Rare RUMORED to be on the verge of closing...

[Toadofsky]

I honestly can't say I'm surprised by this, given Rare's track record since being with Microsoft.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/107813-Rumor-Rare-Suffers-Layoffs-Future-May-Hinge-on-Kinect-Sports-2

Considering that this came from 4Chan, I would take this with a heaping grain of salt.

I will say this though, if anybody at Rare REALLY thinks that Kinect Sports 2 is going to be a success, they might as well start looking for jobs elsewhere.

[Mirby]

I say sell them back to Ninty, then have them make glorious games once more.

[XZero]

But Nintendo doesn't really need them anymore. Rare was a huge asset back during the SNES and N64 period. The company made some of the best platformers on both consoles (Donkey Kong Country, Banjo-Kazooie & -Tooie, DK64). It also made GoldenEye 007 and Perfect Dark. As Nintendo's premiere second party company, it was in a great position. Then Micro$oft offered them a lot of money, and suddenly the creative vision went down the tubes.

Meanwhile, Nintendo and a little company called Retro Studios struck up a relationship. Metroid Prime 1-3 were gold, and Donkey Kong Country Returns out-Rare'd Rare to some extent. So I return to my original statement that Nintendo doesn't need Rare. It'd be great if they came back, but they'd have to truly return to top form like they were from 1994-2000.

[JH Sounds]

The Rare we know and love ended when several key members of the company left it years ago. I for one would be glad that the name is being put to rest, since it no longer represents what it once was.

[liquid wind]

The Rare we know and love ended when several key members of the company left it years ago. I for one would be glad that the name is being put to rest, since it no longer represents what it once was.

This. People love to say that they suddenly got worse when MS bought them but it was a few years before that, Rare's last game for a Nintendo console wasn't very good either. Nintendo knew they had damaged goods and unloaded it, that's all.

[Brandon Strader]

Rare has made maybe 1 or 2 good games in their history. This is way overdue!

It's not like they were about to make something awesome anyways...

[Nekofrog]

Rare has made maybe 1 or 2 good games in their history. This is way overdue!

Whats the other one?

[Brandon Strader]

[Benjamin Briggs]

I do not care about this

*goes off to play diddy kong racing

[Devyn]

Cobra Triangle! Battletoads....

Motherfucker I just said BATTLE-TOADS. BATTLE. TOADS.

[lazygecko]

Rare made that? I played it back in the day.

I liked Rare the best when they made their more quirky games for the NES. Cobra Triangle, Snake Rattle n' Roll, Wizards & Warriors (especially part 3 which no one talks about). Starting with Battletoads they headed into more cookie cutter territory, making games in popular genres that weren't as good as the heavy hitters (with the exception of Goldeneye standing out from other console shooters).

[Devyn]

Edited out for reasons of immaturity.

[Modus]

This. People love to say that they suddenly got worse when MS bought them but it was a few years before that, Rare's last game for a Nintendo console wasn't very good either. Nintendo knew they had damaged goods and unloaded it, that's all.

Microsoft was duped in the sale. Nintendo made a sly move, exactly for the reason quoted.

But I loved Nuts and Bolts. I thought they'd never make a great game again, but that game messed with my emotions.. I'd rather see them not die and make more stuff like N&B.

[Malaki-LEGEND.sys]

I think the writing was on the wall once Microsoft delegated them to avatar creation stuff...

[The Phalanx]

Much of what made Rare the gem it was left during the development of PD on the N64 to form Free Radical...which is now Crytek UK (who had Crysis 2 leaked recently, creating some sort of bizarre "6 degrees of separation" deal). Tim and Chris Stamper, the people who founded it, left in 2007.

Rare hasn't been 'Rare' for a long time now, and I highly doubt the creative minds behind some of the biggest games are in that company any more. If they close down, it'd be a shame, but few would lament their loss overtly much.

[Poke'G]

So if Rare is shut down, do all their remaining properties go up for grabs, or does Microsoft assimilate them?

If this leads to some old properties getting new treatment, I'll call it a win. Jet Force Gemini and Battletoads comes to mind.

[BardicKnowledge]

I liked Rare the best when they made their more quirky games for the NES. Cobra Triangle, Snake Rattle n' Roll, Wizards & Warriors (especially part 3 which no one talks about). Starting with Battletoads they headed into more cookie cutter territory, making games in popular genres that weren't as good as the heavy hitters (with the exception of Goldeneye standing out from other console shooters).

Fuck yes, awesome game. Took me forever to realize that it's possible to upgrade yourself out of order

[Strike911]

Awwwwwwww. This is super sad news. Not entirely unexpected, but super super super sad! Some of my best memories are on games Rare made (2001 and earlier admittedly).

If this rumor is true, I'm a sad panda.

[DarkSim]

Much of what made Rare the gem it was left during the development of PD on the N64 to form Free Radical...which is now Crytek UK (who had Crysis 2 leaked recently, creating some sort of bizarre "6 degrees of separation" deal). Tim and Chris Stamper, the people who founded it, left in 2007.

Rare hasn't been 'Rare' for a long time now, and I highly doubt the creative minds behind some of the biggest games are in that company any more. If they close down, it'd be a shame, but few would lament their loss overtly much.

Agreed... almost the only games I had for N64 were made by Nintendo or Rare, but since then the only game I really enjoyed was Viva Pinata. Oh, and the remake of PD for XBL.

[liquid wind]

Rare hasn't been 'Rare' for a long time now, and I highly doubt the creative minds behind some of the biggest games are in that company any more. If they close down, it'd be a shame, but few would lament their loss overtly much.

I think a lot of people would just for sentimental reasons. I know Rare isn't the same group they were in the 90s and they aren't making classic after classic anymore, but it would still make me sad, another piece of my childhood officially dying

[Dexie]

Depressing as hell news.

They were pretty weak during the Xbox years, but Viva Pinata and Nuts and Bolts were both fantastic. Sucks that they didn't sell, but that's modern gaming for you.

Oh well. We'll always have the memories. :/

[Soul Splint]

Nuts and Bolts was the BOMB.

I hope this doesn't happen, but they have been pretty quiet compared to their competitors so I wouldn't be shocked if it does.

Still, a depressing possibility indeed.

[Chernabogue]

That would suck they close. Please, Nintendo, buy Rare and make them do new great games!

[Brushfire]

Yes, make terrible games like Goldeneye and Goldeneye.

Which are both not good.

[ocre]

This would be a shame if it had happened in Rare's hayday, but as JH said: the company is a FAR cry from it's former self. It went downhill like a giant rock, especially after the Stamper Bros left and hasn't really ben the golden-egg-laying goose Microsoft thought it had bought. Now they're relegated to working on Avatars and generic Kinect Wii-copycat games.

Put it out of it's misery.

If this is even true.