Microsoft spent over 200-million buying RareWare it was the biggest purchase of a games developer in the history of the video games industry. The purchase was made because Microsoft had been attempting to buy up Nintendo and began by purchasing share's and taking Rare by force. It bought 51% of RareWare from its founders and then cancelled all of the Nintendo projects. Nintendo gave in and sold the remaining 49% of the shares for over a whopping 200 million dollars.

So since the take over Rare has failed to deliver a single massively successful game or franchise for Microsoft. Its game quality has been the joke of the industry. So with Rare having developed a fresh IP VivaPinata for Microsoft that IP is suddenly like gold. Microsoft wants to see RareWare succeed and return to its prior glory.

The Nintendo DS and GameBoy:Advance have long been Microsoft tools to bring out new games for Rare's Nintendo friendly franchises. Like Banjo Kazooie which saw some GBA releases with the DS Microsoft is investing large amounts of its IP's to try and draw Nintendo gamers into purchasing X-Box 360's.

Will we see Viva Pinata come to Wii. Possibly but it won't be done by Microsoft directly. Bungie recently was released from its first party status. Microsoft actually let them leave and Nintendo has made similiar moves with SiliconKnights which was a Nintendo Canada subsiduery.

I don't have a doubt in my mind that Nintendo and Microsoft are working together. The X-Box console is not currently a threat to Nintendo's dominance and Microsoft doesn't view the Wii as a direct competitor. I think Microsoft may easily shed Rare as a first party much like they just did Bungie.

If Microsoft sheds Rare like Nintendo did with SiliconKnights allowing TooHuman to come out for X-Box 360 I have no doubt in my mind that a Viva Pinata title could come to the Wii. Microsoft could see the Wii as the perfect platform to try and draw gamers to the 360.

As many have said this generation it is Wii60 versus PS3. Nintendo and Microsoft both want to see Sony loose this generations console war. Both companies have invested billions in Sony's demise and I think they will continue to co-operate with one another un-officially.

Microsoft might have some spat with Rare and release them from their first party status. Leading to Rare developing some projects on the Wii alongside 360. Or maybe more DS focused development in the future! 

I liked your post...but this part is a massive fail. Games take much longer to develop these days so Rare won't have a hit every 6 months and calling a company "laughing stock" just because they are not the top company in the industry is not fair. If this is true, other laughing stocks should include Naughty Dog, Sonic Team (they are a laughing stock actually), Free Radical, Ninja Theory...etc. I don't see those being any better than RareWare.

4 games released by rare in microsofts hands are-

Perfect dark Zero rated 81 - http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/xbox360/perfectdarkzero?q=perfect%20dark

Kameo rated 79 - http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/xbox360/kameoelementsofpower?q=kameo

Viva Pinata rated 84 - http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/xbox360/vivapinata?q=viva

Conker for xbox rated 78- http://www.metacritic.com/games/platforms/xbx/conkerliveandreloaded?q=bad%20fur%20day

Well above industry average. Rare was something amazing in the n64 era but they are not the "joke of the industry" today. I'd still gladly have Rare developing from my console over 80% of devs

So much candy!!!

 Naughty Dog has released some pretty high selling franchise, that being said from a Sony hater. Sonic Team is a laughing stock as you said gamers are growing more and more upset over the lack of high quality games from a studio that was once the jewel in Sega's crown. Free Radical and Ninja Theory have also been absent alot from the industry. They aren't nesecarily lauphing stocks but they aren't really doing all that well.

I think Rare is most closely comparable to Sonic Team. Rare was viewed as one of Nintendo's best assets. However after the take over Microsoft lost most of its staff. Much like when Yuji Naka left Sonic Team he took 30 of its best vetern developers with him. Neither company has managed to truly live up to its hype and thats what is making them laughable.

Sorry but it is true yes some of the games have recieved decent rating's but Conker for example was a watered down beefed up port from the N64.  I've played Kameo didn't like it at all the only title of Rare's I have is PerfectDark:Zero which was a decent shooter.

I'd say Microsoft sees Viva Pinata and other Microsoft developed IP's as the saviour of Rare and Microsoft. Microsofts ability to produce ground breaking IP's that appeal to Nintendo's user base is very important to the companies survival. I could easily see Microsoft letting Rare go third or second party very soon. Maybe even bring some of its franchises across to the Wii.

I could see Microsoft allowing Rare to publish its classics on VC like Banjo-Kazooie for example to help bring attention to Microsoft's own Nuts and Bults. I could see the same thing being done with PerfectDark64 to promote PerfectDark's next entry. I could see titles like Viva Pinata and Kameo being brought to the Wii as to promote the 360 versions and console.

In the end Microsoft said they were in the industry for a three phase plan. This three phase plan involves three platforms. Microsoft could use its own IP's to bulster Nintendo and further damage Sony which is Microsoft's primary competitor! 

I love how so many people have taken so many elaborate steps to show how this might be a sign VP is coming to Wii while practically no one speculates that his reaction could be due to his knowledge of 360 motion controls. They haven't been officially announced yet, right? I think if I knew about 360moco and the average person didn't, I would have the exact same reaction as I thought about how my next project was using that very same secret tech.

There is some sense in using the Wii to bring mainstream 'casual' recgonition to their MS IPs.

If we follow that logic, we could see a version of VP on Wii with the main game(s) on 360.

Banjo-Kazooie and Kameo could also be brought to the Wii (likely last gen versions re-released and 'wiified') for the same benefit.

Ultimately, even Halo 2 could be ported to Wii with Halo 3 and Halo Wars (and dare I say it - Halo 4) on 360.

In this way MS IPs get noticed by the more mainstream gamer but the better versions are all to be found on 360.

Will it happen? I doubt it but if MS truly sees the Wii as a 'feeder system' or 'bridge' system then it could happen.

Actually that thought crossed my mind too and really is more likely the case.

i dont think a vp game will hit the wii ever. i love all the new games rare has released since the launch of the xbox 360, perfect dark zero a decent game, kameo i really liked it, vp was a great game, the new banjo looks really good and for ppl who are open minded and willing to give it a try, before bashing it might actually "like it" wow what a concept. also according to the last egm magazine a new killer instinct game is in dev right now. i think ppl should just be open minded about the new rare games before bashing them and saying that rare isnt a very good developer anymore, when they are better than alot of the dev's out their now. that how i feel and if you disagree then thats ok too.

M$ is allowing Viva Pinata to be on Nintendo systems bc then it gets a larger following so when they decide to only have it on Xbox later people will be more inclinded to buy the Xbox its a stragedy that also hurts Sony in the process.