Rare Announces First Sea of Thieves Community Direct Amidst Layoffs

Sea of Thieves developer Rare has revealed plans for its first-ever Community Direct broadcast. This event aims to discuss the game's immediate and long-term future, coming just a week after Microsoft's recent layoffs significantly impacted the studio.

Microsoft Layoffs and Rare's Challenges

Rare was among several Xbox teams affected by Microsoft's decision to cut approximately 9,100 jobs across its gaming division and broader company. The layoffs led to the cancellation of Everwild, Rare's highly anticipated fantasy project that had been in development for nearly a decade. Additionally, reports suggest that numerous staff members, including Rare veteran Gregg Mayles, are expected to leave the studio.

Community Direct: Engaging with Fans

Amid these challenges, Rare has decided to engage directly with the Sea of Thieves community. The upcoming Community Direct will provide updates on the game's future, including in-development content for the remainder of this year and plans for the game's overall direction.

"Join core crew members for the first ever Sea of Thieves Community Direct, where they'll talk about upcoming Seasons, big Insider Programme changes and a much-requested feature that's recently been ticking away in development," Rare announced in the broadcast description.

Details of the Livestream

The livestream is scheduled for tomorrow, Thursday, July 10, at 3 PM UK time (10 AM Eastern, 7 AM Pacific).

Sea of Thieves: A Success Story

Since its launch on PC and Xbox in 2018, Sea of Thieves has seen consistent success, supported by a strong and dedicated community. Now in its 17th season, the game has maintained momentum, even achieving significant success on PlayStation in 2024, where it topped sales charts upon release. This multi-platform growth has solidified the game's position as a major title in Rare's portfolio.

Phil Spencer and Strategic Decisions

Last week, Xbox chief Phil Spencer defended the layoffs and project cancellations, including Everwild and the Perfect Dark remake, as necessary measures to ensure the company's long-term success. Spencer emphasized a focus on "strategic growth areas" as the driving force behind these decisions.

"If a game was in development for 7~10 years, canceling feels like the worst move," said EA Japan boss Shaun Noguchi in response. "That’s a decade of work, potentially a quarter of someone's entire career completely lost. Even if the final product isn’t what people originally expected, I think it still deserves to ship."

Contact Information

Tom Phillips is IGN's News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social.