Rare’s most seasoned creator Gregg Mayles – known for directing the likes of Banjo-Kazooie and Sea of Thieves, as well as his work on Donkey Kong 64 and many more games – is reportedly leaving the studio after more than 35 years.
Word of Mayles’ departure comes in the wake of layoffs across Microsoft yesterday, which saw Rare’s fantasy adventure Everwild cancelled. Mayles had been directing the project for several years.
According to VGC sources, along with Mayles, executive producer Louise O’Connor will also leave Rare. O’Connor has been with the studio since 1999, her first project with Rare being the Nintendo 64 release Conker’s Bad Fur Day.
Eurogamer has asked Microsoft for comment on Mayles’ and O’Connor’s reported departures.
Yesterday, following rumours of Everwild’s cancellation, Xbox exec Matt Booty sent a memo to staff, where he confirmed the game’s end.
“We have made the decision to stop development of Perfect Dark and Everwild as well as wind down several unannounced projects across our portfolio,” Booty wrote (via Variety). “As part of this, we are closing one of our studios, The Initiative. These decisions, along with other changes across our teams, reflect a broader effort to adjust priorities and focus resources to set up our teams for greater success within a changing industry landscape.
“We did not make these choices lightly, as each project and team represent years of effort, imagination, and commitment.”
Yesterday’s layoffs are yet another blow to Xbox, which has been the subject of multiple redundancies and studio closures over the past years. In May, Xbox cut three percent of its total workforce, which at the time was the biggest loss of staff since 2023.