As we all know, Rare used to be one of Nintendo's most valuable development studios, but was acquired by Microsoft in 2002 to work on its Xbox console. As the years have passed the company has seen staff come and go, and few remain who can remember the days of the SNES, N64 and GameCube.
However, Creative Director Simon Woodrooffe — who made the fantastic Simon the Sorcerer series many years ago — has stated that he wants Rare's forthcoming Xbox One title Kinect Sports Rivals to replicate the kind of mainstream success enjoyed by Nintendo's best offerings:
We think–well, we hope–that this is the sort of game that’s still one of the first things that anyone who buys an Xbox One gets even two or three years from now…sort of like Wii Sports and Mario Kart for the Wii.
Even after a decade under Microsoft's wing, it's encouraging to hear that Rare still considers Nintendo to be the company to emulate.
[source uk.gamespot.com]
Comments 49
It probably isn't possible to reach the quality of Wii titles with Kinect, when there is no controller. From several reports, even Kinect 2 technology is still too unreliable and laggy compared to an actual motion controller like Wiimote.
The original RARE is pretty much gone and all they made for Xbox over these last few years is a laggy sports game and a bunch of avatar clothing. If I was in their position, I'd want something to push my status back up.
Kameo and Viva Piñata were the last great games, the rest are dog sh*t.
Microsoft killed Rare.
Rare were already going down hill due to all the Free Radical guys leaving. You should only buy a dev for their IP, because staff are always coming and going. I do love Viva Piñata though.
Awwww! isn't that nice of them... M$ 'we still want to copy Nintendo' well duh
I didn't know that Woodrooffe is creative director at Rare. Maybe you can hear the sound of a child's dreams shattering to pieces. I mean, the first two Simon the Sorcerer were so amazing and my first adventure games! I can't believe this guy is still in business now working for M$. Such a wasted talent. He should go away from Rare and start his own company, a lot of people my age and older would support for example a Kickstarter game from this guy.
How the mighty have fallen
Hahaha!!
When I read the headline, I thought they were going to channel the spirit of Nintendo with a new platformer or adventure game.
But it looks like they'll always be shackled to the Kinect Sports franchise. Rare Ltd. - The goto company for casual sports games and xbox live avatars.
For heavens sake, Microsoft won't even let Rare work on Killer Instinct - one of their most well loved creations.
haha
so cute.................. xD Kinect Sports lol.......
poor Rare, they were so great back then
Microsoft ruined it all
It's been a decade and I still miss Rare games.
@Ricube He's hardly a wasted talent, if you look back on his career he's done a lot since the Simon the Sorcerer days.
Rare's situation is sad and pathetic. Their gliry days are long past, who cares anymore?
When microsoft bought Rare they thought they have aquire Donkey Kong franchise lol.
They just don't have the essence they used to.
Id like rare to channel the spirit of Banjo and make a real banjo-kazooie 3!
Well obviously they've upset the core customers it was competing for with Sony by plugging the Kinnect, so the other option is....
The talent is just not there anymore. Sorry to be so harsh on the people working there, but Microsoft has no clue how to properly manage them.
@WaveVorhees Well of course 7-8 year consoles will have games running at 30 fps as 60 fps is only possible with a few games. Not many at all. That won't be the case with the upcoming consoles though.
I REALLY hate the fact that Nintendo lost the rights to Rare. Especially with Killer Instinct. I really believed Nintendo finally had a quality fighter exclusive to them. It's all good. Nintendo will still be great without them.
Why are these pistol-shooters closing one eye?
That is NOT the proper way to fire a pistol.
I remember reading an article where Nintendo openly said they would not continue their business with Rare Ware and a short time later they were bought out by Microsoft. At first I was thinking "Well, Nintendo. Now they have the company that made some pretty outstanding titles for your systems." It was a grim outlook to be sure, especially after Rare released a teaser with Banjo, Conquer and Joanna Dark essentially worshipping the XboX.
Than they released actual games for the XboX. Sometimes Nintendo knows what it's doing.
Oh course they want to emulate Nintendo! They were far more successful when they were under Nintendo. The Donkey Kong Country Series, Killer Instinct, Goldeneye, the Banjo-Kazooie franchise, and Conker's Bad Fur day are games many people still play and love.
@Rafie: Nintendo never owned the rights to Killer Instinct, it was always owned by Rare.
@Tasuki Thank you for that reply from the last article. Never did tell ya that. Now as far as Rare and Nintendo goes....I thought Nintendo owned a piece if Rare. Which was why KI never made it on a Sega console or any other console until MS. I guess Nintendo will never see a new Battletoads game either.
@Rafie Actually that is the case with upcoming consoles. The PS4 version of Watch Dogs for example runs at 30fps, the developer has stated.... When the developer was pressed if Watch Dogs for PS4 would run in 1080p, the developer dodged the question.
So what we have is a cross generation game, running at 30fps on the PS4 and I guess because he dodged the question we can assume that it wont be running in 1080p.. possibly a sub 1080p resolution (or heaven forbid 720p on the PS4).
Source: http://www.cinemablend.com/games/Watch-Dogs-Runs-30fps-Xbox-One-PS4-59476.html
I think people are expecting way too much out of the low end GPU in the PS4, and the even slower xBone GPU.... The PS4 is barely 6 times faster than the Wii U. The Radeon mobile 7850 just wont be able to push out 60fps on the visually intensive games like Watch Dogs, Shadowfall.
if you dont work with or for nintendo you can never make a nintendo style game sorry.... microsoft only cares about freakin first person shooters...
@element187
not all about graphics... games are what matter wait until smash n mario kart come along... they will take over... also you name these games like watch_dogs... umm fact is its coming to all systems and will play the exact same so what you get graphics wii u gets the gamepad functionality its a win win for sony fans n nintendo fans. each console minus xbone has something special to offer its fans... plane and simple.
@element187 What you say is true. Still, it doesn't negate that both the PS4 and Xbox One are capable of 60 fps, like the Wii U. Both consoles GPU's are much stronger than the Wii U and yet the Wii U is pushing 60 fps no problem.....with Nintendo games. These are 3rd party devs that is placing games on multiple formats. To be honest, I expect the Wii U version to look EXACTLY like the PS4 and Xbox One version. This is why I hate ports. Ports dumb down games on an extremely capable system. OR devs can just develop that particular game on that particular console to maximize the game at it's potential on that said console. Yeah I know that was a mouth full!
@Rafie It's the developers and publishers, not the consoles. Many won't trust their game design enough to stop from adding more glitter and sparkles, regardless of the hardware.
They think we are all cavemen who will covet the shiniest object, as opposed to the most useful.
AAAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.
Why is that encouraging?
@ACK True words friend! Very true. The sad part about that is that we (consumers) are intrigued with new bells and whistles even if the product itself has no innovation nor is it really new.
I bet people are going to be begging for Banjo-Kazooie 3 even though it is never happening.
It's... flattering, but good luck to them on that mission impossible.
Nintendo was brain dead to let them go in the first place even still they don't have enough in house developers since third parties do little to push Nintendo forward.
I would not mind seeing a new RC Pro Am.
microsoft can keep rare... just sell nintendo some ips like jet force perfect dark banjo killer instinct and goldeneye
Good luck with that while offering a system for $500.
@AhabSpampurse Totally agree. During my short time with XBOX, Viva Pinata was the game I kept coming back to. It had that Nintendo-like charm that I get when I play Nintendo games. Sorta makes me sad it's owned by Microsoft, I would love a Viva Pinata on Wii U or 3DS...
Imagine a game colaboration between Retro Studios and Rare. It could be epic. But only it could happen in a parallel world.
@Rafie: Well Nintendo did own 49% of Rare, which they sold after the Stamper bros sold their 51% to MS since Nintendo didn't see the point in owning a part of an MS company. Still it was sort of an agreement between Rare and Nintendo to keep KI on the Nintendo systems but if they wanted too they could have put it on other systems. But yeah Rare owned all of KI.
Emulation/Imitation: known as a form of flattery; generally the highest. Also, it's debatable if those series(Toads, Banjo, KI, etc.) would be the same in feeling as they once were, if Nintendo were to ever acquire them from Ms.
Plus, I sometime do wonder if what @MrCharles77: (#16) said above is true? I wonder if Ms back then, really believed they would get the DKC franchise &/or characters?
Have fun Rare! We real gamers don't care anymore!!
The RARE from the Nintendo era doesn't exist anymore. It's an entirely different staff with a completely different direction. Instead of coming up with original ideas for games, they are told to make certain games. The only thing that is the same is the name.
RARE is dead. R.I.P.
@Capt_N There was a huge talk about the matter...some say microsoft knew others dont. If you search on google you will find many news related, here is one from a good source
https://www.nintendolife.com/news/2013/06/microsoft_execs_thought_they_owned_donkey_kong_after_acquiring_rare
I've been playing Star Fox Adventures recently for the first time since it came out. I remember at the time being so dissapointed that it wasn't a proper Star Fox game. But now I look beyond the IP and realise just how high quality of a game it is.
What made Rare so great was they could create family friendly games that were actually good enough for adults to enjoy, much like Nintendo. It's a practice that is sadly missing from today's market.
Like others have already said though: Rare is just a name now.
@element187 "The PS4 is barely 6 times faster... "
Make that 4, at the most. A quick overview of the specs comparison (http://m.ign.com/wikis/xbox-one/PS4_vs._Xbox_One_vs._Wii_U_Comparison_Chart) shows that in some instances it is barely 3 so all those Sony and/or MS fanboys (not saying that's you, by the way) are going to be in for more nasty surprises, such as Watch_Dogs running at 30pfs and so on, because quite a bit more of that is going to be coming our way. Like I always said: the difference isn't going to be ANYWHERE as big this time around.
On topic:
Good luck 'Rare' but you're not going to succeed. The glory days are well and truly gone forever. Especially with practically none of the original team left to bring that special thing that made Rare so good, even when you leave out Nintendo's influence and/or help.
So "Rare" No More ~
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