As Banjo Kazooie Turns 25, Xbox Is Still Keeping Us Waiting For A Revival

@banjo any comments? I would think the audience is there and has been waiting patiently….

Perhaps a third-party partnership with Playtonic Games to make a new one would be a great idea.

Microsoft, just hire Playtonic Games to make a Banjo game that mixes up the crafting systems of Nuts and Bolts with the open-world platforming Nintendo made for Bowser's Fury!

Just wait for Phil to do an interview and/or showcase while wearing a Banjo t-shirt, then you'll know it's coming 🙄

If Rare don't do it then I'd like Compulsion Games to be able to have a try. Thought the humour in We Happy Few was pretty good.

Still hoping for Diddy Kong Racing to come to Xbox. Thought that might of been part of the Banjo Kazooie plus Goldeneye deal on nintendo Switch.

Sometimes Xbox feels like a platformer graveyard — Banjo, Blinx, Voodoo Vince, Conker, etc. Would love to see one of them resurrected; feels like the time is right.

@Nic-Noc20th-C If DKR came over there are no words for how happy I’d be.

I have trustworthy information that Banjo Kazooie 3 is definitely happening, but only if Tottenham wins the Premier League and England wins the World Cup... in the same year.

just give us a 20 hour, focused platformer like the first one. you don't have to reinvent the wheel here. people would love it, it doesn't have to be a triple AAA open world 100 hour adventure.
Edit- also just a reminder that they bought rare and got what, exactly? Kamino (terrible), nuts and bolts (why!?) and Sea of thieves (not bad but really they only thing they've done)

If the graphics are AAA I’ll play

As one of the Banjos, I don't agree with Grant's dated statement but at the end of the day, he is just the composer although he is the most vocal!

It would be nice to start with remakes like Crash and I would love Rare, Toys for Bob [EDIT: not changing the IP] and Vicarious Visions to work on them and on a new one. I'd also like Playtonic to join Rare, why not? I would replace Rare's current boss, Graig Duncan, with someone more capable.

There are some scenes in Sea of Thieves that are the most beautiful I've seen in a video game so I can see a Banjo-Kazooie game being made by current Rare. I would love to have Leigh Loveday as writer and yes, Grant, you'd be the composer. Last but not least, Gregg Mayles, original Banjo-Kazooie director and designer, still works at Rare. He would be the director and designer of the new game, that would be a classic platformer like the first title. As a side note, Nuts & Bolts is more sandbox than platformer but I like it.

@Reptilio don’t forget that first game to come out the acquisition, Grabbed By the Ghoulies. I think that was the exact moment my excitement turned to disappointment and dread.

I would love to see a return, such a great ip. I'll admit im not enamoured by sea of thieves, so from that perspective it seems the talent at Rare has been wasted (appreciate SOT fans wont see it that way.)
I remain hopeful that we will get another Banjo game on the box one day - surely they cant let the franchise die?

Microsoft should actively seek out third-parties — especially indie studios that can bring something new to the table — to do something with their dormant and unused IPs.

Somewhere, Donkey Kong and Banjo are hanging out, wondering where their sequels are. Meanwhile, Kazooie is teasing Diddy Kong.

This is one of my big reasons for wanting ABK to go through. So that MS can get Toys for Bob to make a Banjo game, a Conker game and possibly a Viva Pinata?

Starting to have my doubts about ABK going through though, not gonna lie. The winds always tends to favor Sony for whatever reason, and that's what I'm starting to get here.

@Nic-Noc20th-C Nintendo would never do it. Not in a million years.

I think we have already seen a comeback in the form of Yooka-Laylee. Although I would like to see a new Banjo game, I don't think we should rely too much on the past. PlayTonic have already confirmed they're making a new Yooka-Laylee and this time it'll be a return to 3D platformer.

@AlwaysPlaying @Banjo- I agree, Grants statement seems dated. Saying there is not the required audience is a crying shame and also false in my view. The audience is there, Playtonic joining Rare would be a dream come true. Playtonic is where alot of where the original magic lives... Rare today itself is not the the same Rare from the past unfortunately..

I really do not want Toys for Bob doing a remake of Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie. They are way too political, and therefore a lot of the humour and charm these games have, will get lost. I see, what they did with the Crash series by introducing their own original characters that fit the current year audience. Likewise, I highly doubt Toys for Bob would be okay with characters such as Sexy Game Over Grunty, Mumbo Jumbo, Rubee, Humba Wumba, Jolly Roger, and Merry Maggie Malpass. As well, with the more raunchy humour, Rare was known for: Rock formation in Terrydactyland, the menu items in Jolly's Tavern, etc. There is a lot that just can not fly buy today.

@EvenStephen7 Did you buy the Voodoo Vince Remaster in 2017?

@AverageGamer I did!!! Glad to hear you spreading the word though; feels like a lot of people weren’t aware of it.

I’m more of a Conker guy than Banjo. Both series do deserve better though.

@Nic-Noc20th-C @Markatron84 That's the weird thing, the only Diddy Kong Racing character that Nintendo owns is Diddy, created by Rare but Nintendo's property after the acquisition. The game was developed and published by Rare. Like @NEStalgia said, Nintendo is number one ripping their fans off but they are not hostile to competitors like in the NES era. They could let Microsoft release the game for a fee or something or maybe they would ask for the game to be available on Switch, too. Players deserve a remaster of one of the best racing games ever. I would love to see it on Xbox and Switch.

@Kaloudz @BANJO Let's hope it comes soon!

@RareFan One of the best things about Banjo-Kazooie is the script. I wouldn't like Banjo and Kazooie to become politically correct so the writer is one of the most important things here. I don't think that Microsoft would censor anything, that's the positive part. I haven't played Crash Bandicoot 4 yet so I don't know what you mean about Toys for Bob.

Banjo is a good being, good and easy-going. Kazooie is the best-balanced mordant character I've ever read. They need to be in this dull industry.

@Banjo-
Toys for Bob replaced Tawna, Crash's old girlfriend, with a politically correct, current year alternative version and also introduced a new non-binary character to the franchise in Crash Team Rumble. Both of them do not fit the style and the theme of the Crash series and feel like characters from completely different franchises.

@RareFan That's a shame. I mean, imagine what they would do to Conker's Bad Fur Day or Candy Kong! I honestly think that all these characters are part of the humour and you can't change everything to be politically correct. Better make a new game for that and not destroy the magic, the caricatures and the jokes of the original creators.

@Banjo-
That is actually a reason, why I do not want Banjo-Kazooie or Conker or any other old franchise to come back. Times have changed, and so many things that were okay in the 1990/2000s can not work any more. People read too much into stuff these days. If you did a one to one remake of Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie, so many things have to get censored. I even see people online having an issue with Mumbo Jumbo, saying he is a racist stereotype. And if Mumbo is already for some folks so controversial, imagine how outrage they would be, if they see Humba Wumba or Jolly Roger. No, the times for such games are really over. People now want to see the real world reflected in media.

@Banjo-
Spot on.
They ,( xbox & nintendo), must be able to come up with sort of compromise or deal for the sake of the gamers. Just as they have with other titles.
A remaster would be great! Must be on Xbox & Switch though, that's the deal breaker.
Otherwise this game will be lost in time and generations younger than I will never know the joy of Diddy Kong Racing.
OR ....
You know what? Rare could could always make a Banjo Kazooie Racer.

@RareFan That's sad. I have little interest in the real world and society because it's absolutely self-centred and hypocritical. Art should be something different, genuine and free as it always has been. I still hope that clever people can make a proper new game but uncensored remakes of the classics would be a good beginning.

@Nic-Noc20th-C Yes, since Rare don't own any of the DK characters, they could make something with Banjo and Conker. I still have my childhood's Diddy Kong Racing cartridge, manual and box but playing on an emulator already shows a much better performance. That and Goldeneye 007 were in limbo since Nintendo 64. If copyright hell Goldeneye 007 is back, Diddy Kong Racing should be back, too, especially now that Microsoft and Nintendo are cooperating.

I think Sea of Thieves is one of the best games of the past decade. Frankly I don't care what RARE makes next - I just want them to make something (that isn't avatars).

This is why I'm skeptical when people get excited about all the old Activision IPs that they're sure will be revived with the Microsoft acquisition. How many classic Rare IPs are they sitting on and doing nothing with?

Keeping this IP and Conker inactive is hands down one of the single worst decisions MS has made since acquiring Rare. And it blows my mind they continue to do just that. Dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb. If I were made CEO of Xbox today, this would be the very first thing I changed.

@RicebinBernacky
Lets see:

• Banjo-Kazooie
• Conker
• Jet Force Gemini
• Kameo
• Grabbed by the Ghoulies
• Sabreman
• technically also Diddy Kong Racing, since Rare owns every character besides Diddy Kong himself.
• Viva Pinata
• Killer Instinct – although it got a game for the Xbox One. But it's been a while.

Battletoads and Perfect Dark are the only Rare IPs that gave got something recently, or will get something in the near future in PD's case.

Microsoft buying Rare only to sit on all that unused IP is one of the most frustrating acquisitions I’ve ever seen. If Rare are so nervous the audience isn’t there then why not start smaller with a remake of the first game?

@Banjo-
Maybe it was the inappropriate humor of Conker's Bad Fur Day that caused it to be one of the worst selling games on the N64 and Xbox. Not everyone holds edgy for the sake of edgy humor to such high regard.

@Rob3008
A majority of the team that made those older IPs don't work for Rare anymore. So they best assume that instead of having a bunch of rookies try to recreate 2000s magic they are better used to work on new IPs

@RIghteousNixon
Conker's Bad Fur Day sold 770k copies on the Nintendo 64
and 710k copies Reloaded on the Xbox. Microsoft doesn't feel the IP is strong enough to justify dumping a large budget into making another one.

@ZuneTattooGuy I couldn't disagree more.

Chris Seavor, the director of Bad Fur Day, said they did start making a sequel back then, but apparently MS didn't want a new Conker game:

"We actually started on a direct sequel which was going to be called ‘Conker’s Other Bad Day‘ which dealt with Conker’s somewhat unsuccessful tenure as King. He spends all the treasury money on beer, parties and hookers. Thrown into prison, Conker is faced with the prospect of execution and the game starts with his escape, ball and chain attached, from the Castles highest tower."

“If Microsoft asked for another Conker I’d be more than happy to oblige, all things considered.”

https://web.archive.org/web/20100105233915/http://mundorare.com/news/2008/09/conker-commands-and-conquers/

@Banjo-
Usually discussions can occur when you elaborate your point. What do you disagree with and why do you think it would make sense for Microsoft to have Rare or one of their other developers make a new Conkers game?

@Sherlock- Yeah, I read that back in the day. Too bad that it never happened.

@Banjo-
Me pointing out the financial disaster that Coker's Bad Fur Day was does not mean I personally hated the game. Many of my favorite movies and games were not huge financial successes. However Microsoft is not about purposely losing money. That's all that I was pointing out

@ZuneTattooGuy This Xbox site is paradoxically becoming infested with people that hate Xbox and hate Xbox fans. It's becoming an uncomfortable place where you can't say anything good about Xbox games or Microsoft without getting ten hostile replies in your face but it's not your fault.

I think that Conker's Bad Fur Day is a masterpiece. The gore is the only thing I didn't like. I will support games that I think make a difference instead of games that are soulless, politically correct and commercially successful. I like some successful and even daft games but the less successful gems need all the support they can get.

@Banjo-
I have owned the original Xbox, multiple different versions of the Xbox 360, the Xbox One, Xbox One S and One x, and now the Series S (soon to be the Series X). I traveled 4 hrs from my home to Minnesota to see the Xbox Kinect before it was released and bought one day one. I recently bought the Starfield Controller and Headset and I am a subscriber to Xbox Ultimate. I personally love the Xbox brand.

I have been gaming since 1986 and have owned all sorts of Nintendo consoles and games. I however enjoy playing new games all the time, both indie and AAA. I don't like to hold onto the past, especially from a generation in which Nintendo got slaughtered and lost Rare. The N64 has a loyal following but I am not one of them, I think the system and it's games have aged like a fine glass of Milk. Instead of making Rare bring back Conker or even Toys With Bob, I would rather Rare be more like Double Fine and use their creative brains to make something fresh and new.

@ZuneTattooGuy I would prefer those IPs to be revived, remade and continued. They still feel newer and more refreshing than many games that are released these days. It's like when you watch an old film or read an old book and think, "Wait, this is more ingenious and better than what I've read before." New things aren't always new nor better. Some new things are rancid. Some old things are timeless.

@Banjo-

Have you played Katana Zero, Sifu, or Celeste? I do often find myself falling in love with the Indie scene because often their games have that same love and creativeness that is often devoid in many AAA titles. Instead of wanting sequels to franchises that need to stay dead as to not get another Nuts and Bolts (Or Indiana Jones Dial of Destiny) I think we should spend that love on more Indie titles.

@Banjo-
I think if Xbox was able to close their Activision deal and get Toys for Bob. I wouldn't like to see a brand new entry in Banjo but a nice dual remake like the Spyro or Crash series got.

@ZuneTattooGuy They don't "need to stay dead" for something that is more your cup of tea to exist.

@Banjo-
Things like Nuts and Bolts, Bomberman Act Zero, and Bionic Commando (Xbox 360 reboot) happen when we try to bring back old franchises with no good ideas

@ZuneTattooGuy That's why I explained how I, as a Rare fan, would do it.

@Banjo-
I think if a new Banjo game would be made today by Microsoft I would like them to give it to Double Fine or Tango Gameworks to go crazy with some wild idea. The original team at Rare isn't with Rare anymore, so it would need some fresh blood injected into the project

@ZuneTattooGuy As I said, the director and designer of Banjo-Kazooie works at Rare and has never left. Grant Kirkhorpe has been a freelancer for ages. If an indie studio can pay for his work, I guess that Microsoft can. Leigh Loveday, one of my favourite scriptwriter of Rare games, is also freelancer. Playtonic might be interested in the development, as well. In between, Rare has made one of the games with the best graphics of the last generation: Sea of Thieves.

@ZuneTattooGuy

That’s just it, neither of those games would require a large budget. Those aren’t games that require AAA funding, not even close.

@Banjo- "As one of the Banjos, I don't agree with Grant's dated statement but at the end of the day, he is just the composer although he is the most vocal!"

I wouldn't brand him as "just the composer", he was perfectly integrated into the team and was able to create a soundtrack that is remembered as much as the game itself. If you read the VGC news linked above, he had more to say:

“We were all mates: we went out together, we drank together, we did everything together. So I feel like all that humour in the game that everyone talks about, that’s just us piss-taking on a daily basis up and down the corridor.”