'Tis the season for studio departures. Only a couple of days ago, we got the news that one of Halo Infinite's Directors, Chris Lee, had left the project. Now, in another blow to a Microsoft first-party studio, Rare has lost the Creative Director for their new IP Everwild.

As reported over at VGC, one of the project's most senior developers and Creative Director, Simon Woodroffe, has left the project. This was confirmed by Rare studio head Craig Duncan who said:

“We thank Simon for all his hard work on Everwild and wish him the very best of luck for the future." Adding “The Everwild team are in good hands and passionate about building a game that will give players unforgettable experiences in a natural and magical world.”

While this will come as a blow for the game, the remaining team still have a strong pedigree behind them. Louise O'Connor, who is executive producer, has credits that include Conker's Bad Fur Day and Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts and Ryan Stevenson, who is directing the visuals on the project, has worked on Viva Pinata and Sea of Thieves. They were also joined this year by Fable Legends designer, James Blackham.

The beautiful title, which promises "unique and unforgettable experiences", was first revealed at XO19 in London last November. While little has been shared on the game since it was revealed, Rare did give us a second look at the Xbox Games Showcase this past July. The new trailer offered a glimpse at some of the mystical creatures players will be encountering within the game.

While there's currently no firm release date for Everwild as of yet, the title will be hitting Xbox Game Pass on day one and is coming to both the Xbox Series S and Series X, as well as Windows 10 PCs.