It’s been more than 15 years since the last Banjo-Kazooie game, and it’s never seemed less likely that the series will make a comeback. Fans are desperate to see Microsoft do something with the bird and bear pair, but some have given up all hope. Series composer Grant Kirkhope recently shared his thoughts in a post on X/Twitter, stating his belief that Banjo-Kazooie won’t be coming back. Kirkhope even took it a step farther, noting that if Microsoft were to resurrect the series, there would simply be no pleasing the fan base at this point.
Videos by ComicBook.com
“I’ve said it before … but .. I have zero hope for another Banjo game, plus all you die hard fans would instantly hate it and slag it off no matter how good it was , it never works,” said Kirkhope.
In a follow-up post, Kirkhope softened his stance a little bit, offering some kind words for the fan community. The composer noted that “the Banjo fanverse is a wonderful thing” and that “the reaction when Banjo got into Smash Bros. is something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.” Kirkhope is referring to Banjo-Kazooie making it into Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a guest fighter back in 2019. Fans had begged Nintendo for years to put Banjo-Kazooie in the series, and the announcement was met with widespread cheers. Unfortunately, that’s pretty much the last time Banjo-Kazooie fans had anything to celebrate, and that was the first bit of good news related to the series in more than a decade.
Kirkhope’s comments seem to come from a place of disappointment more than anything else. While the first two Banjo-Kazooie games still hold a special place in the hearts of gamers, the reality is that Microsoft has allowed the IP to languish, for some reason or another. The hype from the two characters appearing in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate seemed like the perfect opportunity to resurrect the franchise, but that was more than 5 years ago at this point. The opportunity seems to have been squandered, and the only thing Microsoft has done since is release some merchandise featuring the characters.
RELATED: Banjo-Kazooie Comments Clarified Following Xbox Controversy
For now, Banjo-Kazooie fans will have to settle for playing the existing games and enjoying the memories connected to them both. As disappointing as it is that Microsoft has allowed the Banjo-Kazooie IP to gather dust, at least those first two games are widely available on both Switch and Xbox platforms. There are a lot of other dormant franchises in the video game industry that are pretty much unplayable at the moment, despite fan demand. Hopefully Kirkhope ends up being incorrect, and Microsoft is planning something for the future, but it’s easy to see why he feels the way he does.
Do you think we’ll ever get another Banjo-Kazooie game? Do you think it would be hard to satisfy the fans at this point? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky at @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram at @Dachampgaming!
