Banjo-Kazooie Revival Heats Up with Two Studios in the Spotlight

Fans of Banjo-Kazooie have been waiting a long time in hope. The road to revival has been littered with false starts and dead ends, but there may finally be light at the end of the spiral mountain tunnel. After recent news stories, Xbox's future seems uncertain. However, there's been an update that could make or break the hope of a Banjo-Kazooie return.

According to a new leak, the doors may finally be opening. The original creator, Greg Males, has stated that he would rather create new IPs than revisit and fix old ones. That feeling was shared by Rare's leaders, who reportedly turned down revival proposals with a firm "No, we have new plans".

This, however, was an old remark, and it seems to be changing, though. Recently, pitches have been presented to Xbox, and Toys for Bob and Moon Studios are the two names that consistently come up when people discuss reviving the franchise. This leak is even more likely to be true since both developers have a history of creating popular platform games and have close ties to Xbox.

Toys for Bob, known for their work on Crash Bandicoot 4 and the Spyro Reignited Trilogy, are collaborating with Xbox on a new game, which many people believe is another Spyro game. However, even if that's the case, they could still consider offering a Banjo game as their next project. They're a natural fit because of their bright look, polished platforming skills, and strong sense of nostalgia.

Many people really liked Moon Studios' games. They have also collaborated with Xbox in the past and are currently working on No Rest for the Wicked. However, the CEO of the studio has publicly stated that he wants to create a new Banjo-Kazooie game, and the rumor suggests this isn't just fan service. The sources indicate that Moon Studios may have pitched a Banjo project directly to Rare and Xbox.

Phil Spencer, who is in charge of Xbox, has made things worse. Last year, he thanked the die-hard Banjo fans and told them he hadn't forgotten about the series. Although nothing official has been announced, fans have reason to believe, given the project's interest, the excitement within the studio, and Xbox's recent shift toward multi-platform strategies.

And that strategy of using more than one platform could be the key to this. It's not just fan fiction that there should be a Banjo-Kazooie game on the new Nintendo Switch 2. It's also good business. The first Banjo-Kazooie games were huge hits on Nintendo systems, and the characters even came back as guest fighters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. If Switch 2 version comes out, it could sell millions of copies, making it a great choice for Microsoft's expanded publishing goals.

The main point? It's important not to get too excited because the green light hasn't been confirmed yet, but this is the strongest sign that Xbox might be thinking about bringing Banjo back. The only thing left for Microsoft to do is say "yes". Developers like Moon Studios and Toys for Bob are ready to go.

Now the question is: Moon Studios or Toys for Bob? If you had to pick, who would you trust to carry on Banjo's legacy?