Rare was once a much-beloved second-party Nintendo development studio, that made some truly amazing games.  These games included such hits as Goldeneye 64, Perfect Dark, and the two Banjo Kazooie's.  However, they were later purchased by Microsoft for a hefty sum upon that company's entrance into the console hardware market.  Since then, there has been an undeniable faltering in Rare's critical and commercial reception throughtout the industry and gaming community, leading me too ask you the question, are they capable of turning this situation around?

So far this generation, we have seen some critically successful games from Rare such as Perfect Dark Zero, and to a greater extent Viva Pinata.  However, as much as PDZ, Viva and Kameo (I loved this game btw) were respectable games, their critical and commercial reception was average, and therefore not maintaining the prestige seen in Rare's history.

In 2008 and 2009, I think it is possible for this to change entirely.  We can expect to see the third installment of Banjo Kazooie next year, and I think this game will prove to be a strong signal as to whether as gained back the ability to be truly produce critically and commercially successful games.  MY feeling is that if this game delivers, it is likely that Rare will have gained back their prowess, and the next Perfect Dark, Kameo and Killer Instinct installments will produce substantially higher levels of commercial success and critical aclaim. 

Do you believe that Rare will regain it's former prestige? And if so, when?

No, not with Microsoft. Hell not even if they went to Sony. The only way they would be good again is if they went to Nintendo. All of the good publishers quit after they got sold to Microsoft. Plus where the hell is Conker's bad fur day 2?

I think the proper grammar is "Is" not "Are" sorry, that was annoying me.

I hope they do, but lots of people left Rare when it first went from Ninty to MS, which is why PDZ was such a departure, and overall letdown for those who played the original.

They had the people behind Goldeneye and Perfect Dark left the company long ago. Some of the people behind Viva Pinata, who were also creative directors for Banjo and the other Rare platformers, left as well.

I'd say most of the companies real talent is gone. They still have technically capable people, but the creative and gameplay side is gone.

Banjo kazooie will never be the same again..

I disagree. For some reason I reckon Banjo 3 will be fantastic (maybe im incapable of thinking otherwise). And I truly think that at the end of the day Microsoft makes incredible things happen (even if they use shady methods). I would not be at all surprised if a whole lot of Rare's games start to be fantastic, whether through newly hired talent, extra training for current staff, or some other method.

Rare just needs to go back to Nintendo....Plain and simple....

@starcraft

Just look at what they did to banjo and kazooie they look like mutated freaks on the 360!

i thought that was funny ROFL

A company is not a name, it's a group of people that work together making products. Most of the top people that led Rare are gone. I followed the games from the Stamper Brothers since Jet Pac, Cookie and Atic Atac. I remember buying Snake Rattle N Roll and be surprised by seeing the Stamper Brothers on the credits, and followed Rare since.

Their quality was already getting shoddy at times in the N64 era. Diddy Kong Racing? Banjo Tooie? Conker? No wonder Nintendo started losing patience.

They are as gone as the original Atari is.