Gregg Mayles leaves Rare after 36 years — what it means for Sea of Thieves and Everwild

Gregg Mayles, a longtime designer and the creative director behind titles such as Banjo‑Kazooie and Sea of Thieves, has confirmed he has left Rare after a 36‑year tenure. Mayles’ short poem posted on X (Twitter) on October 14, 2025, made his departure public following earlier reports during a wave of layoffs at Xbox Game Studios.

Mayles joined Rare when the studio was still closely tied to Nintendo and remained through its transition to a Microsoft subsidiary. Over decades he contributed to classics like Donkey Kong Country, Battletoads and Banjo‑Kazooie, and more recently led Sea of Thieves to become one of Rare’s modern successes.

The departure comes amid turmoil at Rare: the studio continued to support Sea of Thieves since its 2018 release but faced challenges with Everwild, a new project announced in 2019. Reports indicate development troubles, a 2021 restart with Mayles stepping in as director, and Microsoft’s later decision to cancel Everwild and carry out layoffs — factors likely tied to his exit.

• Timeline highlights:
  • Joined Rare decades ago; helped create Banjo‑Kazooie and contribute to Donkey Kong Country and Battletoads.
  • Served as creative director after founders Tim and Chris Stamper left in 2007.
  • Led Sea of Thieves team; worked on Everwild before its troubled development and reported cancellation.

Mayles’ leave is part of a broader set of changes at Microsoft in 2025 — studio cuts across Halo and Turn 10, price increases for Xbox hardware and Game Pass, and a strategic shift toward subscriptions and publishing. Observers note these moves have stirred unrest among developers and players alike.

For more details, see the original coverage on Engadget: Engadget report, and Gregg Mayles’ farewell on X.

What this means: Rare now faces a talent gap at a senior creative level during a period of restructuring. The studio still supports Sea of Thieves, but its future projects and direction may be reshaped by Microsoft’s broader strategy.

Discussion: How do you think Rare should move forward after losing a veteran like Gregg Mayles? Share your thoughts below.