Hope for the return of the iconic duo
Legendary game composer Grant Kirkhope, known for his work on the Banjo-Kazooie series and the unforgettable Donkey Kong Rap, shared his thoughts on the possibility of a new entry in the platformer franchise — a hypothetical Banjo-Threeie.
In an interview with FRVR, Kirkhope noted that he previously considered the chances of a new game to be zero. However, the situation has changed somewhat now — he now rates them as "slim, but real."
Management changes and rejected pitches
According to the composer, Rare long rejected any outside initiatives to revive the franchise:
“Rare usually just said no to everything. I know people who pitched cartoons, various ideas to them — they said \"no\" to absolutely everything.”
However, following leadership changes at the studio and Xbox Game Studios, the situation might get moving. At the same time, Kirkhope revealed that at least three third-party studios had already approached Microsoft and Rare with their concepts for a new Banjo-Kazooie, but none of those proposals were approved.
Does Banjo-Threeie have a future?
Rare itself is currently too busy with its own projects to build a classic 3D platformer on its own. However, interest in the series within the developer community remains high. For instance, Toys for Bob (creators of the Crash Bandicoot and Spyro remakes) previously hinted at a desire to work on the return of the iconic bear and bird.
If the project ever gets the green light, Grant Kirkhope would gladly return to write the soundtrack: “Just ask me,” the musician concluded.
Comments ...