Rare's my favourite gaming company, but I'm strictly a Nintendo fanboy currently, only owning a GCN and SP. So, if this sounds biased or something, I'm sorry. However, I found these sales figures that show the amount of titles Rare has shipped since their move to Microsoft, and it's pretty indicitive of the whole situation Rare currently faces. For a company that won't be releasing another game until March 2005, this must be worrying someone... and I bet Nintendo is jumping with glee.

These are all based on American sales...

Source: NPD (www.npd.com)

Before anyone says that the dismal sales are a reflection of GBTG quality, SFA was critically mauled upon release by the majority of industry reviews, and DKC was brushed aside by the industry media due to the fact it was a port.

It can be noted that seeing as though the games contained established Nintendo characters they were destined to sell mountains, but that fact has less impact when considering that Banjo Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge has sold nearly 500,000 copies and Sabre Wulf, Rare's latest exploit on the GBA has sold 200,000 copies in Europe and Australia alone, with it's American release date yet to be announced.

*Sigh*... It's just another reason for Nintendo to be celebrating their decision, Microsoft for crying over a major money loss, and Rare left out in the cold, putting much of their effort on a system whose fans are not enthused by Rare as much as their Nintendo comrades are.

Interesting nonetheless.

This should really be in the Xbox forum. It relates nothing to Nintendo other than the notion that they're probably happily counting their money from the sale.

Interesting...
But I don't really care whether Rare come back now. As much as i'd like to see PDZero and new Banjo games... (perhaps even Kameo)... the quality of Rare titles has diminished and I do not feel it will rise again.

Yes well it's a bit hard for Xbox fans to get excited over the presence of Rareware on their system, considering that they've only released one game - and it was rubbish.

If Rareware had a few Xbox releases up their sleeve and if they were actually good, I'm sure the situation would be different.

And I doubt Grabbed By the Ghoulies would've sold any better if it were on GCN instead of Xbox.

He's right. So off to xbox central it goes.

And while I'm replying, I'm going to say that I feel Rare's games aren't the right type for the demographic....

i once thought that rares quality had gone down but now i dont.
rare always sucked at getting games out on schedual, they take ages to make games and they have only just reached the point where they have been on xbox for long enough to come to grasp with it.

i really think that conker and kameo will rock very hard and if i was a gcn only owner would be very anoyed about missing out on kameo. i dont mind about conker cos ive played it heaps on 64.
I have a very strong suspicion that PD0 is going to be an xbox 2 launch title as with halo 2 taking so long halo 3 would probly not be ready for launch.

in other word i dont think you should discount rares ability to mke great games until you see reviewers declaring that kameo sucks (which i really really hope it doesnt)

I remember reading that Rare treated their developers really badly.

I can't remember where I read it, but it was a heap of 'accounts' from ex-Rare employees basically they were whinging about how they were being treated.(which, by the sounds of it, was pretty badly)

I've got an Xbox ready for any AAA quality Rare title that may or may not be produced in the future. Rare have certainly hit a new low since leaving Nintendo where they blossomed. One of my all time favourite games, Perfect Dark, was created by Rare so I won't give up on them nor fail to consider the games they produce. It's a shame business and the pursuit of more money has all but destroyed what was a brilliant developer. It is a prime example of how Nintendo are all about business aswell, for if they were only concerned with the fans, Rare would not have left.

I think Conker will bring Rare back into the fray. However their main problem is their inability to pump quality titles out regurlarly. If they could release Conker, Perfect Dark 0, Banjo Theeie and Kameo all in the same year they would have their credibility restored. But if that happened I doubt we'd see another Xbox game from them until way after the "Xenons" release.

That was proved to be a hoax by a few clever people who managed to have the ignorant internet community talking. I found it amusing that so many people actually believed the statements, considering the obvious crapulance within.

Meh.

When the website I used to work for visited Rare's HQ, the staff appeared very happy, the facilities were top notch, and it was a very laidback atmosphere. There were a few official responses on Rare's website to the 'employee comments', which they had a great time taking the piss out of.

Just shows you how ignorant and gullible internet folk are.

This should be turned into the Official Rare Thread because I have some bitching to do about Rare and I also want to get really excited by some of the games Rare will release in the near future. Actually less bitching more fanboyish comments :P

People have jumped all over Rare ever since they have moved to Microsoft, but Rare have only released one game on the Xbox which apparently wasn't excellent. Is this reason enough to throw in the towel on Rare? In my opinion, no.

I don't care when Perfect Dark Zero will be released I just know it will blow everyone away. With Microsoft's endless pockets Rare will have everything at their disposal to make a game that will revolutionise the industry for generations to come.

If it is a launch title on the Xbox 2 then fine, I can wait, but I did buy an Xbox for three reasons: Halo 2, Fable and Perfect Dark Zero.

Conker on Xbox should be some insanely good multiplayer fun but it won't be the game that will reassure everyone about Rare. Those honours have to go to Kameo or Perfect Dark Zero, and with PD0 so far away then Kameo must be the game. Kameo will have to be the game that makes people love Rare again.

What i don't understand is after just one game people have jumped down Rare's throat and have criticized Microsoft for buying Rare out and those same people are also saying Nintendo must be jumping for joy. I think the exact opposite. Microsoft will be delighted to have Rare in its corner for the next generation fight. It is understood that Microsoft have lost a lot o money on Xbox but with their limitless funds they are not worried. Microsoft are gearing themselves up for the next generation fight.

Basically what I'm saying is how can the same Rare fans all of a sudden write Rare off just because of one game which is not up to Rare's usual unbelievable standard. Rare will prove the doubters wrong and will provide us Xbox gamers with some great gaming nights to come.

Presently I feel Kameo and Conker are looking mighty fine, they look like they'll bring something to the Xbox that I feel it has been lacking. They're a pair of games that make me glad I own an Xbox as well as my PS2 and Cube. The Xbox seems to be overloaded with shooters and their ilk, and most don't really float my boat. Kameo and Conker have me very excited.

Personally I'm not worried about sales etc. But this information (and Grabbed by the Ghoulies) does suggest that Nintendo may very well have made the right decision.

Honestly.

Kameo and Conker look friggin' great, dont make these kind of asumptions when they have only released 1 title on the Xbox.

Half the reason people think they are failing is because they have only released one Xbox title and it didn't do very well.

The only reason It didn't sell well because it wasnt needed by the people nor the industry.

IF Rare released Kameo first, the headlines would read something along the lines of "Rareware Are Rare".

You get the picture.

Take Ubisoft for example, they released a pile of shit titles at the GCN launch (Tarzan Freeride) and they are at their best this year. Dont judge a developer before you have seen its potential (Well with developing with the Xbox). Rare have to get control and tap into the Xbox and make the most of it, They will do this with Kameo.


Just because a Developer creates 2 Luke-Warm titles doesn't mean they are over the hill.

I have faith in Rare but I don't think any one title, despite its quality, will save them. At the moment their biggest problem is shifting games and they take so long it seems like they're always an age apart. Rare really need to release some quality titles around the same time to make the public notice them.

And just for the record I don't think Kameo will be anything spectacular. It looks like a good game but doesn't seem to be anywhere near the standard of Conker. And lets face it, if you're only going to release a couple of games each year, top quality titles are imperative.

Yeah, Kameo hasn't really done a good job of impressing me... I'd love to be surprised but at the moment, it doesn't look too hot.

If that's the case, Rare should just pack up immediately and start selling cardboard boxes in Nigeria. :rolleyes: What the fuck else will save them besides a quality title?

Conker recieving a 9.3 + on IGN/Gamespot is all it will take for the ignorant morons to shut their idiotic mouths. I say this, because these days GameRankings.com is usually the deciding factor on whether to buy a game or not for the majority of gamers.

I think what he was saying is that even if they just make one excelent title, it won't save them cause it's only one title.

But I disagree with that, as Retro Studios are now considered a really good developer, yet all they have done is Metroid Prime. ;)

Reviews-wise, IGN is a joke nowadays, most gamers(casuals excluded) know to take every IGN review with a grain of salt as they often over or under score most games.

And even if IGN and Gamespot give Conker a Good score, what if nobody else does? ;)

Well Kameo comes out in January and it looks like a great title, but I don't think it'll get Rare the sales it would like, unless heavy advertising follows. Conker should be a good seller though, especially in the period where not many quality games will be released.

I don't think Kameo looks that appealing, and I don't they'll be able to sell many units of that. But Conker shows a bit more promise and I'll consider picking that up when it's out. One thing is that Rare have tried to be innovative by making new titles instead of franchising titles, and because those "innovative" titles haven't sold well, it's put a negative effect on Rare's reputation. They should be trying to establish a good franchise name (a la Perfect Dark), while at the same time creating some different titles. The way things are going at the moment, Rare aren't the developer powerhouse of Goldeneye/PD days, and nothing looks to be changing that anytime soon.