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Rare is set to host its first-ever Sea of Thieves Community Direct, coming just one week after the studio was hit by major layoffs at Microsoft. The live broadcast will start at 3 PM UK time (10 AM ET) and promises to show fans what’s coming next for the popular pirate game. According to Rare, viewers can expect “a look at our next two Seasons and beyond.”
The stream will feature core team members discussing upcoming seasons, big changes to the Insider Programme, and a highly requested feature that has been in development. This marks the first time Rare has held a dedicated community event for Sea of Thieves.
The timing of this announcement is significant, as it follows a tough week for the studio. Microsoft’s recent layoffs affected several veteran Rare developers and led to the cancellation of Everwild, a project that had been in development since 2019.
Among those leaving the company is Gregg Mayles, Rare’s most experienced game designer who has worked at the studio for over 35 years. Executive producer Louise O’Connor, who worked on classics like Conker’s Bad Fur Day, is also departing following Everwild’s cancellation.
Everwild was first shown in November 2019 with another trailer following in July 2020. However, updates on the game became rare in recent years, despite Xbox boss Phil Spencer saying earlier this year that “progress” was being made.
Microsoft confirmed widespread layoffs last week that could affect up to 4% of the company’s workforce – roughly 9,100 employees across all departments. Phil Spencer, Microsoft’s head of gaming, explained that the cuts were meant to “remove layers of management to increase agility and effectiveness.”
