After Cancellation, Everwild’s Executive Producer Lands New Role at Xbox Game Studios

In the wake of mass layoffs and game cancellations that have rocked Xbox Game Studios, a key figure from one of the most high-profile projects is finding a new role within the company. Louise O’Connor, the executive producer of the now-canceled Everwild, is moving from developer Rare to become the new Chief of Staff for Xbox Game Studios as a whole. The move is a significant one, as it places a veteran with over 25 years of experience at a key leadership position within Microsoft’s gaming division. It also adds a new, surprising chapter to the tragic story of Everwild, a game that was in development for over a decade before being unceremoniously axed.

The news of O’Connor’s new role, which was first reported by VGC and other outlets, comes after a tumultuous few months for Xbox Game Studios. In July, Microsoft conducted a wave of company-wide layoffs that hit its gaming division particularly hard. The cuts resulted in the cancellation of several in-development games, including Rare’s long-awaited Everwild and the Perfect Dark reboot from The Initiative. These decisions, which were part of a larger effort to “focus on strategic growth areas,” sent shockwaves through the industry and raised serious questions about the future of Xbox’s first-party lineup.

From a Failed Project to a Position of Power

O’Connor’s journey from a failed project to a position of power is a rare and interesting one. She has a long and storied history at Rare, having started at the company as an animator on the Nintendo 64 classic Conker’s Bad Fur Day. She later worked on games like Kameo: Elements of Power and Viva Piñata before becoming the executive producer on Everwild. The project, which was in development for over a decade and was publicly announced in 2019, was reportedly in a “development hell,” with a “complete reboot” and a number of creative disagreements that ultimately led to its cancellation. While many of her colleagues, including fellow veteran Gregg Mayles, have left the studio, O’Connor has found a new, high-ranking role at Xbox.

In her new role as Chief of Staff, O’Connor will be responsible for fostering “connection, collaboration, and momentum within Xbox Games Studios.” She will also be working directly with her former Rare boss, Craig Duncan, who became the head of Xbox Game Studios in October 2024. This new leadership team, which is composed of two longtime Rare veterans, has a clear mandate to improve the quality and output of Xbox’s first-party studios. This is a monumental task, especially after a series of high-profile failures and cancellations. But for O’Connor, it is a chance to use her years of experience in development to help guide a company that is in desperate need of a fresh perspective.

A New Era for Xbox

The story of Everwild is a tragic one, a cautionary tale about the immense challenges of modern game development. But O’Connor’s new role is a glimmer of hope in an otherwise bleak landscape. It is a sign that, even in the midst of turmoil, Xbox is still willing to put experienced developers in a position to lead. It is a major gamble, but it is one that could pay off in the long run. With a new leadership team in place, the future of Xbox is now in the hands of the very people who have spent their lives creating games, and for fans, that is a reason to be hopeful.