Rare squashes Killer Instinct 3 rumor (that we didn't know existed)
Fans of irritatingly long combos are out of luck, as Rare has given semi-official word that they're not working on a new installment of their Killer Instinct fighting game franchise.On the "Scribes" page of their site, Rare responds to a particularly rabid fan by assuring the Fulgore-loving masses that Killer Instinct 3 is not currently being planned. Instead, it seems Rare's energy is being levied into the next Banjo Kazooie game, about which very little is known. Hey! Maybe it'll have Sabrewulf in it! He's fuzzy enough, right?
Still, Rare notes that they deny KI3 due to "contractual obligation." And once they wrap up Banjo Kazooie 3, it's anyone's guess what they'll move on to. Crazy theories, anyone?










Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
samfish @ Jun 26th 2007 12:33PM
A new Killer Instinct and Jet Force Gemini, in addition to Banjo Kazooie 3 would definitely have been enough to get me to shell out for a 360. That more than meets my threshold for the number of quality* games needed to buy a console.
I guess you don't want my money, though, Microsoft! Too bad! I'll just spend it on porn, now!
samfish @ Jun 26th 2007 12:47PM
My bad. forgot the *
*=assuming Rare is still capable of making great games. This is up for debate these days.
Rare Hare @ Jun 26th 2007 12:54PM
"I guess you don't want my money, though, Microsoft! Too bad! I'll just spend it on porn, now!"
Made me LOL. It's funny because it's true.
Squeedom @ Jun 26th 2007 1:00PM
i want another perfect dark, i thought the last one was not as bad as everyone made it out to be, it was just launchy.
Odog4ever @ Jun 26th 2007 1:01PM
All I want is Killer Instinct 1 & 2 on xbla. Is that too much to ask?
(They could even replace the "3-D sprites" with actual 3-D models in glorious HD! *Sigh* The wait continues)
Konny @ Jun 26th 2007 1:04PM
Would people PLEASE stop dreaming that Rare will somehow recapture some of its PAST glory and innovation. This is NOT the same company that developed Cobra Triangle, Battletoads, GoldenEye, Conkers, etc, etc. The only connection is the name and that they hold some of the IPs.
Ninegauger @ Jun 26th 2007 1:11PM
I think they are... they just need to delay their games when necessary like back in the good old days. Rare games were always worth the wait... up until Star Fox Adventure. Viva Piñata also seemed pretty polished from the demo...
I'm really looking forward to another one of their collect-a-thons... I would have appreciated Star Fox Adventures more if I'd known there wouldn't be another for so long. I do wish they'd do another Jet Force Jemini after Banjo-Kazooie... or Blast Corps! Next-gen building razing!
Man... Rare used to be so rad... they really need to get back on that.
samfish @ Jun 26th 2007 1:15PM
"Rare games were always worth the wait... up until Star Fox Adventure"
Hey, I LIKED Star Fox Adventure.
...although I kinda wish they weren't forced to shoe-horn in the Star Fox characters and could've just kept it Dinosaur Planet.
JAGO @ Jun 26th 2007 1:21PM
I remember when people said that Nintendo was going to lose because they lost Rare. Wow, was everyone wrong. Nintendo is doing just fine and Rare hasn't made a decent game since.
Almack64 @ Jun 26th 2007 1:22PM
Yeah it is amazing how many great games Rare had made over the years and how different it is today.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Rare_Ltd._games
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rare_%28company%29
I guess Konny may be right.
razer @ Jun 26th 2007 1:48PM
Yes, a Killer Instinct game would be a great thing for RARE. But that would go against their new company philosophy. 1. Be MS's bitch 2. Make games that are crap.
Kameo was decent, Viva was decent.. How about doing someting that is actually GOOD.
Everybody sing...
The old grey RARE she aint what she used to be, aint what she used to be, aint what she used to be..
TheCassidy @ Jun 26th 2007 1:59PM
The kind of people who say RARE sucks now, are the very same people who never play games like Viva Pinata, which is a delight to play, from a purely visceral standpoint. It's the only game I can think of that is relaxing and a milestone in game narrative. But there it is in the bargain bins next to Psychonauts.
I've always felt that RARE is either a victor or a victim of circumstance. Given the right time and place, their games either click or they don't. Grabbed by the Ghoulies was a solid game, it just didn't work on XBox - it would have done great on the Gamecube which lacked adventure games.
Perfect Dark Zero was a solid launch title, but it was rushed out of the gate and overshadowed by COD2 and was being compared with Halo.
Goldeneye was refreshing because it proved a FPS could work on a console. The N64's success is largely tied to that game.
The SNES was a perfect fighting genre console because of the controller, which made a title like Killer Instinct work.
Banjo rode the wave of SM64, proving that 3D platformers were here to stay.
My point is that RARE'S success has less to do with the quality of their titles, and more to do with time and place and the gaming climate. I love them, but I'm afraid that their days are numbered unless they can fill a niche that is lacking, as they historically have been very successful doing.
And while the Stampers DID leave RARE,the original team behind BK1 & 2 are working on 3. So, it's not entirely true to say that it isn't the same company.
Jake @ Jun 26th 2007 2:11PM
Rare isn't that bad. Part of their lack of success is the change in gaming climate and part of it is that they are MS first party even though their games appeal more to the Nintendo fans.
But certainly Viva Pinata, Kameo, and PDZ don't compare to Donkey Kong Country, Killer Instinct, and Goldeneye. Then again, they used to take more time on games and release them farther apart than three a year.
Loki @ Jun 26th 2007 2:29PM
6. Would people PLEASE stop dreaming that Rare will somehow recapture some of its PAST glory and innovation.
Amen....
teitoku @ Jun 26th 2007 2:36PM
"The kind of people who say RARE sucks now, are the very same people who never play games like Viva Pinata, which is a delight to play, from a purely visceral standpoint. It's the only game I can think of that is relaxing and a milestone in game narrative. But there it is in the bargain bins next to Psychonauts."
Rare sucks now. I've played Viva Pinata, including the bazillions of names it was previously released under when Maxis made 'em. It belongs with Psychonauts, another game with too much budget and too little substance.
frankybones @ Jun 26th 2007 2:54PM
I think KI 3 would have made me go out and buy the 360, but Ive said that about Vitua Fighter for the PS3 and DOA for the 360 as well. I guess fighting games arent what they used to be. We'll have to see what Super Smash Bros. does for the genre.
jay @ Jun 26th 2007 3:05PM
Poor Rare. Poor dead Rare.
Wait, I never liked DKC (hi loose controls) and only really enjoyed Goldeneye and Jet Force Gemini from them...
austin @ Jun 26th 2007 3:06PM
Wow. Rare makes the worst games, like Perfect Dark, Kameo, and Grabbed by the friggin Ghoulies, but they cant make the ONLY game that people ACTUALLY want them to make?
Hey Rare, in case you didnt get the memo, NOBODY WANTS TO PLAY KAMEO 2!
If Rare wants to do just one thing right for Microsoft, then that would be to put the original Killer Instinct on XBLA! Do something right Rare!
Juan @ Jul 11th 2007 6:27PM
DAMM RARE, i think they underestimate the large amount of people that would buy the game. Its there loss if they dont make it, i mean if they made KI3, it would be the only and biggest reason for me to buy xbox 360.
Ahh well! at least i will always remember the good old days when i went to the arcades, and i had to get in line because of so many people that wanted to play KI2.
Martez @ Jun 26th 2007 3:07PM
Can we just not have a new Killer Instinct? New, less Rare-y Rare will only muck it up and ruin our good memories of it. Can we just have some new IPs? Please?
Martez @ Jun 26th 2007 3:08PM
Also, what's with the love for Jet Force Gemini? I only played it for a couple of hours, but it didn't strike me as anything special at all.
ferrarimanf355 @ Jun 26th 2007 3:37PM
I will never understand why the people over at TeamXbox have such a hard-on for this button-mash-a-thon when Virtua Fighter 5 is hitting in a couple of months, and Soul Calibur 4 will hit next year WITH ONLINE MULTIPLAYER. And yet, they want a new Killer Instinct game? I just can't understand some people...
Snappy @ Jun 26th 2007 3:50PM
Do you really want KI3? Rare hasn't done a fighting game since KI2, and I don't think they still have the people who made the KI games, so they'll have to start from scratch. And I think the creators of Jet Force have left as well.
Sidepocket @ Jun 26th 2007 4:31PM
KI3 on 360 would make sense because of the 360's market: Wanna be mature gamers.
Viva Pinata failed commercially for that reason. No kids, they are off playing Super Paper Mario and Wii Sports. :D
ferrarimanf355 @ Jul 11th 2007 10:16PM
With Virtua Fighter 5, Soul Calibur IV, and Super Street Fighter II Remix, there's no need for KI3. Leave it alone, already. :-)
dave @ Jun 26th 2007 4:51PM
Im sorry but why the fuck not. The games that rare have brought out on the xbox and 360 were shit and i bet they only make kids games from now on. Most of these comments are right RARE and shit now. Not like the good old days of N64
Salt Water Taffy @ Jun 26th 2007 6:11PM
I can't help but laugh at Rare trying to get attention. Nobody gives a damn about them anymore. All of their recent games are shit and they are limping around with the crutch that is their past glory. No Killer Instinct 3?
Who cares..just release the old ones on xbox live, even Rare can't mess that up.
JBourrie @ Jun 26th 2007 6:38PM
Read previous Scribes... KI3 is mentioned in almost every one of them, it's kind of a running joke. And every time they change their story, just to screw with people.
I'm far more frustrated with the new Scribes because they thought the picture of my arse-mask was fake. I wasted an entire page from my color ink cartridge to make that mask!
ultra Xbox user @ Jul 5th 2007 7:34PM
Who is going to sew me if I play ki on my pc. Rare or Nintendo.
Armando Vega @ Jul 8th 2007 3:13AM
*laments the loss of Rare*
Does anyone know why so much talent left Rare, before Microsoft's acquisition? Was it largely a case of pursuing personal professional interests? Whatever happened to company loyalty. If I belonged to a great team like Rare of the glory days, you'd better believe I'd have a sense of company pride.
kiddco @ Jul 21st 2007 7:42PM
rare needs to come out with another killer instinct game there's never been a game since to see it combos the fun fighting games now get boring after a while trust me bring it to the 360 upgrade the characters don't change the game play that's were mortal kombat fell off bring it back to the good old days
Jacques @ Aug 2nd 2007 5:38AM
Hopefully they have been working on it secretly since the release of the last KI. Maybe they will just drop it... people will buy it, it will wtfpwnFACE and people will go nuts. They could do so much.... sooo much with it if they don't mess it up.
BTW, any one ever play (beat) Snake Rattle 'n Roll? THAT is a great game by Rare, GG.