Banjo not cancelled, says Rare

By Games Industry.biz Published 12 November, 2007

Despite rumour to contrary.

A source at UK developer Rare has told GamesIndustry.biz that its Banjo-Kazooie title for Xbox 360 has not been cancelled, despite rumours to the contrary.

There is speculation that development of a major, first-party Microsoft title has been stopped. But, if true, this is "definitely not" Banjo-Kazooie, says the source at the Microsoft-owned developer.

Rumours have intensified since Shane Bettenhausen, of US magazine EGM, mentioned them on last week's 1up Yours podcast.

"A big Microsoft first-party title that has been in the works for a very long time, that people are very excited for, sounds like it's being cancelled," said Bettenhausen. He added that the story had a "97 per cent chance" of being true, and may break this week.

Much of the subsequent speculation has focused on Banjo-Kazooie. The finger has been pointed at the latest in the popular series of platform games due to the poor sales of Rare's other family-oriented 360 games, Kameo and Viva Pinata.

What colour is fact? How many is news? For none of those answers and more, GamesIndustry.biz.

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Comments (66) Latest comment 4 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • ostrasized #1 4 years ago

    Fable II is my bet
    Edited by 1 at 12/11/07 @ 14:58

  • Steroyd #2 4 years ago

    Where are all these rumours that I've never heard before getting debunked from?

    First the 40% 40GB failure rate, now this wtf?

  • souljacker2000 #3 4 years ago

    mass effect

  • KingOfSpain #4 4 years ago

    Sounds increasingly like Fable 2!

  • spud71 #5 4 years ago

    Maybe they are nowhere near the playabilty of Galaxy. Because Banjo was better than Mario 64 when it first came out and there was a sequel as well.

  • WrongShui #6 4 years ago

    Too Human

  • Reihn #7 4 years ago

    "97 percent" . . . oh please.

    Saying something like this on air (on download?) and not backing it up -at all- is stupid. Only thing it's confirmed is that Bettenhausen is 98% gotard.

    Idiot.

  • L0cky #8 4 years ago

    Alan Wake already got debunked?

    heh, some guy on 1up says 'some game somewhere got cancelled' and people are actually having to debunk it for their specific games?

  • menage #9 4 years ago

    Great. At least that is out of the way.

    Now just confirm it's not Fable 2, or confirm that the whole stupid thing was just fiction to begin with and we're on our way.

  • Xerx3s #10 4 years ago

    "A big Microsoft first-party title that has been in the works for a very long time, that people are very excited for, sounds like it's being cancelled,"

    You have got to be joking me. "Some MSG game that we do not know the name of has been cancelled! So the 'source' told them that it was cancelled but forgot to mention what?

    The words "page hits", "Attention whore", "lack of news" spring to mind. Even if it's true, the fact that they have no clue other than there might be something that is cancelled makes them what? Still the words of above imo.

    I can say with 97% accuracy that this shane guy is an idiot.
    Edited by 1 at 12/11/07 @ 15:13

  • mattigan #11 4 years ago

    My money's on Too Human too(?!?) It's been in development since the N64 (when it last looked interesting IMO) and has now turned into some DMC clone. I just don't think it is able to compete with the competition in its current form from what I've seen of it.

  • peteb #12 4 years ago

    Too Human, definately

  • Yossarian #13 4 years ago

    bettenhausen is a joke

  • Gurgeh #14 4 years ago

    Would Too Human count as a first party title?

  • cyacomini #15 4 years ago

    @ BNinjaC

    Alan Wake is not a first party title, it's third party.

  • peteb #16 4 years ago

    @Gurgeh

    oh, good point! maybe not so definately then...

  • Darren #17 4 years ago

    Well there's aren't many first-party games beyond Fable, Halo, PGR and Forza Motorsport, are there, if it isn't a Rare title?

    Halo as a FPS has finished anyway, Bizarre Creations have left so Microsoft only have PGR in name only and Forza Motorsport is too successful for Microsoft to scrap it. That only leaves Fable 2 really but surely that is nearly finished by now. Why cancel something that's well into development... wouldn't make sense to me. So what else can it be? :?

    Doesn't sound like it's Kameo 2... LOL

  • Steroyd #18 4 years ago

    "A big Microsoft first-party title that has been in the works for a very long time, that people are very excited for"

    Rules out Too Human then. :p

  • the_dudefather #19 4 years ago

    almost hope its too human, so then they get to work on Eternal Darkness 2

  • jonsaan #20 4 years ago

    Way of the Exploding Fist 3.

  • Fooo #21 4 years ago

    If it is Too Human. Which wouldn't surprise me. It might be an interesting indication of how the legal situation stands between silicon knights and epic as well...

  • Grogmonkey #22 4 years ago

    I very much doubt it's Fable 2. When I last talked to a friend of mine who's on the Fable team, there wasn't even a rumbling of 'this game isn't going to get made'. In fact, it seemed to be going fairly well.

    Still, stranger things have happened.

  • Darren #23 4 years ago

    Surely it isn't Mass Effect? God, I hope not, that really would be a shock if it was that game... :/

    Nah, unlikely, and the wording makes it sound like it's something still in development, perhaps unannounced. Mass Effect is finished I believe as it's gone gold.

    Can't think what it be really...

  • cyacomini #24 4 years ago

    From Gamespress - Microsoft published titles due between now and 2013.

    Scene It? Lights, Camera, Action 16/11/2007
    Viva Piñata: Party Animals 16/11/2007
    Mass Effect 23/11/2007
    Mass Effect Limited Collector's Edition 23/11/2007
    Lost Odyssey Winter 2007
    Kingdom Under Fire: Circle of Doom 1/2/2008
    Halo Wars 2008
    Too Human 2008
    Everyparty TBA
    Love Football TBA
    Alan Wake TBA
    Marvel Universe Online TBA
    Fable 2 TBA
    Hexic 2 TBA
    Puzzle Quest TBA

  • Entity #25 4 years ago

    I bought my 360 as I felt Fable 2 was a guarantee, if the game doesn't see the light of day then I'm gonna be pissed!
    Please let it be Too Human (maybe MS see that the trilogy isn't going to be a great success and want to nip it in the bud)

  • Trane #26 4 years ago

    Killer Instinct 3.

    /spannerinworks
    Edited by 1 at 12/11/07 @ 15:34

  • chudders #27 4 years ago

    It's not cancelled, it's just resting.

  • peteb #28 4 years ago

    if this is a big game like fable 2, im going to be slightly concerned about the 360s future, what with Bizarre Creations, Bioware and the like also not being snapped up by MS.

  • Xerx3s #29 4 years ago

    If it is anything, it's that Peter Jackson project. It has never materialised into even the most basic things such as concept art while other projects such as Fable 2, Too Human, BK3, AW, etc. are next to finished/so long into production that they might as well sit it out to the end for a refund.

    Unless MS has some hidden project up their sleeves, the only thing that it can be is that PJ project. Anything else would be pure destruction of capital (dropping a game a couple of months before completion is stupid beyond belief).

  • Reihn #30 4 years ago

    Oh, and just for an added bucket of Here There Be Bullshit, Bettenhausen is 1up's resident Sony fan/apologist. He's hardcore - he loves Home and LBP to death, and refuses to hear a word against the PS3's functionality, pricing, games etc.

    His chances of being the one and only guy to have sourced a piece of exclusive Microsoft Games Studio news? Slim to none.

  • Monkey_Puncher #31 4 years ago

    It won't be Fable 2, don't be insane!

    If true it'll be something that everyone's forgotten about, maybe that Marvel MMO?

    I would have literally killed small animals if it had been Banjo, I've only been waiting for that for about 7 years.

  • The-Bodybuilder #32 4 years ago

    This place is turning into the forum.

    But I'm concerned about the large amount of people thinking it's Too Human. Yes I know there was supposed to be a public demo in october that never happened, or that no blog has been posted recently.
    Not only will TH be great, but I doubt it due to:
    1. It's not a "first party".
    2. It cost waaay too much money. At this stage, it's better to release it to recoup some money, than never at all (let's not forget the rumours of it being the most expensive MS game).
    3. It's too cool.

    But most people in the forum pretty much agree it would be halo wars, that's IF this RUMOUR is even true.

  • Monkey_Puncher #33 4 years ago

    It won't be Halo Wars and it won't be Too Human, infact I very much doubt that a game's even been cancelled.

  • smirny #34 4 years ago

    DUKE NUKEM FOREVER!

    sorry.

    /coat

  • Xerx3s #35 4 years ago

    Too Hunam not Too Human people, get your English right.

  • Dizzy #36 4 years ago

    Obviously the game that is canceled is Marvel Online.

    But TBH... this rumor is totally bogus.
    Edited by 1 at 12/11/07 @ 16:11

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #37 4 years ago

    Too Hunam not Too Human people, get your English right.


    What are you on about?

    Is that supposed to be some oblique joke?

  • Gurgeh #38 4 years ago

    Doubt it's the Marvel MMO as the developerjust sold City of Heroes to NCSoft so that they could focus on it. And it isn't first party. TBH unless MS are switching Forza development to PGR I don't see it being a big first party title.

  • bushwod #39 4 years ago

    Too Hunman? Is that some kind of anti-germanic tribe game??

  • Xerx3s #40 4 years ago

    Is that supposed to be some oblique joke?

    /watches penny drop
    Edited by 1 at 12/11/07 @ 16:17

  • Arcadiian #41 4 years ago

    Why do people keep saying it's Fable 2? Fable was a huge game for Microsoft, Lionhead are still putting out video diaries on Live, and as far as i'm aware it's all Lionhead are really making right now. Fable 2 will make Microsoft money, there's no reason to cancel it.

  • Darren #42 4 years ago

    Well I'm struggling to think of any big games from Microsoft themselves that I'm desperately looking forward to beyond Mass Effect and Fable 2. I can't see it being either of those though so I can only conclude that if this rumour is true that the game in question isn't actually that eagerly awaited by many people at all.

    Although Rare have confirmed it isn't Banjo-Kazooie 3, could it perhaps be the rumoured Perfect Dark Zero sequel...?

    /thinks

    Nah, can't be, no-one was looking forward to that... LOL

  • TheDifficult3rdAlbum #43 4 years ago

    I would be more interested in this story if it's confirmed either way, so we know which game it is.

    In the meantime, I don't comment on rumour or speculation.

  • MrChuckles #44 4 years ago

    I know a lot of people on Fable 2... It's most definitely not Fable 2...

  • lennon #45 4 years ago

    Almost certainly that Marvel MMO from what I have read.

  • Garulon #46 4 years ago

    I'm thinking it's Halo Wars if anything. It's probably nothing though, Shane just a couple of weeks ago "called bullshit" on Sony pulling BC out of the PS3, as it was too retarded for Sony to even contemplate. Bless him :)
    Edited by 1 at 12/11/07 @ 17:24

  • MrChuckles #47 4 years ago

    Yeah, not Scene It, not Mass Effect, not Fable 2, no idea on the others.

  • EmiliasHorse #48 4 years ago

    If they drop Fable 2 I am handing back my official fanboy badge.

  • EmiliasHorse #49 4 years ago

    @lennon

    God I hope you are right.

  • captain-future #50 4 years ago

    THEY CANCELLED HALO 3!!!

  • Britesparc Verified Creative, ITV #51 4 years ago

    Does SWOS count as first party coz it's on Xbox Live? Coz if that's cancelled, murder will be done in this room.

  • miiiguel #52 4 years ago

    Mass Effect is not possible, I have a guy on my friends list who started playing it yesterday.

  • Xerx3s #53 4 years ago

    It reminds me of the time I found out it was Conan and not Coman.

    /creates portal loop so the penny will keep on dropping for all eternity

  • Ghettomurph #54 4 years ago

    Anyone who thinks Fable 2 is going to get binned is a complete mong.

    As for Mass Effect getting chopped:
    A) Its not a first party title as Bioware isnt owned by Microsoft and
    B) Its already gone Gold. In other words, its finished.

    As a previous poster said, this Bettenhausen person is a Sony fanboy so its probably a complete load of steaming shit thats falling out of his mouth.

  • J.C #55 4 years ago

    Could we please have an official statement now microsoft?

  • kissthestick #56 4 years ago

    rumours like these strangely end up being true

    Bungie going indie, Bioware swallowed by EA, Bizzare going to Activision


    who would've though eh?

  • Monkey_Puncher #57 4 years ago

    Not when the developer comes out and flatly denies the rumour...

  • Toothball #58 4 years ago

    Shane Bettenhausen is a robot. I've met him a couple of times.

  • Xerx3s #59 4 years ago

    Just for the sole reason that I think Peter Molyneux is a bit of a wanker..

    Guess what, wanting a game to fail because you don't like someone makes you one as well.

  • NickyJD #60 4 years ago

    It's Halo wars, that game has looked shit from the get go

  • L0cky #61 4 years ago

    Throws penny

  • JavaJawaUK #62 4 years ago

    I got all hyped up there about the possibility of some kind of banjo version of Guitar Hero.

    Guess it will never happen - but if there's a dev to do it, it's rare :D

  • old_skool #63 4 years ago

    It's probably the next Forza that's going to get canned .

  • miiiguel #64 4 years ago

    THERE's A GUY PLAYIN MASS EFFECT!!!! IT'S GAMERTAG IS TENACIOUSDAVE83!

    SO IT'S NOT MASS EFFECT!

  • Flipit #65 4 years ago

    A friend works for Rare, he stated that the game looks awesome and is not being cancelled.

  • Monkey_Puncher #66 4 years ago

    "I take it Rare's suckiness since Goldeneye on the N64 has already been pointed out? "

    Utter BS!

    For a start Banjo came out after Goldeneye and kicked many asses, then there was Jet Force Gemini, Perfect Dark and Conker etc etc

  • Garulon #67 4 years ago

    Still the Rare hatred four years after the buyout. Man, Spurned N fanbois bear a grudge.