The developers currently working on Spyro: A Realm Beyond have publicly shared their enthusiasm for the Banjo-Kazooie franchise, suggesting that they would jump at the chance to work on a new entry if the opportunity arose.
Toys for Bob, the studio behind the upcoming Spyro: A Realm Beyond, addressed the possibility of tackling the beloved platforming series during a recent discussion. With a new Banjo-Kazooie title currently standing as the most requested game among Xbox fans, the studio confirmed that the interest is shared by their own staff.
A Passionate Pitch from Toys for Bob
Associate creative director Lou Studdert spoke candidly about the team's connection to the series. "It’s a franchise we love," Studdert said. "As platformers, as platformer fans, Banjo’s the top of the heap. We have huge, huge fans of that franchise on our staff. You know, I’m talking they have the Jiggy as their profile pic, that sort of thing, that level of fan."
Studdert added, "If an opportunity ever arose, that’d be amazing, but we love the franchise."
Studio head Paul Yan echoed these sentiments, highlighting the enduring nature of the characters. "If you look at the throughlines of the types of games that we like to make, I can imagine that’s part of that stable as well," Yan noted. "Like those characters, you know, I think you described as nostalgic. I think that’s one way of looking at them. I think of them as timeless."
The Current State of Banjo-Kazooie
The conversation comes amid ongoing speculation regarding the future of the franchise. While recent reports indicate that Xbox and Rare have begun taking pitches for a potential new installment, no official project has been greenlit. Toys for Bob has previously been credited for their work on revitalizing classic platforming franchises, having worked on Spyro and Crash Bandicoot during their time at Microsoft before transitioning into an independent studio.
For now, fans of the series will have to wait for any formal word from Xbox. In the meantime, the team at Toys for Bob remains focused on their current project, Spyro: A Realm Beyond, which was recently unveiled at the Xbox Game Showcase.