Rare’s Next Xbox One Game Makes 2015 a “Huge Year”, Says Composer

January 7, 2015

If you look back to some of the most popular games of generations past, you’ll find a few extremely successful developers who have largely disappeared over time. One of those developers is Rare Ltd., a studio held in great regard during the 80’s and 90’s for game such as GoldenEye 007, Killer Instinct, and Banjo-Kazooie, among many others.

Sadly, for the past several years, following an acquisition from Microsoft, Rare has been a hollow shell of its former self. It has gone from making stellar titles like Donkey Kong Country 2 and Conker’s Bad Fur Day to games like Kinect Sports—to be fair Killer Instinct and Viva Pinata were great. However, it may be planning a comeback to re-capture some of its former glory.

Robin Beanland, a composer at Rare, is extremely excited about the studio’s next game in development. He’s currently working on the score for the unknown game, and had the following to say about it on Twitter:

Although Rare has been busy with Kinect titles for the past few years, Xbox Head Phil Spencer revealed late last year that its next project won’t be Kinect-based. As a matter of fact, he said the following after visiting the studio for a full day:

Got to play the new @RareLtd game today. Rare building a uniquely Rare game, as it should be.

If this were a little over 10 years ago, the hype would be astounding for the game despite having no formal announcement yet. Unfortunately, it’ll have to persuade gamers the hard way. On the plus side, there’s a real chance here for Rare to defy all odds and emerge successful from being underestimated.

The question is, what is this game? “Uniquely Rare” hints at a notable IP. Is it a proper Banjo-Kazooie title? The studio has access to the IP, as well as to Conker. If treated right, this could end up being a big deal.

Also See: 10 Predictions for Gaming in 2015

We expect to find out what this game is at E3 2015, which is a full five months from now. While it might be a while, Beanland’s comment points to a potential 2015 release date, which could mean we’ll be playing it sooner than we think.

Although Jonathan Leack began covering the gaming industry in 2009, his earliest roots date back to 2004 when he wrote his first of many reviews to come. Equipped with a B.S. in Computer Information Systems and several information technology certifications, he provides a unique perspective that is technological and business conscious. Having acquired the role of Executive Editor in 2016, his mission is to make GameRevolution a gaming site that thoughtfully considers the consumer perspective, and has a knowledgeable presence of PC gaming, console, hardware, and eSports coverage.