I enjoyed Kameo a lot.

@pumble

Activition probably would have done 2 more banjo Games and then let RARE die. Look at crash and spyro, they made a few games and then stopped, only later to add both to skylanders. That would be banjos fate, an ugly redesign of his character to fit in the world of skylanders.

@Mr Pumblechook

The same publisher that was under Bobby Kotick of the time? Sure, you can bring up their Avatar + Kinect stints if you're so inclined but that'd probably be minor in comparison to the rule under Activision. Frankly, you don't know what you're talking about.

Hate to tell you guys, but Rare approached MS and said that they wanted to focus on the Kinect. MS didn't force them. Rare talked about it in an interview several months ago.

I wonder what Rare is working on now that Sea of Thieves is wrapping up? Personally, I want a Perfect Dark Reboot... open world (even like Hitman/Splinter Cell would be okay), 3rd person.

@coolbeans. When discussing a topic, just once please try and leave brand loyalty aside. Your arguments for Rare's success is to attack Activision instead of focusing on what MS-Rare have or have not achieved.

When Rare were bought by Microsoft they were the goose that would lay golden eggs. FPS games, Goldeneye, Perfect Dark, racing games like Diddy Kong and 3D platformers like Banjo & Kazooie - all top of their genre. Yes MS-Rare made the fairly good Kameo and a Perfect Dark game but what after that? This is not an attack on Xbox, it is a criticism that Microsoft who had this massive team of talented developers assigned them to making trivial avatar clothing until the talent fled. By all means love Xbox, that is fine, but it is still okay to decry the bad business decisions made by Microsoft. If you think otherwise please answer this one question: Can you name YOUR favourite Rare game from the last seven years that you regard as a standout title?

@Mr Pumblechook

"When discussing a topic, just once please try and leave brand loyalty aside."

Yeah right. Nevermind that within my second sentence I literally acknowledged issues with MS's use of the developer in the past. Tell you what: when discussing a topic let's try to leave poor assumptions of character aside and discuss the arguments made.

"Yes MS-Rare made the fairly good Kameo and a Perfect Dark game but what after that?"

The three other games I remember them making between those games you've listed and the Kinect games:

-Viva Pinata
-Viva Pinata (2): Trouble in Paradise
-Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts

Now I haven't really played any of these in depth or anything, but I've seen many give credit to the VP games. I don't know what you think about them.

"By all means love Xbox, that is fine, but it is still okay to decry the bad business decisions made by Microsoft."

Where did I say otherwise? The whole point of my disagreement with what you previously stated was grounded by this: the lesser of two evils. My entire point was focused on those that decried MS for utterly decimating Rare (or whatever hyperbolic language is used) and saying "it could've been worse, Kotick could've overseen them." Again, I'm not disregarding the drier periods from them or criticisms of MS not taking full advantage of such wonderful IP's (the Conker/Project Spark announcement was a kick in the family jewels for me). As for your question: I haven't played any of Rare's games released in past 7 years unless you count Rare Replay. If that counts, I consider that one of the best collections ever made.

Mr Pumblechook "Can you name YOUR favourite Rare game from the last seven years that you regard as a standout title?"

Coolbeans "Viva Pinata
-Viva Pinata (2): Trouble in Paradise
-Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts "

I appreciate your candour. Your answer proves the point I was trying to illustrate: Viva Piñata 2 and Banjo & Kazooie Nuts & Bolts were released back in 2008 - that is OVER 7 years ago. We have to look back very far to find classic games from Rare.

@Mr Pumblechook

You misquoted me. I'm not going to have a final say as to whether or not there has been a 'classic' game made by Rare in the past 7 years until I get around to playing them for myself. And I didn't even play those VP or new Banjo game yet so I can't say for certain if those are 'classic' either. Having said all that, the content I've seen from Sea of Thieves already looks more inspired and fun than anything I predict Activision would've forcefully pumped out of them.

"We have to look back very far to find classic games from Rare."

Well...okay. If discounting Rare Replay, that is the general sentiment I seem to get from old-time Rare fans. But when considering the terrible an used-to-be-great studio like Neversoft has gone through under Activision's control, I'm convinced you wouldn't even get that short stint of inspired games during the early 7th gen era.