Rare "may do" new Killer Instinct

By Johnny Minkley Published 28 November, 2008

Studio boss talks up fighting "revolution".

Rare studio manager Mark Betteridge has told Eurogamer that the veteran Britsoft developer is thinking about making a new version of Killer Instinct - but that it would require a "revolution" to make it worthwhile.

Betteridge, who was lead engineer on the original instalment of the 2D fighter, admitted the franchise was a candidate for revival, following the rebirth of Banjo-Kazooie in Nuts & Bolts, which released earlier this month on Xbox 360.

"Killer Instinct is an IP that is fondly remembered and we may do something with it, but it's a tricky market to be like the old Killer Instinct," he revealed.

"At the time there was Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat and we were thinking, 'how do we make our own area here?' and it came from the combo system. The market after that became more and more specialised. And all you do then is make your user-base smaller and smaller and it disappears [to the point where] it's not really feasible anymore."

However, Betteridge insisted there were still great opportunities in the one-on-one fighting genre to be seized with the right innovation.

"Once a market gets like that then it needs a revolution to bring something new to it and to kick-start a new growth," he said. "It will stagnate for a while and then it needs a real significant change of direction potentially.

"It is a law of diminishing returns to recycle the same game. That's why we didn't want to do that with Banjo just to build a Banjo game that was hi-def. We wanted to do a game that not only provided a different gameplay experience that we couldn't do before, but we wanted to build something that we can then build on to do other titles."

Rare is notorious for teasing fans about forthcoming projects, and recently sparked fresh rumours of Killer Instinct 3 with the release of themed cards for Viva Piñata: Trouble in Paradise.

Killer Instinct first hit arcades in the mid-'90s, followed by versions for SNES and GBA, with a sequel appearing as a coin-op and on N64. It was famed notably for its stunning visuals and massive combos.

Rare celebrated its 25th anniversary earlier this year, but despite the strength of its back catalogue, creating IP is "primarily our goal", according to production manager Lee Schuneman.

He added: "We want to be forward-thinking as much as we can. Even though we've got a great heritage that gamers love and we love, we want our design team to be thinking for the next thing, what's the next great idea. We need to define our own space on this console and we're only going to do that by using new IP."

"The best way to have success is to build your own area," added Betteridge. "We don't want to chase a genre. We think the best genres are the ones that don't exist at the moment."

Picture of Johnny.

About Johnny Minkley

Eurogamer TV's Johnny Minkley is a veteran journalist with a lifelong passion for games and the games industry. He uses Twitter more than most people use air.

Read more articles from Johnny by visiting the Johnny Minkley archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (36) Latest comment 3 years ago

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

  • jonsaan #1 3 years ago

    Rose tinted specs for old mediocre beat em up.

    Edited for clarity. I actually love RARE's output in general but KI? Come on...
    Edited by 1 at 28/11/08 @ 16:20

  • Kazzahdrane #2 3 years ago

    It has to be said, despite what people may think of the quality of Rare's recent offerings - they are being fairly innovative. Taking the risk of making a radically different Banjo title, and going after the casual with Viva Pinata should be applauded, although of course we'd all like to see them make AAA titles first, innovation second.

  • twh104 #3 3 years ago

    There was no Killer Instinct on GBA.

  • DoctorZoidberg #4 3 years ago

    /Puts on rant hat

    I really don't get all this Rare bashing! Viva Pinata games are brilliant. Totally different and engaging. The new Banjo, whilst not earth moving, is a very solid, fun, different and entertaining game.

    In a world where people only seem to get erections over bland brown and grey linear FPS worlds such as Halo and gears and resistance, and a market saturated with "party" and "Music games" which were fun the first time, but on there 4th and 5th installments where fuck all has changed, I thought people might fucking want to play something colourful, entertianing and different.

    People say Rare arn't as good as they used to be, I say they have been very consistent in producting great games.

    If you want to be some tard who spends hours shooting generic things for the 1,000,000th time, just because it has a new box or a different animal to shoot, fine, but don't start trashing hard working games companys who try and mix things up and make gaming more interesting for everyone else!
    Fuck!

    Me, I take my hat off to Rare. Great job chaps and I look forward to your new releases.

    /rant over.

  • DoctorZoidberg #5 3 years ago

    but selling out to MS invariably has proven to be a disaster for both parties

    Really? And what are you basing that on? The fact there last three games have been good? If you don't like certain games, fine, but don't be a tit.

  • Xerx3s #6 3 years ago

    KI with VP animals. You heard it here first!

    Seriously though, at least release the original KI on XBLa!

  • kinky_mong #7 3 years ago

    By all accounts the arcade versions were a massive success and the ports to underpowered consoles, which I did play, never really cut it.

    Well I still count the SNES Killer Instinct as my favourite beat 'em up ever. It managed to have incredible depth for its time with the combo system and I still occasionally give it another blast.

    As much as I would love to see a modern update I really don't trust Rare to make it. Pretty much everything they've done from Starfox Adventures onwards has been disappointing, and I don't want to see another game I have fond memories of be ruined by what is essentially a new group of people.
    Edited by 1 at 28/11/08 @ 15:49

  • lambtron #8 3 years ago

    Viva Pinata = Good.

    The new Banjo, not so much.

  • hoster #9 3 years ago

    Maybe the next KI will involve you building your own fighter from an assortment of limbs weapons and body parts hidden in crates placed around a vibrant world.

    Like Nuts and Bolts, but with vehicles replaced by roundhouse kicks.

  • Canyarion #10 3 years ago

    I feel another 7/10 game coming up.

  • peterfll #11 3 years ago

    Rare should be comended for creating new IP (VP) and taking risks with existing IP (Banjo).

    But the simple fact is that they had a gold run during their N64 years both commercially and critically and this hasn't been replicated in the past 5 years or so. Despite producing some very solid titles (sometimes I feel like the only person who really really enjoyed Kameo).

  • rodpad #12 3 years ago

    KI Arcade > Everyone.

  • cerebralbored #13 3 years ago

    @ twh104

    Correct, although I think the article was supposed to mention that it was released for the very first GB rather than the GBA.

  • Haq-1 #14 3 years ago

    i had Killer Instint on SNES n i fink it was WAY betr dan street Fighter. I luved da game

  • andywilkie35 #15 3 years ago

    Dear Rare,

    I would prefer a proper sequel to Perfect Dark and a sequel to Jet Force Gemini

    Many thanks,

    andywilkie35

  • Xerx3s #16 3 years ago

    "There are loads of developers who are making fun and original games to a much much higher standard than Rare. "

    /thinks

    Hmmmm.... No, can't think of any.

  • chrisjm #17 3 years ago

    DoctorZoidberg: EXACTLY!!!

  • dog2_99 #18 3 years ago

    well i would buy it!

    But why not test the waters with a release on xbox live first...kinda like Street Fighter HD?

  • IronCladChicken #19 3 years ago

    Now that the two founders have left Rare, it's never going to be the company it was - Just like when Peter Molyneux left Bullfrog & Richard Garriot left Origin

  • n_nlemon #20 3 years ago

    Dear Rare,

    please no.

  • bad09 #21 3 years ago

    New KI? I'm there LOVED gold on N64!

    Beats the bloody avatars anyway ;)

  • Anthony_UK #22 3 years ago

    KI was amazing, the feeling doing battle in the arcades with the top players having huge crowds round still hasn't been beaten for me!

    YouTube it now, it still looks awesome dispite some dodgy animation!

  • septimus #23 3 years ago

    Sod that, get a perfect conversion on XLBA.

  • Dr.Mott #24 3 years ago

    @ peterfll

    I also really enjoyed Kameo.

  • Monkey_Puncher #25 3 years ago

    I'd rather we got the old KI on XBLA and they concentrated on original games like Banjo and Viva Pinata. I just can't imagine a new KI being much use alongside the likes of Virtua Fighter 5 and SF4.

  • IronGiant #26 3 years ago

    Hardly anyone actually cares anymore, its a sad state of affairs but Rare games just dont sell well. For example Banjo isn't even in the top 40 uk chart, they'd sell a whole lot more on the Wii.

  • Dizzy #27 3 years ago

    >If you want to be some tard who spends hours shooting generic things for the 1,000,000th time

    Seriously 2.0 FTW! ;)

    I wouldn't mind seeing Fulgore and Sabrewulf in action again.
    Edited by 1 at 29/11/08 @ 09:47

  • JamieR #28 3 years ago

    Rare in my option created the modern first person shooter with golden eye

  • chris_ace #29 3 years ago

    Post deleted at 11:55:13 13-12-2011

  • beastmaster #30 3 years ago

    Time to do a double compilation of Attic Attack and Sabre Wolf for 1200 points.

  • rommy667 #31 3 years ago

    Still play the AWSOME arcade versions on xbox1 with the xbox version of u64 i hope they make a new version but i dont think it will be a patch on the first 2.....saberwulf came out on gba a few yrs back but it was crappy and you are better off with the 48k version from all those yrs ago
    Edited by 1 at 29/11/08 @ 13:24

  • colinflower93 #32 3 years ago

    They havent made a decent game since goldeneye. Perfect dark was alright.

  • RodHull #33 3 years ago

    Christ, I really loved Grabbed By The Ghoulies let alone Kameo. PDZ was cracking fun, even though the storyline was truly awful. The only Rare game I haven't enjoyed was Donky Kong 64.

    I worry what MS have in store for them though, what with their relative lack of sales. They've done the Avatars, so that should keep them in the good books for the time being though. And now that Team Ninja are less likely to be 360 exclusive, perhaps KI3 will replace DOA as the 360s only exclusive beat em up?

  • Ryze #34 3 years ago

    JUST PORT THE ARCADE GAMES TO 360, ADD ONLINE PLAY AND PUT THEM ON XBLA FOR 800-1200 PTS FFS.

    SEGA - DO THE SAME WITH YOUR MODEL 2 & 3 GAMES.

    THIS IS NOT ROCKET SCIENCE.

  • Dogs-in-Hats #35 3 years ago

    @"The market after that became more and more specialised. And all you do then is make your user-base smaller and smaller and it disappears [to the point where] it's not really feasible anymore."

    Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts Sales: £150,000
    errrr

  • davisorle #36 3 years ago

    PLS just make the new KI happen already... That game needed more skill than the rest to get to do the combos and the only fighting game ive enojoyed so much before... Havent played but a bit of DOA ever since..