Ori Developer Thinks a New Banjo-Kazooie Game Could Rival 3D Mario Sales

Posted by By our-little-miss-is-home January 20, 2025 124 Views 6 Min Read
Ori Developer Thinks a New Banjo-Kazooie Game Could Rival 3D Mario Sales



Summary

  • Moon Studios’ CEO suggests a Banjo-Kazooie revival could rival Mario in sales if given to the right developers.
  • Xbox lacks a family-friendly 3D platformer, making a Banjo revival enticing for potential Nintendo-level success.
  • Xbox may have the necessary IPs for a new slate of family-friendly 3D platformers, including Banjo-Kazooie, Crash Bandicoot, and Spyro the Dragon.

Many Xbox gamers would likely agree with the CEO of Moon Studios, who says a Banjo-Kazooie revival could do Nintendo numbers. Moon Studios is known for its two critically acclaimed 2D action platformers, Ori and the Blind Forest and its 2020 follow-up Ori and the Will of the Wisps, which both originally debuted as timed Xbox console exclusives. The studio is currently working on an isometric action RPG, No Rest for the Wicked, which had an early access release last April.

Xbox has had a noticeable family-friendly 3D platformer gap in its first-party portfolio for quite some time. Nintendo has been proven to be the king of family-friendly games for decades, and even PlayStation has released hit titles like Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart and the more recent Game of the Year-winning Astro Bot. Double Fine’s widely celebrated 2021 hit Psychonauts 2 is the closest Xbox has come to having a family-friendly platformer hit in its lineup. After acquiring Activision Blizzard, it’s also now sitting on IPs like Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon, though no plans for either franchise have been officially announced.

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According to Pure Xbox, CEO of Moon Studios Thomas Mahler mentioned Xbox’s family-friendly struggles, bringing up how Xbox could make a huge splash if it revived Banjo-Kazooie, and could even potentially “rival 3D Mario and probably sell similar numbers.” For context, Nintendo’s most recent major 3D Mario game, Super Mario Odyssey boasts over 28 million copies sold since its 2017 release. On a separate note, Mahler brought up that had Xbox and Moon Studios’ Ori relationship lasted longer, they might have experimented with making a 3D Ori game, which makes sense considering the studio’s eventual shift to a 3D action RPG in No Rest for the Wicked.

Moon Studios CEO Says an Xbox Banjo-Kazooie Revival Could Do Nintendo Numbers

It seems Xbox has the IP necessary to spin up its own slate of family-friendly 3D platfomers, and it’s just a matter of finding the right developers. Banjo-Kazooie‘s original developer, Rare, seems to have its hands full with ongoing Sea of Thieves support and its reportedly rocky Everwild development. Double Fine is another potential Banjo suitor within Xbox, but studio head Tim Schafer has openly expressed the team wanting to create its own original IPs for the time being. Although Toys for Bob separated from Xbox and went independent following the Activision buyout, it’s still partnered with Xbox for its next game, which is currently a mystery. Perhaps Toys for Bob could be tasked with Banjo‘s revival, though Crash Bandicoot and Spyro the Dragon are also still on the table, as the studio has a strong history with those two IPs.

They have been sitting on Banjo Kazooie with nothing happening there even though a really talented developer could probably make a Banjo game that could rival 3D Mario and probably sell similar numbers.

If Banjo-Kazooie were to be brought back, it would be interesting to see whether it would be a remake, a remaster, or a full-blown reboot. A sequel would likely be off the table considering just how long it’s been since the last Banjo title. With Xbox head Phil Spencer acknowledging fans’ desire for a new Banjo game near the end of 2023, a revival seems more possible than ever. Fans will just need to keep tuning in to Xbox’s big June Summer Game Fest showcases, as that’s likely where such an announcement would take place.

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