All Channels
Popular
230°

Where are Rare?

Jon Martin at Coregamer: In 2002 Microsoft purchases Rareware for $375 million, a record for a videogame developer and following the announcement of the deal there was disbelief at the switch from Nintendo to Microsoft and excitement at the new titles that would be moved over to the Xbox, in particular Perfect Dark Zero that had been planned for the Gamecube. Sadly things don’t always go to plan.

Read Full Story >>
coregamer.co.uk
BioDio5735d ago

Rare is doing crap for Kinect >_>
Microsoft just killed a great company... the end...

morventhus5735d ago

I might have agreed with you.. except if I remember correctly... Rare choose to do Kinect, Stating it gave them more freedom to innovate. Plus I also remember reading a statement by them saying how MS has givin them more freedom compared to Nintendo...

Now dont get me wrong there games are not up to par with the N64 days... but i still like the games none the less

DelbertGrady5735d ago

M$$$ are forcing RARE at gunpoint to work for them. Everyone who works at RARE is a cute little puppy and everyone at M$$$ is a big bad wolf.

RARE hates getting the chance to work with Kinect and would much rather develop new iterations of the same game over and over.

SilentNegotiator5735d ago (Edited 5735d ago )

Uhhh...Microsoft OWNS Rare. Microsoft doesn't make them at gunpoint, but if they want to continue getting paychecks, they can't curl up in the corner and scream "I DON'T WANNA!"

@Morventhus
They aren't a third party; they don't "choose" what they work on, and if they claim to, it's because that's what they were told to say.

BrianB5735d ago (Edited 5735d ago )

microsoft didnt kill any company most of Rares key staff members left in the late 90's and early 2000's before the original xbox was released , sony fanboys are just jealous that such a legendary company isn't developing on their cr@ppy system,

Games4M - Rob5735d ago

hang on - first you admit that its barely a shell of the same company they were in their prime and then you try to make out that PS3 users are jealous of that shell ?

Regardless of the fact that you dont make any sense there is nothing to be jealous of when it comes to rare - their output this gen has been pure shite.

BioDio5735d ago

Jealous of what? Kinect sports? no thx >_>

BrianB5735d ago

"their output this gen has been pure shite."

lol so has Zipper interactive and Insomniac, two companies that have underperformed this gen, but it doesn't stop you Sony fanboys ejaculating over them, boasting about their not so great games like Socom Craputation, Ratchet and Clank, MAG, Resistance..lol especially Resistance you actually think 360 owners are jealous of that when we have Halo a more superior series

lodossrage5735d ago

you don't even realize how stupid that sounds. First off Insomiac's games have been critically acclaimed. With Resistance and Rachet and Clank ALWAYS rating in the 8/10 and 9/10 categories.

Secondly, Socom confrontation wasn't even DONE by zipper. Do your homework before you start talking crap.

Third, you admitted Rare has been sub par this gen yet you say Sony fanboys are jealous. Jealous of what? Not having a sub par game developer on their side?

Oh and as for Halo being "superior", I'm not sure what you kids are taught about gaming these days, but just because MS markets a game like it's god and TELLS you it's good doesn't make it superior.

BioDio5735d ago

Resistance 1 was bad, Resistance 2 is (for my suprise) really good, the campaing doesn't have a great story, but it has great pacing. Ratchet and clank are too kid friendly now. The new Socom seems cool, MAG doesn't look that great.
Halo is overrated, altough it might have a cool online, the campaing is bad. And right now, your Xbox is more like XboxKinect360 because you don't have that many great exclusives and your live gold just went up.

In the end... let's all go to PC and play Guild Wars 2 =p THAT is a massive hit game

Redempteur5735d ago

@BrianB

seriously you really don't know how to troll ..and if you belive what you're saying then you're lost forever ratchet and clanck already spammed 3 games this gen with 2 more coming and resistance stabilised itself as a new IP ( with 3 games already )
what's more these titles sells.

As for mag it's a technical and a commercial succès..check your facts and then come back

BrianB5735d ago

correct me if im wrong but weren't the Ratchet games AAA last gen now there barely scraping AA, kinda pathetic, and Resistance isnt a AAA franchise sorry to break it to you its kinda mediocre, and who cares whether Zipper made Confrontation or not MAG is still a mediocre game in comparison to their previous efforts, im saying its completley hypocritical of sony slaves to say that Rare has under performed when the same has occurred to Zipper and Insomniac. I'll take Rare over those to devs thank you

prettyboy15735d ago

u sound like an upset kid that had his favorite toy broke,and ur statement kinda contadicts itself,hypocrite much

lodossrage5735d ago (Edited 5735d ago )

Allow me to repeat what I JUST said

Resistance and Rachet and clank are CONSISTENTLY pushing 8/10 and 9/10. And as Redemptur JUST said, MAG has been technical and commercial success. And um no, see if Zipper and Insomniac under performed, their games WOULDN'T have gotten sequels. Where is the sequel to that Banjo game from Rare for example? You need to get your facts straight before you (an xbox fanboy) talks about Sony fanboys. And for the record, it's not just "sony fanboys" saying Rare has fallen off the map, YOU (an xbox fanboy) even admitted to it.

How is it hypocritical when zipper and insomniac are still making REAL games while Rare is reduced to being Kinect and Avatar based?

The only thing you've "broke to me" was your high level of ignorance kid

BrianB5735d ago (Edited 5735d ago )

whatever bungie beats both zipper, insomniac and rare put together

lodossrage5735d ago (Edited 5735d ago )

Take a gander at the post above mine (BrianB). See that there? THAT is what a defeated fanboy sounds like when they have no facts to back themselves up. See how he changes the subject when he feels the weight of defeat? :)

Now ladies and gentleman, I can very easily counter his little bungie being better claim, but the child has no more bubbles at it wouldn't be fair to him lol

oh and Brian, good job on agreeing with yourself there, +bubbles for that lol

sikbeta5735d ago (Edited 5735d ago )

Rare "soul" -> Free Radical Design = Crytek UK now

the remains of Rare after the N era = a couple of games non appealing games for the xbox crowd and fully focused making kinect "games"

jealous? pleaaaaaseeeee.....

3nd3rth35735d ago

I don't think you can pull the Bungie beats everyone card anymore... They are turning multiplat after Reach. No more hi-end HALO, but on the other end, Insomniac is also going multiplat, but they are 3rd party, and we still get an R3 announcement. Just saying.

boodybandit5735d ago (Edited 5735d ago )

I nearly shot coffee all over my keyboard when I read that. LOL!

BrianB got his back side whooped hard and then tried to divert attention away from it but failed miserably.

+ Show (12) more repliesLast reply 5735d ago
IaMs125735d ago

Dont blame MS blame the company. They killed themselfs, its not MS fault that PDZ wasnt great, its RARE making the games not MS.

Lord Gunchrote5735d ago

MS kinda did rush them though in order to 360 launch titles. Rushing out shoddy product is actually their most productive division.

JsonHenry5735d ago

They are working on Kinetic games as well as starting work on the next gen console games.

+ Show (1) more replyLast reply 5735d ago
NYC_Gamer5735d ago

alot of the original team left the studio along time ago

Slient Knight 95735d ago

where did they all go to? Did they join other studios or set up a new studio?

sikbeta5735d ago (Edited 5735d ago )

They formed Free Radical Design and made the best FPS franchise from last Gen = Time Splitters

After the crap of Haze this gen, well, they're Crytek UK now...

ingiomar5735d ago

Its a shame microsoft spend so much money and now 'rare is doing nothing for the hardcore

and no rare isn't dead they are to busy with the casuals :(

outrageous5735d ago

Rare is busy with the whole Kinect launch. In case you haven't noticed, M$ is spending a HUGE wad of money on Kinect for today and more importantly, the future...Rare is a big part of that. They are responsible for not only a critical party game in Kinectsports, but they are responsible for the new avatars and Kinect inspired dashboard update coming in a few short weeks. They still own some quality IP's and have different projects on the go. They released the original Perfectdark on XBL and are planning to make future games based off of those IP's. They just moved into a new studio and have a new logo. M$ has invested alot of money into Rare and you can expect big things from them in the near future. I think we can expect some BIG surprises at E3 2011.

Omega45735d ago

I do wonder what they are working on, I somehow doubt for the past two years all they were doing was Kinect Sports.

TotalPS3Fanboy5735d ago

"I do wonder what they are working on..."

They're working on Kinect Sports.

"...I somehow doubt for the past two years all they were doing was Kinect Sports."

They were.

Redempteur5735d ago

actually they are also updating the avatar's look

MorganX5735d ago

I'm sure they've been working on XBL for Windows Phone 7 since the Avatars will be on the phone and have interactivity. The built in phone flashlight will use the Avatar. Not necessary but I can see how a developer might have wanted to do it. Clearly, they're happy to be getting paid to be doing what they're doing. They're just not doing what most of us want them to be doing.

scruffy_bear5735d ago

That's the $375 million question

young juice5735d ago

holy ****, microsoft spent that much? *** damn no wonder they aint got a good quantity of quality devs. they keep spending unprecedented amounts of cash on studios that are no longer relevant. although they were purchased a while ago so rare may have been worth it at the time.

Show all comments (63)
170°

‘Thanks to everyone who played’: Banjo-Kazooie director confirms Rare exit after 36 years

Gregg Mayles writes: "Today was my last day at Rare Ltd. Thanks to everyone who played and enjoyed any of the games I helped create while I was there. Also thanks to all the people that worked on the games alongside me. It seemed fitting that I should say farewell with one final rhyme!"

QueenOfFrowns214d ago

These sorts of goodbyes are always the most heart-wrenching.

rlow1214d ago

lol, read his poem and it’s epic. Congrats and gods speed to you sir.

Reaper22_213d ago

Godspeed for the rest of your journey, sir. Loved BK. I think I'll play it this weekend to show my appreciation for this classic.

Ristul213d ago

Wow, thats a long run on the same company, good luck to you sir!

70°

Rare veteran lands new role at Xbox Game Studios after Everwild cancellation

Louise O’Connor, a 25-year Rare veteran, has been made Xbox Game Studios’ Chief of Staff.

Read Full Story >>
videogameschronicle.com
Sciurus_vulgaris257d ago

Not to offend anyone. But what was Rare doing with Everwild for so many years? Development began in 2014, with a reveal in 2019. From 2019 onwards nothing was about the game.

Notellin256d ago

"Notably, O’Connor’s boss of 13 years, former Rare studio head Craig Duncan, was appointed head of Xbox Game Studios last year."

Hiring internal talent from Rare worked out so well last time.

RhinoGamer88256d ago

Cronyism at its finest. #failup

40°

Rare Celebrates 40 Years with Ruby-Themed Exclusives and More

2025 marks the 40th ‘Ruby’ Anniversary of that bold endeavour, and Rare’s inviting everyone to join the celebration of this impressive milestone, offering free gifts, discounts and plenty of swag to claim in their shared-world pirate adventure, Sea of Thieves.

Read Full Story >>
news.xbox.com
-Foxtrot281d ago

It's a shame it seems pretty Sea of Thieves centric

I was hoping for some cool Banjo / Conker merch or maybe a re-release of Rare Relay with some added games, possibly work something out with Nintendo so they can add Goldeneye to it with online support.