14 DAY TRIAL // Microsoft registered the Battletoads trademark a while ago, sparking the hope that one of Rare's classic series would be revived sometime soon.
Microsoft is currently sitting on a small gold mine, as the acquisition of Rare also included the company's beloved franchises, with gems such as Donkey Kong and Banjo-Kazooie patiently waiting for a chance to step into the limelight once again.
However, the company isn't rushing anywhere but instead taking its sweet time to see when and how to best utilize the assets.
Microsoft Game Studios Creative Director Ken Lobb cleared the issue today during an interview on The Inner Circle Podcast and revealing what gamers could expect from Rare's endearing old franchises.
"This is one of the things I love about Phil [Spencer]. He understands the value of IP, not just in terms of 'Let's go make a new one every year,' but in terms of 'Let's go think about the portfolio and what makes the most sense at the right time.'"
"But then you need to wrap that with what the developer actually wants to build this year. What are they passionate about. Because again, the best games come from teams that want to build something," Lobb revealed.
This means that someday there will be another Banjo, Viva, Blast Corps or Battletoads, but that gamers will have to be patient.
Nostalgia alone can't power a new game
The reason the Battletoads trademark was renewed was that the company knows that there's a real value in the franchise, but that doesn't mean that the game is coming this year.
Lobb further added that the team had a lot of passion for the older titles, and there were plenty of surprises in store for both the near and long future, but that people would have to be patient.
The team wants to create new things, and during their meetings they talk about all kinds of crazy stuff, including the possibility of digging back into their portfolio of IPs and building some of the games that people used to love.
Microsoft has also mentioned that Rare's role goes way beyond Kinect Sports Rivals, the games that the company has been in charge of in recent years, and that there are plenty of exciting things in the studio's future.
Sure, this might all seem like a fancy way of saying nothing at all, especially considering the fact that more than a decade has passed since Rare was bought, but the company is bound to create some solid first-party games for the Xbox One home console, sooner or later.
