Rare's future

[Duronos]

How long do you think Microsoft will keep them before they eventually get booted if that even happens? I just see it as a developer that they will milk to death but I'm not overly sure what will happen in the end. My biggest issue with Microsoft owning them is how many great IP's they have but they've practically lost/fired many of the original workers who were part of teams that created games during Rareware's golden era. I honestly wish that they would use them as long as they wish just so they give them the boot eventually, there hasn't even been a good game from them since Viva Pinata.

EDIT: Nuts N Bolts wasn't that bad of a game but it wasn't for Banjo, the game even felt stellar enough for platforming and as JonTron even said, the game feels like it was originally (early) a platformer, just go to the tower in the middle of Showdown town and do the platforming segment, it's pretty decent and it played well. I can't also help but notice the amount of sarcasm regarding platforming in that game, it's also as if some of the devs for the game wanted it to be one but Microsoft and the Stamper bro's said otherwise.

[Carp The Fish]

Clearly you never played Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts.
But you're right, they've just turned into a tech demo company since 2008. (only made 2 "Kinect Sports" games that, clearly, nobody has bought)
Sad future ahead for that company. That is, unless they've been making something for the next Xbox...

[Duronos]

Clearly you never played Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts.
But you're right, they've just turned into a tech demo company since 2008. (only made 2 "Kinect Sports" games that, clearly, nobody has bought)
Sad future ahead for that company. That is, unless they've been making something for the next Xbox...

I'll put a screenie of the game in my hand if you really want me to prove it plus I'll link some achievements that I have for the game.

EDIT: It's not necessarily sad if they get booted from Microsoft, it means their IP's can be sold.

[zaxlor]

They're not the same company that made any of the N64 games.

Most of their staff left either after the move to XBOX, or have now left since moving to the XB360. I don't think any of their directors, producers or artists that made those cult classics back in the N64 days are working at Rare right now.

I think even at least 2 or 3 of the old staff members now make bloody IOS and mobile games!

I think about the last game that company's got in it, is Killer Instinct. Once that comes out and all the people who want the old Rare back realise it's a game by name only, not by gameplay, that's when Rare ceases to be a valuable asset to Microsoft as a name to tout around. They're still going to keep making Kinect games probably, since they made Kinect Sports season 1 and 2, which are meant to be good as far as a Kinect game goes.

I'd love a Jet Force Gemini 2, a Conker's Bad Fur Day 2, Banjo Three-ie or even another Killer Instinct. The sad thing is, if you're going to make a platformer you've got to compete with Mario and the Lego games which is a tough thing to do. There's tons of third person shooters and having a "cute", but stylised game like Jet Force Gemini 2 just isn't going to compete with things like Gears of War, Uncharted and even newer titles like Tombraider.

The games that Rare used to make, are being made better right now and I just don't think that the brand alone would carry them to give enough sales to justify making them. Plus the talent isn't at the company and when was the last time Rare actually made a game that wasn't to do with Kinect? So there's no talent, no experience and sadly no hope for anything great coming out of Rare

[Duronos]

I think even at least 2 or 3 of the old staff members now make bloody IOS and mobile games!

Chris Seavor, you may know him as the guy who made Conker's Bad Fur Day into what it became (that mature/gory stuff). Nice guy actually, can be quite hilarious on Twitter, it's a shame that he's making iOS games right now...

[Deleted]

Much of the original staff have moved on since the Microsoft merger, including the two founder brothers.

[Duronos]

Much of the original staff have moved on since the Microsoft merger, including the two founder brothers.

I'm well aware of that, I can't stand it when people expect them to make great games like they used too. They can't and it's been obvious since Viva Pinata was the last good game they've made which was years ago.