After 5 Years Of Waiting, Xbox Has To Showcase Everwild At The Developer Direct

Xbox has a number of games in the pipeline that feel like they're never going to release, including The Elder Scrolls 6, Everwild, and Fable. Both games were announced a long time ago and have since had little revealed about them. It isn't uncommon for AAA games to be shrouded in secrecy, especially thanks to their increased budgets and development time preventing publishers from spilling the beans too early. However, these games were announced several years ago, and fans have still heard nothing.

Everwild is perhaps the most mysterious of the three, as, outside a few trailers that shed very little light on what it actually is, there's not much known about this project from developer Rare. Everything fans know about Everwild amounts to just a few tidbits here and there, despite everyone having been aware of its existence for years. However, while Xbox has so far been reticent to reveal too much about Everwild, the upcoming Developer Direct is the perfect opportunity to rectify that and finally give fans what they want.

It's Been Five Years Since Rare Announced Everwild

Fans Haven't Heard Much Since Then

Everwild was announced during the 2019 E3 with a stunning trailer that left people both amazed and confused. In the five years since then, Xbox and Rare have uploaded just one additional trailer and a developer commentary. Outside of those, both of which don't help explain what the game even is, Rare shared an image from Everwild at the end of 2024, although even that failed to help fans extrapolate any meaningful information about the game. It is fairly baffling to have seen practically nothing about one of Xbox's most-anticipated exclusives, especially one as beautiful as Everwild.

However, there is a good reason for the delay in information. As first reported by VGC, the creative director of Everwild resigned from Rare in 2020 during the game's production, prompting confusion from fans. Considering the huge impact a creative director has on a game, it is no surprise that the game then underwent a significant number of changes, with reports claiming thatEverwild was rebooted, with Rare forced to redesign the game from the ground up. That level of change would likely double development time, which would explain why little has been seen about the game in recent years.

It has been a number of years since the original creative director left Rare, meaning that Everwild, while allegedly rebooted in 2020, would have been in development for over four years. That is a long time to go without any information, especially considering that most games launch within or shortly thereafter that length of time in production. This is why the 2025 Developer Direct is such a great opportunity for Xbox to finally reveal some meaningful information about Everwild, as by now there should surely be something to actually showcase.

Xbox Hasn't Revealed Much About Everwild

Only A Few Pieces Of Information Are Known

Three characters looking at a giant glowing deer head with glowing branches sprouting from it in Everwild.

Xbox and Rare have shared a few pieces of information about Everwild through its most recent trailer and subsequent lengthy Director's Commentary. The main piece of information is that players will take on the roles of Eternals, adventurers that share a symbiotic relationship with the fantastical creatures that roam Everwild's world. So far, no combat of any kind has been showcased, although no real gameplay has either, with each trailer just giving players a glimpse into the world and its gorgeous scenery, but little else.

People would be forgiven for wondering what type of game Everwild really is. However, beyond the "Adventure" genre tag on its Xbox store page listing, and the fact that it is a "brand new IP from Rare," that gives players a "unique and unforgettable experience" in a "natural and magical world," there is no true explanation of what players will even be doing in Everwild. Even that aforementioned Developer's Commentary video doesn't really explain what Everwild is about, although it's a discussion between the game's art director and a producer, rather than anyone involved in the gameplay side of things.

Everwild could be an MMO, or it could be a single-player-focused experience. It could have combat, or it could be a peaceful survival sim. There's really no telling right now what type of game Everwild is, and that's why it is frustrating fans that Rare have been so tight-lipped about the entire project. What Everwild needs is a proper reveal trailer, one that showcases what this iteration of the game is, rather than another colorful worldbuilding teaser. That is where the 2025 Developer Direct would come in handy.

Everwild Should Be Properly Revealed At The Xbox Developer Direct

It Is The Perfect Opportunity

Everwild screenshot showing some long-necked deer creatures walking through a forest.

Every year, Xbox hosts a Developer Direct event that gives fans a deep dive into a handful of upcoming Xbox titles. January 2025's Developer Direct is set to discuss South of Midnight, DOOM: The Dark Ages, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, and, most importantly, a secret game that will be revealed during the Direct. So far, Xbox has only revealed that the game will be shown from a "special location". This game could be anything, and while many have speculated it will be a new entry in a beloved JRPG franchise, there is also a chance that it could be Everwild.

There are plenty of reasons why this secret game could be Everwild, including the fact that the show's format would better lend itself to a longer exploration of what Everwild is, rather than a quick trailer during the main Xbox Showcase later in the year. Giving Rare another ten or so minutes to break down what players will be doing in Everwild will help ease the long wait fans have had to endure to get even a morsel of information. Were it to simply drop another teaser or even a quick gameplay trailer, fans would only be left wanting more.

Of course, there's no guarantee that Everwild will be the final reveal during 2025's Developer Direct, but it would be surprising if it was left out. Considering the sheer length of time between information drops, as well as how long the game has been in production - even after its alleged rebooting - it is definitely time that Xbox finally reveals its tightly-held cards and lets players in on the great big secret that is Everwild. The mystery and hype surrounding Everwild will only remain interesting for a short while longer before players lose interest or, worse yet, forget it even exists.

Source: VGC, Xbox/YouTube, Everwild/Xbox Store, Rare/YouTube