Everwildhas been public knowledge for well over two years now, but developer Rare hasn’t shared a ton of details. Reports suggest thatEverwildis sadly having a difficult time in development, meaning it could be quite some time before fans get a good look at the game. In the meantime, Rare fans can still enjoy its highly successful action-adventure gameSea of Thieves,but nevertheless, fans want to see what’s next for this storied developer. Some new comments that point towards a large multiplayer world inEverwildsuggest that the game may finally be making some progress while moving in a familiar direction.
A newly discovereddeveloper job listing forEverwildmentions that “a large scale multiplayer world” is at the heart of the game. That’s not particularly surprising, considering the enchanting landscapes thatEverwildtrailers have showed off so far, but it also implies thatEverwildmay be more similar toSea of Thievesthan fans originally expected. Rare has a good handle on multiplayer open worlds now thanks toSea of Thieves,so it seems like a worthy inspiration forEverwild,even though the latter game is still bound to look very different fromSea of Thievesdue to its emphasis on nature and magic.
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How Everwild and Sea of Thieves Might Compare
Everwildmay intend to borrow free-form exploration and teamwork elements fromSea of Thievesin order to succeed. InSea of Thieves,players are free to explore the open ocean in whatever direction they choose, seeking out buried treasure and completing quests at their own pace.Everwildcould have a similar open world where the playable Eternals can simply wander the landscape, searching for places where their skills are needed.Sailing inSea of Thievesand multiplayer battles also place a heavy emphasis on teamwork which could crop up inEverwild.Cinematic trailers sometimes show the Eternals working together to weave spells and commune with spirits, meaning there might be mechanics that emphasize cooperation much likeSea of Thieves' ships.
Although broad elements like these would be easy forEverwildto borrow, there are still major ways in which it’ll be distinct from Rare’s other ongoing work.Everwildcould be far more peacefulthanSea of Thieves,for instance. WhileSea of Thievesconstantly puts players in PvP and PvE battles on land and sea,Everwildhas a more gentle, pastoral aesthetic that makes combat’s place unclear. The use of magic is bound to makeEverwilddistinct too.Sea of Thievesmay focus on the player’s swashbuckling skills, butEverwildwill put nature magic in the player’s hands, allowing for entirely different ways of affecting the environment, allies, and enemies.
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Leaning Into Sea of Thieves' Success
It’d make a lot of sense ofEverwildended up looking a lot likeSea of Thieves.Although it got mixed reviews at launch,Sea of Thieveshas grown significantlyin the last few years thanks to Rare’s frequent updates, which have made it a far richer experience than ever before. Rare has clearly found a formula that works inSea of Thieves,so logically it would be interested in applying that formula to a different style of game.Everwild’s highly distinct setting is perfect for putting a twist on the ideas at the heart ofSea of Thieves.
After the news thatEverwildwas languishing in development, it’s great to see new job listings indicating that the game is still moving forward. Rare has accomplished much in its time, andSea of Thievesindicates that it’s still capable of producing solid games.Everwildjust needs to persevere while looking up to the traits that have madeSea of Thievessucceed. A pirate game may be a strange role model for a druid game, but nevertheless,EverwildandSea of Thievescould turn out to be worthy peers for one another.
Everwildis in development for PC and Xbox Series X/S.
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