Xbox fans have been pleading for years to see the return of Banjo-Kazooie game, but the possibility of a new game may be somewhat distant. During a recent event held to promote Microsoft Flight Simulator, attendees were asked about the titles they would like to see return in the future. YouTuber Puerta al Sotano attended the event and expressed his desire to see a new Banjo-Kazooie game. This prompted Aaron Greenberg, Vice President of Marketing at Xbox Games, to respond. Puerta al Sotano mentioned that Greenberg’s response was that “no one cares about Banjo-Kazooie game.”
We do not know if Greenberg meant it literally or if his words were just a joke, given the huge number of people who have been requesting a new Banjo-Kazooie game over the past fifteen years. It is also possible that Greenberg was serious and does not believe that the series has the same appeal it had when it first appeared.
The original Banjo-Kazooie game was released in 1998 on Nintendo 64. The game was a great success on the console, leading developer Rare to develop a sequel called Banjo-Tooie just two years later. In 2002, Nintendo decided to sell Rare to Microsoft, along with the intellectual property of the Banjo-Kazooie game. After releasing two Banjo games on Game Boy Advance and Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts on Xbox 360, the series was effectively discontinued. Fans’ hopes were renewed in 2019 when Banjo and Kazooie appeared in the game Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as playable guest fighters. This deal between Microsoft and Nintendo generated a lot of excitement among fans of the series. After that announcement, rumors started spreading that Microsoft was testing reactions to make a new Banjo-Kazooie game, but now five years have passed, and things don’t seem very promising.
Although Banjo-Kazooie game was once a big deal, it is hard to say how the series will make a comeback. Many of the original game developers left Rare over the years and founded Playtonic. While Playtonic does not own the rights to produce Banjo-Kazooie games, the developer created a spiritual successor known as Yooka-Laylee. Yooka-Laylee games borrowed elements from previous Rare games, and a new version of Yooka-Laylee is currently in development. This game may not be what fans of Banjo-Kazooie were hoping for, but in the absence of a new game, it will suffice for now!
