Rare's Craig Duncan: Franchise revivals would require 'new gameplay innovation' first

Rare, owned by Microsoft, has overseen some of the industry's most noteworthy franchises, from Banjo-Kazooie to Perfect Dark. The studio is currently working on Sea of Thieves, which is a connected-world adventure game full of pirates, swashbuckling, and some of the most gorgeous ocean physics ever seen.

While Sea of Thieves looks very promising, many Rare fans would like to see the studio revisit some of those classic franchises. IP such as Battletoads, Viva Piñata, and Kameo would be prime candidates for a modern refresh, but Duncan says that innovation must come first.

Talking to DK Vine (via IGN), Duncan said that taking existing franchises and giving them "up-to-date graphics" isn't the right way to go about things.

Further clarifying on Twitter, Duncan emphasized that he didn't mean Rare would never revisit old franchises, instead, Rare would have to find new gameplay innovation that fits those IPs, instead of just remake them with modern visuals.

My point was don't just update old formula with new graphics - find new gameplay innovation that fits IP.

Rare is focusing entirely on Sea of Thieves for the time being, which, even in its early stages, is every bit as charming as Rare's greatest hits.

What Rare franchises would you like to see revived for the modern era? Let us know in the comments.

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Jez Corden
Executive Editor

Jez Corden is the Executive Editor at Windows Central, focusing primarily on all things Xbox and gaming. Jez is known for breaking exclusive news and analysis as relates to the Microsoft ecosystem while being powered by tea. Follow on Twitter (X) and Threads, and listen to his XB2 Podcast, all about, you guessed it, Xbox!

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