Microsoft will sell a special edition Xbox controller to mark the 40th anniversary of legendary development studio Rare, just weeks after the company announced significant layoffs and the cancellation of the studio’s long-awaited next project Everwild.
Also available today to mark the occasion is a Sea of Thieves Ruby Hat, which you’ll need to redeem via the Microsoft Rewards app.
8BitDo Ultimate 3-mode Wireless Controller for Xbox
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The offerings come at an uncertain time for the studio, which now looks to be doubling down on Sea of Thieves, its live-service pirate game launched back in 2018. Gregg Mayles, the veteran Rare designer and director, reportedly departed the studio following the end of Everwild, as did producer Louise O’Connor.
Founded in 1985, British development studio Rare is best known for its prolific era working with Nintendo on classics such as Donkey Kong, Banjo-Kazooie, GoldenEye 007 and Perfect Dark (a reboot of which was another victim of Microsoft’s recent cuts).
It’s amid all this, then, that Rare now celebrates entering its fifth decade, with a controller collaboration with peripheral making 8BitDo that features the Rare logo and some Sea of Thieves branding. The blue and gold-colored controller is on sale now for a limited time, priced at $89.99.
What’s next for Rare? Outside of Sea of Thieves, it’s unclear. But during a timely first Community Direct broadcast, the developer made clear it was staying committed to its buccaneer simulator, and had a plan to keep it updated with fresh content for at least a couple of years.
A team within Rare is now working on a “multi-year vision” to grow Sea of Thieves’ overall scope beyond its usual seasonal updates. The game will also gain an optional paid subscription offering in “early 2026,” which will unlock custom servers.
Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at [email protected] or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social
