Fans of Banjo-Kazooie are in for a treat in the form of a new game according toclaims by NateDrakeover on theResetEra gaming forums. NateDrake has a history of leaking things from Nintendo so this was particularly interesting to come across.
Fans are skeptical that Rare is developing the rumored Banjo-Kazooie project due to their current workload with Sea of Thieves and Everwild. Some hope for a Banjo Threeie, while others express concern about a potential sequel to Nuts & Bolts. Opinions vary on the studio preference, with many insisting on a British studio if not Rare. Some express excitement, while others remain cautious until an official announcement.
Banjo-Kazooie, developed by Rare, is a acclaimed video game series with Banjo, a male bear, and Kazooie, a large red bird. Players control both characters against the witch Gruntilda. The debut in 1998 led to three sequels and a spin-off. Initially on Nintendo 64, subsequent entries appeared on Game Boy Advance and Xbox 360. The series, including main titles, is part of Rare Replay on Xbox One. Since 2008’s Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, the series has mostly been quiet.
The Claim:
“It’s still an active project, but it didn’t get the green light until early last year. There is a lot to do and development can change a lot (abandoned ideas, internal reboots, etc.)
Phil Spencer had some interesting remarks that refence Banjo on aWindows Central Interview by Jez Corden
You did a good job at laying out some of the examples from the past. Thinking about Age of Empires, we’re on the 10th anniversary edition of Killer Instinct, which is another nice example to think about. There has to be passion in the team behind the projects. That doesn’t mean that the team has to be the original team, every time. I’m not one — and maybe this is just my approach — I’m not one to come in and take a franchise from a team and remove them from the discussion or development process on how something new gets built. I think the original creators, the culture — frankly, some of the lessons we’ve learned from past experiences here are very important. You’ve seen from our history that we haven’t touched every franchise that people would love us to touch —Banjo fans, I hear you. But it is true that, when we find the right team, and the right opportunity, I love going back to revisit stories and characters that we’ve seen previously.”
