After 15 Years, Iconic Banjo and Kazooie Expect New Game (Leak)

Source: Microsoft

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It is possible that a return of Banjo-Kazooie, the now forgotten 3D platformer brand, is being prepared.

1. Having a good reputation for leaks from Microsoft insider NateDrake claims that early last year work began on a new installment of Banjo-Kazooie. The project is said to still be in development, which is important, since the first rumors about it appeared as early as 2022, but then the project went off the radar, so some fans feared it had been abandoned.
2. The game is still supposedly in the early stages of work, so many elements, including the whole concept, may still change.
3. It is worth mentioning that Phil Spencer (head of the Xbox division) assured in a recent interview that Microsoft has not forgotten about Banjo-Kazooie fans and Microsoft hears their requests for a new release.

Recall that the series began with the 1998's Nintendo 64 release of Banjo-Kazooie. Two years later, a sequel was released in the form of Banjo-Tooie. Two spin-offs were also developed (Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty's Revenge and Banjo-Pilot) with the GBA handheld console in mind. The brand became the property of Microsoft after it acquired Rare in 2002. The latest installment of the series remains Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, which was released in 2008 on Xbox 360.

The return of the brand would be good news, as it has been abandoned for fifteen years, and Microsoft's offerings have so far been severely lacking a good platformer series (although Activision's recently acquired Blizzard may enrich it with Crash Bandicoot). After the release of Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts characters from the series only made guest appearances in other games, such as Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing, Minecraft or Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. It's high time for the series' heroes to return in their own production.