Sea of Thieves Future Unveiled After Restructuring at Rare and Microsoft

Sea of Thieves Community Direct Reveals Future Updates & Insights Amidst Restructuring at Rare & Microsoft

Rare will host its first-ever Sea of Thieves Community Direct stream this Thursday, July 10, at 15:00 BST (10 AM ET). This online event aims to unveil the future of Sea of Thieves and demonstrate how the studio plans to proceed amidst significant internal and structural changes. During the broadcast, the main game team will present plans for the game’s next two seasons and other upcoming updates. Viewers can also expect discussions on alterations to the Insider Program and the introduction of a long-awaited feature currently in production. Rare plans for this stream to coincide with another event on the same day. This event comes as Rare faces substantial challenges following Microsoft’s recent round of layoffs. In early July 2025, Microsoft announced major layoffs affecting up to 9,000 positions across its subsidiaries, with most of these being managerial roles. As part of these company restructuring efforts, Everwild, a game Rare had been developing since 2014, has been canceled. These changes have reportedly led to staff reductions at Rare.

Sea of Thieves Team Faces Internal Changes Amidst Continued Content Updates and Community Direct Stream

Adding to the studio’s challenges, several long-time employees are rumored to be departing. Gregg Mayles, an influential game designer, is reportedly leaving Rare following Everwild’s cancellation. Executive Producer Louise O’Connor, another Rare veteran, is also rumored to be departing the company. Despite these internal difficulties, the Sea of Thieves team has remained focused on maintaining game support and expanding content for players in recent months. The upcoming Sea of Thieves Community Direct stream offers the community a crucial opportunity to understand Rare’s strategy moving forward.

In Case You Missed It

For those who are fans of Rare and its rich history in gaming, there’s some significant news that might interest you. Jonathan Dubinski delves into the recent departures of Gregg Mayles and Louise O’Connor from Rare, two key figures behind beloved titles like Donkey Kong Country and Banjo-Kazooie. This post, published on July 3, 2025, also touches on the broader context of changes at Microsoft, including the cancellation of Everwild and layoffs across various studios Rare Loses Its Most Influential Director After Everwild Cancellation. For those interested in the latest developments in the gaming industry, Jonathan Dubinski’s recent post on Players for Life delves into the unfortunate cancellation of Rare’s long-awaited project, Everwild. Published on July 2, 2025, this insightful piece explores how Microsoft’s restructuring efforts have impacted Rare Studios and the broader Xbox division. From the initial promise of Everwild to its eventual fate amidst recent layoffs, this article provides a comprehensive look at the changes within one of gaming’s most storied studios. Be sure to check it out Everwild from Rare Reportedly Canceled Amidst Microsoft’s Latest Xbox Layoffs for all the details. Additionally, Sophie Laurent’s recent post titled “Everwild from Rare Cancelled Amidst Layoffs at Xbox, Sources Say” (published on July 2, 2025) sheds light on the challenges faced by the Everwild team in finding their creative direction and delves into the cancellation of a project that had been in the works for over a decade. Click here to read more Everwild from Rare Cancelled Amidst Layoffs at Xbox, Sources Say. If you’re curious about how these developments might shape the future of Rare’s game development, be sure to check out all these insightful articles!