Rare’s Banjo-Kazooie Statue Has Been Destroyed

It’s been a rough month for fans of Rare’s bird and bear pair Banjo and Kazooie. In a recent interview, Rare revealed that they currently have no plans to revisit existing IPs, including Banjo-Kazooie. In what can only be described as an unfortunate coincidence, just a few weeks later, a Kazooie statue that stood at Rare’s headquarters in Twycross, England was badly damaged thanks to Storm Ciara. As a result, Kazooie’s head has been broken off. The statue has stood since the original Banjo-Kazooie‘s release more than 20 years ago. Rare will attempt to salvage the statue, but it’s unclear how long it will be out for repairs.

Storm Ciara has buffeted the UK, resulting in wind speeds up to 100 miles per hour. Despite the damage to Kazooie (as well as the land surrounding Rare headquarters), Banjo remains standing in tip-top shape. Other statues of Rare characters can be found on the premises, including the company’s foul-mouthed squirrel, Conker.

While the damage to the statue seems particularly foreboding given Rare’s desire to move beyond the pair, Banjo and Kazooie will long be remembered as beloved characters from the video game industry. Besides, soon Banjo-Kazooie fans will be able to own a miniature statue of the characters of their very own. An official announcement has yet to be made by Nintendo, but Banjo and Kazooie will likely receive their own Amiibo figure later this year. Every playable fighter that appears in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has received an Amiibo, and the only fighters that have yet to get the treatment are those that appeared as part of the game’s Fighter’s Pass DLC. The inevitable Amiibo statue won’t be as large as the one at Rare’s headquarters, but it will be a nice, affordable way for fans to keep the franchise alive in their memories!

Of course, though Rare has no current plans for the characters, it seems like it will only be a matter of time before Banjo and Kazooie return. For now, fans will just have to continue getting their fix on modern consoles through Rare Replay, or Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Do you want to see a new Banjo-Kazooie game? Or is there a different Rare IP you’d rather see resurrected? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!