Rare Unveiling of Sustainable Game Development Space, ‘Barn

Legendary developer Rare has unveiled a new sustainable game development space, taking advantage of today being Earth Day to reveal it for the first time.

The state-of-the-art Barn was commissioned in 2020 and has been built on Rare’s existing campus, outside the village of Twycross here in the UK.

The 1,200-square-foot space certainly looks inviting, with natural materials and an open design, meaning there’s plenty of ventilation and natural light. Per Rare Studio head, Craig Duncan:

“Games design is that magical mix of technology, creativity, teamwork and artwork, so all of these things shaped how we designed the space. We needed plenty of space where teams can work closely together, but we also need quiet and sound-dampening areas. The building feels energetic, creative and refreshing. There is a really nice atmosphere.”

Sustainability is central

Barn X’s runs purely on electricity, with the help of 750 square meters of solar panels nearby, and is Microsoft’s first ‘mass timber’ building in Europe. The inner timber structure was sourced locally, while the outer cladding was made from Accoya from New Zealand, designed to last at least 60 years without the need for varnish or treatment.

All of these efforts support Microsoft’s desire to be a carbon negative company by 2030, with Craig Duncan, head of Rare Studio, saying: “It’s something our team really cares about. It is important for them to work in an environment that focuses on sustainability, and to know that they are working for a company that is moving towards sustainability.”

Looks like a damn beautiful place to work, and perhaps the team on Everwild will work to really channel that lovely natural vibe.