Molyneux to help give Rare an identity

By Ellie Gibson Published 15 June, 2009

"Nintendo required them to be secretive."

Peter Molyneux has said he wants to help Microsoft's development studios regain a sense of identity - particularly Banjo Kazooie and Viva Pinata creators Rare.

Speaking to GamesIndustry.biz the recently promoted exec stated, "One of the things I really want to do is help Rare have more of an identity, and make sure the people at Rare are seen more within the industry.

"I was totally blown away from the amount of talent that there is at Rare, but it's just that they come from a background where Nintendo required them to be this very, very secretive company," Molyneux continued.

"I just want to give them the confidence to tell the world what they're doing. I hope you're going to see more from Rare and I want to help them get well known."

Don't worry, Rare fans - Molyneux won't muck about with the studio's creative process or try to interfere with their distinctive style. "You'll definitely still recognise a Rare game," he said. No dogs for Banjo 2 then.

Visit GamesIndustry.biz to read the full interview with Molyneux and Microsoft Game Studios general manager Phil Spencer.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (30) Latest comment 3 years ago

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

  • Skywise #1 3 years ago

    He makes them sound like twats.
    I have lots of respect for Rare and I hope they are a bit more free to make core games again in future.
    I hope too that Peter doesn't visit them too often :p

  • Triggerhappytel #2 3 years ago

    What a load of old shite. So he's sort of blaming Nintendo for Rare's lack of success in the last few years?! And it's not like they've been particularly secretive with their projects like Viva Pinata, Banjo 3, Perfect Dark Zero, etc.

    It's not like they don't have an identity though. Going by their last few games they have a very distinct style; moreso than most other developers.

  • superted1974 #3 3 years ago

    Rare are one of the few developers where I can name at least 5 of their games straight off.

    To be honest - I can't even recall what Molyneux team is!

  • kinky_mong #4 3 years ago

    I just want to give them the confidence to tell the world what they're doing.

    I'd prefer them to stay secretive, rather than promise the world with their latest game and then deliver a buggy piece of shit like Lionhead.

  • kangarootoo #5 3 years ago

    I think you are all reading too much into this. PM didn't say anything about the quality of Rare's games, he just said he wants them to be more visible as a team. I guess that is sort of his job now.

  • davisorle #6 3 years ago

    Oh come on peeps, he didnt talk shit about anyone, just pointed out that they need to be brought out a bit more into the open and its true u know if you think about it. Rare is great and yet nothing huge from them has been done lately. I think their biggest step into something new and good was Viva Pinata which isnt my kind of thing to go and waste my time with, or like you Brits would say " not my cup of tea" :p

  • The-Bodybuilder #7 3 years ago

    >"What a load of old shite. So he's sort of blaming Nintendo for Rare's lack of success in the last few years?! "

    Where the bloody heck did you get that from?

  • IronCladChicken #8 3 years ago

    I thought Tim and Chris Stampe had left Rare?
    Isnt that like Bullfrog without Molyneux?

  • Skywise #9 3 years ago

    PM is very good at making you think his team's output is all his doing, I'm sure Bullfrog was more than just PM.

    Edit: I see I'm still a bit bitter at PM over the broken promises of the first Fable game ;-)
    Edited by 2 at 15/06/09 @ 10:24

  • Razorus #10 3 years ago

    I think Molyneux is going the wrong way about this. They don't need to be brought out more. Nintendo kept them secretive eh? He seems to suggest they were slaves.
    Rare were perfectly fine with Nintendo as they were not pressured into appearing to the public. They were free to get on with their projects and hone them behind closed doors. They already have too much pressure from all the Microsoft publicity and buy-out crap.

    Anyway, Killer Instinct please.

  • spammage #11 3 years ago

    Molyneux has finally found his perfect job, chief in charge of talking bollocks at MS. Looks like he is in good company. I still bet that Rare won't produce anything that isn't mediocre.

  • Negotiator #12 3 years ago

    Pete will help Rare make great games again, and with Natal Rare can become the innovative team they once were.

  • louyfitz #13 3 years ago

    Goldeneye XBLA please.

    Been wanting a remake of the console shooter that started it all.

    slight graphical update and XBL multiplayer would be more than sufficient.

  • Rufus #14 3 years ago

    Does David Wise still work for Rare? He's a fantastic composer. I was going to try an interview him a few years ago as part of my Masters dissertation on game music analysis but never got round to it.

    Tbh I'd just love either a HD update of Jet Force Gemini or a sequel, it was one of my favourite N64 games back in the day.

  • figgis #15 3 years ago

    Goldeneye XBLA please. Then people can see how badly it's aged.

  • leftlion #16 3 years ago

    I don't get why he's mentioning Nintendo at all. Rare haven't worked for Ninty for donkeys years so if they're working habits haven't changed since then, then it should be Microsoft that he blames.

  • drewman5150 #17 3 years ago

    Rare have always been secretive, ever since their beginnings as "Ultimate: Play the Game", why he (PM) thinks that it was Nintendo that were behind it I'll never know. Bless.

    I've got visions of them being paraded around like a travelling circus "Roll up! Roll up! Come see the kerazy guys of Rare!"

    "and their dog"

  • Skywise #18 3 years ago

    lol

  • Caspar_Esq. #19 3 years ago

    I bet Rare are happy

  • MrJoeSnow #20 3 years ago

    "Lets talk when they top Goldeneye."

    Golden eye was only good because there was nothing like it out at the time. playing it now is a very unrewarding experience in my opinion. For my money the height of Rare's output was the first Donkey Kong Country. That vision of DK is still being used today.
    Golden Eye was amazing! but DK country was pure genius.
    LOL! Whatching people snailing around on one knee in multiplayer.

  • Triggerhappytel #21 3 years ago

    Goldeneye has aged very, very badly, but at the time it was peerless.

    But Rare haven't really had their glory days since the N64.

  • DUFFKING #22 3 years ago

    Topping Goldeneye: not difficult at all :p

  • mega7ech #23 3 years ago

    Although sometimes I do find the guy to be a bit of a bullshit artsit, I also think that the dude Molyneux will prob be pretty good at achieveing this for Rare. Whatever you may think of the guy, theres no denying he's passionate about what he does and the games industry in general. Prefer him anyday to faceless money hungry execcs as industry leaders (Im looking at you EA!)

  • DanWhitehead #24 3 years ago

    Rare have always been secretive, ever since their beginnings as "Ultimate: Play the Game", why he (PM) thinks that it was Nintendo that were behind it I'll never know. Bless.

    That was my first thought as well. Ultimate was famous for its air of mystery.

  • ShinMegami08 #25 3 years ago

    how much money did MS give to Nintendo for RARE? something like 300 million dollars.

    Nintendo is probably laughing out loud.

  • smelly #26 3 years ago

    So what rare is doing wrong (apparently) is not getting out there patronising people and promising the world for games which end up being average to say the least?

  • smelly #27 3 years ago

    >are haven't worked for Ninty for donkeys years

    Erm, 7 years

  • Mr.DNA #28 3 years ago

    Off-topic, but since I'm reading about Peter Molyneux in a Eurogamer article, I'm at once reminded of EG's 10/10 Fable 2 review. I know that reviews are one person's personal opinion and all that, but, really... you have to be a special sort of fucking cretin to give Fable 2 10/10. Time was when you could rely on Eurogamer to keep scores down, and now they're flinging 10/10s at fucking Fable 2! And then Molyneux reads the review and his delusions of grandeur about his skills as a developer are affirmed. Even in view of the fact that reviews are subjective, that review was a fucking embarrassment.

  • mega7ech #29 3 years ago

    I think, possibly, I might be right in saying Mr.DNA didnt agree with the EG Fable 2 review...


    ...I think..

  • smelly #30 3 years ago

    yeah i thought fable 2 was a solid 7 myself.. the story is the near exact same one as fable 1 ffs!

    (right down to going to prison and losing all your stuff)

    too easy too.

    But the press buys into molyneux hype - so maybe it's GOOD for rare that he's going to help them hype stuff? The internet press seems to lap this shit up