Xbox Insider Has Bad News For Banjo-Kazooie Fans

According to Xbox insider Jez Corden, a new Banjo-Kazooie game may not be in development after all. It’s been a long time since the last proper Banjo-Kazooie game, and fans of the titular characters have been hoping for a new title for well over a decade. Some are now starting to wonder whether Banjo will ever make a comeback as the IP continues to collect dust.

The desire for a new 3D Banjo-Kazooie platformer has only increased in recent years. As Xbox adds more and more first-party studios to its ranks, Banjo fans have become more optimistic that the publisher finally has the necessary resources to make a new game. This optimism ballooned after Xbox’s Activision buyout, which added Toys for Bob, the studio responsible for the immensely popular Crash Bandicoot and Spyro franchises, to its list of acquisitions. Despite Toys for Bob recently becoming independent, the studio is still partnering with Xbox for a new, unannounced game, heavily rumored to be Spyro the Dragon.

On a recent episode of the XB2+1 Podcast, well-known Xbox insider Jez Corden mentioned that a new Banjo-Kazooie game is not currently in development at Xbox. This came after guest Parris Lilly made a strong case as to why Xbox should utilize Banjo to create more family-friendly titles like its competitors PlayStation and Nintendo. Corden clarified that a new Banjo title could happen in the future, but nothing is underway at this moment in time.

Jez Corden Says New Banjo-Kazooie Game Is Not In Development

Corden’s disheartening comment comes in contrast to recent reports from insider Nate the Hate, who stated that a new Banjo-Kazooie game had been greenlit in early 2022 and recently rebooted development. With Nintendo continuing to crush the family-friendly platformer genre and PlayStation creating games like its highly anticipated Astro Bot and LEGO Horizon Adventures, many Xbox fans feel that focusing on characters found in Crash, Spyro, and Banjo may give the brand a foothold in that market. Xbox may value the Crash and Spyro IPs more than Banjo, as each has seen recent remasters and new entries.

If a new Banjo game does come along at some point in the future, it’s unclear whether it will be a sequel, a reboot, or a remake of the original game. Considering that it’s been over 20 years since Banjo-Tooie, many fans are expecting a reboot to make the most sense. Despite Banjo-Kazooie staying off the shelf for now, Xbox may have a new family-friendly platformer in store for fans in the form of a new IP from Double Fine.

Banjo-Kazooie

Banjo-Kazooie is a 3D platformer and collectathon game from developer Rare, the same company behind Donkey Kong 64. In this release, players will control Banjo and his feathered friend Kazooie as they attempt to rescue Banjo’s sister from the witch Gruntilda.

Released

June 28, 1998

Publisher(s)

Nintendo

Genre(s)

3D Platformer