired.” Corporate speak at its finest. Studios like the folks behind Forza got whacked, and even Candy Crush developers at King weren’t safe. Who knew candies could crush dreams too?
Oh, and game projects? Yeah, say goodbye to some of them. Big names like Zenimax’s MMORPG – Blackbird or something – and even Perfect Dark reboots are toast. But hey, Perfect Dark was originally a Rare baby in 2000. Ending it this time? Not so perfect, I guess.
### Everwild – The Wild Unknown
Rare, poor guys, they haven’t launched anything since tweaking Battletoads in 2020. They were supposed to be cooking up something new called Everwild. Sounds magical, right? But funny enough, nobody really knows what the gameplay is like. Secrets and magical worlds – very mysterious. Development’s been rocky, with people leaving, coming back, redoing everything. The works.
### The 2025 Debacle
Fast forward to 2025, even with some glimmers of Everwild going well and folks like Phil Spencer hyping it up after visiting their studio, bam! Cancellations again. Thanks to Xbox Game Studios head, Matt Booty, and his “adjusting priorities” motto. Wonder what they adjust next, the office chairs?
Poor Rare also lost Gregg Mayles, their star dev from way back when, involved in designing all the hits. He left, and it feels like closing a chapter. Oh, and for kicks, they did place a plaque in Ashby-de-la-Zouch to honor Rare’s roots. Like, thanks for existing, guys. Here’s a piece of metal.
So, as Rare’s milestone is a mix of cheers and tears, no one really knows what’s next for them or Xbox. But hey, they do have a fancy anniversary controller, even if the background noise is deafening. And Ashby’s got a plaque now. Every cloud, eh?
