Earlier this year, the gaming world witnessed significant changes within Xbox, leading to the unfortunate cancellation of several projects, substantial layoffs, and even the closure of a studio. One of the most keenly felt losses was ‘Everwild,’ a captivating third-person fantasy game by Rare that, despite its turbulent development, was ultimately shelved.
Before its cancellation, fans had only ever glimpsed ‘Everwild’ through two enigmatic trailers, offering little beyond a mystical atmosphere. It seemed destined to remain a mystery, a title lost to time. However, a recent leak of early build screenshots has finally pulled back the curtain, providing an unexpected look at the game players will now tragically never experience.
Initial reports indicate these revealing screenshots originated from the portfolio of an artist who previously worked on ‘Everwild’ at Rare. They are said to represent a version of the game that was nearing its final stages before cancellation. The images clearly showcase the game’s charming cel-shaded art style, alongside tantalizing glimpses of its user interface and menu, suggesting intriguing farming and survival mechanics.
A notable social media post that shared these images highlighted the game’s UI, drawing comparisons to modern Zelda titles. It specifically pointed out elements hinting at survival and farming mechanics, reinforcing the game’s unique design.
Delving deeper into one of the early builds, we see a menu categorized into ‘tools,’ ‘seeds,’ and ‘figments.’ The latter two seem to function as consumables; figments, in particular, appear to be unique deployable creatures available in various forms. The prominent toolbar hints at items intended for regular player use, strongly suggesting a core farming system. This aligns with earlier reports that ‘Everwild’ was envisioned as a third-person adventure incorporating ‘God game’ and survival elements.
Further screenshots reveal a more polished, artistically refined version of this menu. It now includes additional tabs for ‘mosaics’ and ‘plants,’ expanding on the initial categories of tools, figments, and seeds. Amusingly, one image even displays flavor text for a ‘shrub seed’ item, subtly poking fun at the player’s perceived intellect within the game world.
Among the collection of leaked images, one specifically highlights various in-game settings. Notably, a report associated with the discovery of these images suggested that Rare intended to leverage player data from their highly successful pirate live-service game, ‘Sea of Thieves,’ to influence and inform the environmental designs and settings of ‘Everwild.’ Unfortunately, no concrete examples of how this intriguing cross-pollination would manifest were provided.
The remaining screenshots offer brief, tantalizing glimpses of ‘Everwild’s’ environments, though they reveal frustratingly few specifics. One image depicts a player character standing before a mysterious structure shrouded in a sea of fog, while another provides a somewhat blurred view of a lush, forested region. Despite their early-build nature, these visuals strongly suggest that ‘Everwild’ was already capturing the stunning naturalistic ambiance that defined its initial cinematic teasers.
Accompanying these details, an included image gallery titled ‘Xbox’s Recent History Of Missing And/Or Canceled Games’ provides visual context, showcasing other high-profile projects that never saw the light of day. It serves as a reminder of the many games that, like Everwild, were unfortunately cut short.
While it’s likely these leaked screenshots are the most comprehensive look we’ll get at ‘Everwild’ for the foreseeable future, their emergence is a small victory. They finally allow us to envision a more tangible version of this regrettably canceled title, offering a bittersweet peek into what could have been.