In a very interesting interview with the studio head of Rare, Craig Duncan, we learn more about how Rare has changed, what they think of their old IP's and if ''Rare is back''
There is much more in the article here: https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/...tting-other-games-stuff-on-their-pirate-ships
Exciting times at Rare! I know you can't talk about your new IP even though you've announced it and named it. But can you talk about how it fits into the current structure of Rare, barns wise?
Craig Duncan: It is a fantastic time for the studio. To be in a position where we're announcing a brand new IP that we feel very passionate about, it's very very special. And alongside that we still have a super successful ongoing service-based IP in Sea of Thieves that still has millions of people playing it.
Can you talk about how Everwild came to be?
Craig Duncan: We will talk about the origin story later. Rare is a very special studio. And for us it's about finding the heart of what our special games are. I think Rare makes the kind of games the world doesn't have. Sea of Thieves was a very unique type of game, and I think Everwild is a very unique type of game.
We always incubate ideas and we always incubate things we think have potential and are special and very unlike other games. And when we find something that gets us excited and passionate, then that forms into a real thing.
Why do another new IP and not go to something you've got in the bank? A new Banjo Kazooie, for example?
Craig Duncan: If that was our logic we'd have been making Jetpac for the last 35 years. The great thing about making games is putting a set of passionate people together making something they truly love and believe in. That's the goal of making anything. That's why Sea of Thieves is the game it is. That's why Everwild will be the game it will be, because we have a team of people who are truly passionate about the thing they're creating. Then my job as the studio head is to create an environment where they can go do that, and they can do their best work, and we can create something amazing. It's not about me picking the game I want made, or I want people to go do. It's about the team building the thing that is in their burning desire and heart to go make the most amazing experience.
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Craig Duncan: So, we feel really good about the monthly updates. We're actually having a stronger year two, than we did year one.
In terms of what?
Craig Duncan: We don't really talk about numbers too much. But I think our December this year will be stronger than our December last year. And we're well into year two of Sea of Thieves now. Our anniversary not only brought new people into Sea of Thieves, but a huge reengagement moment. Generally what we see is, when we introduce new events and content and monthly updates, we see people come into the game as new players, and we see people come into the game that have played - maybe they played at launch or anniversary and they've stopped playing for a few months - and they come back, and some of that's through Xbox Game Pass, some of that's through people recommending it to their friends, some of that's through people seeing the game being streamed, and then going and buying it. So we feel really healthy about Sea of Thieves. We haven't run out of creative ideas to put into it and the team is still really passionate about Sea of Thieves.
There is much more in the article here: https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/...tting-other-games-stuff-on-their-pirate-ships
