What if Nintendo had bought Rare?

[CM30]

Instead of Microsoft? What do you think would have been different nowadays?

 

[Porkman]

They'd be paid much more money and we'd have much better games.

 

[NintendudeCT]

I'm fairly certain Nintendo had originally owned Rare and actually sold them.

 

[AegisReflector]

I'm fairly certain Nintendo had originally owned Rare and actually sold them.

Partly true.

Being a diehard Rare fan, lemme explain.

Rare originally was owned wholly by Tim and Chris Stamper under the name "Ultimate Play The Game" from 1982 - 1988. When they stopped producing games independently and started to work on other projects, it became Rareware.

In 1994, Rare signed a contract with Nintendo to publish games for the SNES, and thus, Nintendo took over the owner's title starting with Donkey Kong Country.

In 2002, Microsoft bought 100% of the company, which means that neither Nintendo nor the Stamper Brothers own any of Rare Co. Ltd. anymore, so Microsoft is now the 3rd owner.

 

[CM30]

That's interesting. I wonder what the true reason they sold the company was.

Or as the topic says, what Nintendo would do differently if they still published Rare's games. I have a feeling they'd be working on a decent game, not Kinect Sports.

 

[AegisReflector]

That's interesting. I wonder what the true reason they sold the company was.

Rare has not stated any "shocking" reason as to why. Developers of both Microsoft and Activision came to the Rare headquarters in late 2000 and both expressed interest of owning shares in the company. Microsoft automatically had the better bid of giving Rare/Nintendo $375 million US Dollars to own the whole company. The Stamper Brothers eventually folded and accepted the deal in 2002, selling their half of the company. Hearing this, Nintendo decided to sell off the rest of the company. Thus, we now have Microsoft Rare.

Or as the topic says, what Nintendo would do differently if they still published Rare's games. I have a feeling they'd be working on a decent game, not Kinect Sports.

I bet we'd have a lot more Banjo-Kazooie, Conker, and Donkey Kong games that would be awesome and joyful.

 

[BioApple]

I know the GoldenEye remake would've been so mind-blowingly awesome that it ends world hunger.

 

[AegisReflector]

I know the GoldenEye remake would've been so mind-blowingly awesome that it ends world hunger.

Rare themselves stated that they disapprove of the game and told people to ignore it.

Ouch. How about that for a burn?

 

[SuperMarioFanX100]

Better Games Period.

 

[CM30]

Activision wanted to buy Rare? Oh good grief, I thought Microsoft's handling of them was bad enough. I'd hate to see something like Banjo Kazooie getting badly done sequels every month like Guitar Hero before having the series permanently cancelled.

 

[AegisReflector]

Activision wanted to buy Rare? Oh good grief, I thought Microsoft's handling of them was bad enough. I'd hate to see something like Banjo Kazooie getting badly done sequels every month like Guitar Hero before having the series permanently cancelled.

BANJO-KAZOOIE: THE BEATLES.