After layoffs due to poor sales, will Rare’s next game finally see the company get back to their legendary roots?
This morning Microsoft has once again reemphasized the importance of Rare to the future of Xbox, and vocally expressed their support of the troubled studio. In speaking with Eurogamer, Microsoft Studios Europe chief Phil Harrison made the following comments: “Rare is working on a couple of things at the moment, which we will announce at the right time. But I’m really excited by the things they’re doing and I believe you will be when you hear about them.”
Rare was hit with layoffs this year almost immediately after Microsoft reported the poor sales of the studio’s Xbox One exclusive title, Kinect Sports Rivals. Shortly after that, Microsoft announced their plans to start releasing Xbox One consoles without the bundled Kinect accessory, which further put the future of Rare into doubt, as they had been exclusively working with the motion-based technology for the last several years.
A few rumors were circulating E3 2014 about a potential Battletoads revival or a new Perfect Dark game reimagined as a third-person shooter, but the show came and went without a peep from Rare, unless you count that horrible tease for a new Conker game, which just turned out to be a playable skin in Project Spark. It’s like Microsoft knows exactly what players want from Rare, but purposely refuse to let them do it.
This sad cycle seems to be repeating every year lately, don’t you think? First we don’t hear any news from Rare for a good year or two. Then Microsoft reassures us that Rare is still an important part of the Xbox brand. And then Rare announces some new form of Kinect Sports and the whole vicious circle starts again. Who’s to say that this time will be any different?
As Harrison says, “Rare is an incredible talent and they have some very, very ambitious plans for the future and we’re supporting them in every way we can.” Say what you will about Rare, how all of the creative minds from the golden N64 days have long since moved on, but I still refuse to give up hope on one of my favorite developers. Let’s just hope that Microsoft’s support finally adds up to something great this time around.
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