Xbox fans have been begging for years to see the return of Banjo-Kazooie, but the possibility of a new game might be less likely than ever. During a recent event to promote Microsoft Flight Simulator, attendees were apparently asked about which franchises they would like to see return in the future. The event was attended by YouTuber Puerta al Sotano, who replied that he’d like to see Banjo-Kazooie make a comeback. Apparently this prompted a response from Aaron Greenberg, the VP of marketing at Xbox Games. Puerta al Sotano reports that Greenberg’s response was that “nobody cares about Banjo-Kazooie.”
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It’s worth noting that Greenberg has said nothing about this exchange on social media, and we could be lacking greater context. It’s possible Greenberg was simply making an off-hand joke, given the sheer number of people that have requested a new Banjo-Kazooie over the last 15 years or so. It’s also possible that Greenberg was being serious, and doesn’t think that the series has the kind of pull it did when it first made its debut. If the latter is the case, he’s certainly entitled to that opinion! However, without being in attendance, there’s no real way of knowing the context of his comments.
The original Banjo-Kazooie was released in 1998 on Nintendo 64. The game was a big success on the system, prompting developer Rare to create a sequel called Banjo-Tooie just two years later. In 2002, Nintendo made the decision to sell Rare to Microsoft, alongside the Banjo-Kazooie IP. After releasing a couple Banjo games on Game Boy Advance and Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts on Xbox 360, the franchise was effectively shelved. Fans got some renewed hope in 2019 when Banjo and Kazooie appeared in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as a playable guest fighter; a deal was struck between Microsoft and Nintendo to allow the characters to appear, and the news was met with a lot of excitement among fans of the series. Following that announcement, rumors started to circulate that Microsoft was testing the waters to make a new Banjo-Kazooie game, but five years have now passed, and things aren’t looking too good.
While Banjo-Kazooie was a big deal at one point, it’s hard to say how the series would make a comeback. Several of the original game’s developers have left Rare over the years, founding the company Playtonic. While Playtonic does not have the rights to make Banjo-Kazooie games, the developer has created a spiritual successor known as Yooka-Laylee. The Yooka-Laylee games have borrowed a number of elements from past Rare games, and a remaster of Yooka-Laylee is currently in development. It might not be quite what Banjo-Kazooie fans have been hoping for, but in the absence of a new game, it will have to do for the time being!
Would you like to see Banjo-Kazooie return? Do you think the ship has sailed on the series? Share your thoughts with me directly on Twitter atย @Marcdachamp, on Bluesky atย @Marcdachamp, or on Instagram atย @Dachampgaming!
[H/T: ResetEra]
