Everwild Producer Louise O’Connor Appointed Chief of Staff at Xbox Game Studios
Louise O’Connor, former Executive Producer on Rare’s now-canceled project Everwild, has stepped into a new leadership role at Xbox Game Studios, where she will serve as Chief of Staff, as reported by VideoGamesChronicle. O’Connor has been a key figure at Rare for more than twenty-five years, with her earliest credit on Conker: Bad Fur Day for the Nintendo 64 in 2001. Over the decades, she contributed to a number of major titles, including:
Conker: Live & Reloaded
Kameo: Elements of Power
Viva Piñata and Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise
Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts
Kinect Sports and Kinect Sports: Rivals
Her extensive experience in production and leadership at Rare positioned her as one of the studio’s most seasoned veterans.
Unlike her previous projects, Everwild never reached release. Announced at X019 in November 2019, the game was teased again with a cinematic trailer in 2020, though Rare leadership admitted at the time that its gameplay was still in the brainstorming phase.
By mid-2021, Everwild had reportedly undergone a complete reboot, fueling a long silence from the studio. Despite optimism earlier this year, including Xbox chief Phil Spencer commenting that he had personally seen promising progress, Microsoft ultimately canceled the project just two months ago.
The cancellation coincided with a major wave of layoffs across Microsoft and Xbox divisions, dealing a particular blow to Rare during its 40th anniversary year. The studio had originally positioned Everwild as its next flagship title, making the decision especially disappointing for both developers and fans.
O’Connor’s move comes at a pivotal moment. She will now serve directly under Craig Duncan, who became head of Xbox Game Studios in October 2024 following Alan Hartman’s retirement. Duncan, who also oversaw Rare during much of Everwild’s development, will likely be working closely with O’Connor once again in her new capacity.
While Everwild’s cancellation closed a chapter, O’Connor’s appointment underscores Microsoft’s intent to retain top talent during a turbulent period and ensure experienced leadership helps guide Xbox Game Studios’ future projects.
Do you think O’Connor’s move to Xbox Game Studios signals new stability after Microsoft’s recent wave of cancellations, or is it simply a reshuffling during difficult times?
