Rare is to open a new second studio facility in Fazeley Studios, Digbeth Birmingham in April which will complement Rare’s longstanding headquarters in Twycross.
The new studio represents a move on Rare’s part to change the current model of games development working practices. It will enable them to attract contract staff from a large pool of talent.
Fazeley’s main area of focus will be as a production, test and usability site to accommodate Rare’s evolving methodology in game creation. In time it is hoped that Fazeley will house a world class usability lab.
Microsoft Game Studios' Rare team is to restructure, with the possibility of a number of redundancies at the Viva Pinata studio.
As part of Microsoft's wider restructuring announced last month, the company plans to shift focus and embrace new business models designed to speed up and simplify the games development process.
"As the entire industry struggles to address the increasing scale and cost of development, we too have felt a need to restructure our current approach so we can speed development and better manage the scale required to create high quality games," commented Mark Betteridge, studio manager.
"With four projects recently underway, now is the right time to make this change. Throughout its history, Rare has demonstrated a willingness to embrace new approaches and commitment to delivering game-changing experiences to our customers.
"This announcement is no different and builds on that tradition as we work with MGS to make interactive entertainment as culturally relevant in people’s lives as books, movies and television are today," he added.
Rare has drawn up three key areas where it intends to focus its developments going forward.
As an internal studio, the team will continue to focus on expanding the user base of the Xbox 360, a process it has already started with the release of distinctive offerings such as Viva Pinata and Banjo Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts.
The studio will also help grow the Xbox Live experience, following its success in designing the avatars used for NXE.
But it hasn't stepped away from the blockbusters either, as the team promises to "continue delivering AAA gaming experiences that excite both our current and future customers."
Rare said that it hopes its restructuring and adoption of new business practices can influence the wider games industry, but also admitted some team members may lose their positions as a result.
"In order to achieve these goals, the company is reviewing the current composition of its development teams and there is the possibility that a small number of current positions could be lost as a result of these changes."
Rare's studio manager, Mark Betteriedge, has told GamesIndustry.biz that some of the company's future products will "surprise a lot of people, both in terms of what they are and the different styles".
Talking in an interview, the first part of which will be published tomorrow, he explained that one of the studio's roles as a first party developer was to change the perception of the Xbox 360 from just being a "shooter box, or a hardcore box," and "change the conventional thinking of games and entertainment".
Answering a question on the future of Rare as part of Microsoft Game Studios, following the closure of Ensemble earlier this year, he explained his confidence: "In terms of the Xbox 360 or Xbox as a brand it's really now coming into what people would see as our forte in terms of product, in terms of where the price point would be.
"It's been somewhat of a struggle at times - we did Kameo and Viva Pinata, and people often ask me if VP was a success, and I point out that it sold a million units for a game in which you're gardening, hunting and attracting animals on a box that people would see - if you ask the general public, they'll see it as a shooter box, or a hardcore box.
"It's about changing that perception, and Microsoft is very committed to doing that, because that's a great market to have. The core market is finite, and it's probably reaching saturation point with a lot of those customers, so I'd see our future within Microsoft as very much about helping to expand that, as we've been doing in the past, but the advantage we've got now is price point I suppose - the recent cut in Europe has been dramatic in terms of sales.
"It's more about what we will do to change conventional thinking of games and entertainment. I don't see us fighting the same battles as everybody else, I think some of the products we'll do going forward will surprise a lot of people, both in terms of what they are and the different styles. I think that will be good."
And when asked whether the latest Banjo title would be the last of Rare's "conventional" titles, he explained more about the key aspects that the company would be focusing on in future.
"I see [Banjo] as fairly conventional, but it's a twist on an established genre," he said. "When we built that Banjo we didn't just want to build another high-def platform game in the same style as before, we wanted to do something new in terms of what the gameplay would be.
"That theme of doing something new with gameplay runs through everything we're doing going forward - whether that's how you play the game, how you interface with the game."
Famed game developer Rare Ltd. is reviving one of its most beloved and successful franchises exclusively on Xbox 360 with the third installment of the “Banjo-Kazooie” series. “Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts” embraces new and old fans alike, as the famous bear and bird duo return in stunning high definition for a unique adventure of epic proportions. The Lord of the Games (aka LOG) is tired of the petty squabbling between Banjo and the evil witch Gruntilda (aka Grunty), and has arranged a showdown to decide the rightful owner of Spiral Mountain. Claiming to have created every video game ever made, LOG has built the game worlds in which the contest’s challenges take place. Banjo must complete LOG’s challenges to win, while Grunty tries to stop him using every method her devious mind can muster.
Throughout their adventure, players create their own abilities by building vehicles for Banjo to pilot over land, sea and air. Vehicle parts, which range from simple devices such as engines and wheels to more unusual equipment such as springs and egg guns, are earned and collected throughout the game. Players use their imagination to combine parts in any order to create whatever vehicle they choose. LOG’s challenges have one goal, but players’ choice of vehicle and tactics will determine how it gets accomplished. By exploring worlds and solving puzzles, players both young and old will be rewarded with more advanced and diverse vehicle parts in their quest to defeat Grunty once and for all and lay claim to Spiral Mountain.
With the power of Xbox 360 and Xbox LIVE, “Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts” brings an entirely new experience to the console and takes the franchise to a whole new level of enjoyment. High-definition graphics, user-created content and online gameplay are just three of the many advances people of all ages and skill levels will discover as they embark on their adventure.
Top features include the following:
• An adventure that starts with your imagination. If you can imagine it, you can build it in the Mumbo’s Motors easy-to-use workshop. Then put your creation to the test as you take on Grunty in your quest for Spiral Mountain. Unlike other games, where the player progressively picks up new skills or abilities at points predetermined by the game’s creator, “Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts” puts the power of improving Banjo’s abilities into the hands of the players as they build vehicles that allow Banjo to progress through the game. Vehicle parts include a wide variety of body panels, engines, wheels, wings, propellers, fuel and weapons, plus many more weird and wonderful gadgets such as floaters, Mumbo Bombos and the versatile sticky ball. Players can design and create anything from a simple object-carrying truck to a space-age flying saucer. Once players have designed their creation, they give it the finishing touch by painting it and choosing a suitable name before Banjo jumps in and pilots it into action.
• Customizable experience. With more than 100 contraption parts and unlimited possible combinations, no two players will have the same experience in “Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts.” By exploring the vast game worlds, discovering hidden secrets and solving puzzles to win rewards, players continually find more and more ways to customize and improve their contraptions, creating an unprecedented level of user-generated content for a 3-D platform adventure game.
• Fun right out of the box. Don’t worry if you aren’t the world’s greatest inventor or want to skip the workshop and get straight to the action, because “Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts” comes with a fully loaded experience right out of the box. Pre-built vehicles are included so players can jump right in and get started, with many more contraptions available for purchase throughout the adventure using the in-game currency system of musical notes.
• Xbox LIVE gets in on the fun. For the first time in franchise history, “Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts” is going to include competitive multiplayer gameplay. Now players can face off head-to-head in multiple multiplayer modes via Xbox LIVE.* And with the title’s online blueprint sharing system, players can share their designs over Xbox LIVE with friends and gamers everywhere. Rare has an extremely dedicated and active fan base, and we expect this addition combined with the unlimited user-generated content of “Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts” to help further grow and inspire that community, and push their creative limits!
• Engaging storyline and entertaining characters. Two of Rare’s most beloved characters have returned from retirement, making their debut on Xbox 360. To win the deed to their homeland and prevent the evil witch Gruntilda from developing it into tower blocks and malls, Banjo and his best friend Kazooie battle over land, sea and air against their longtime rival. Familiar faces such as Mumbo Jumbo, Bottles, Captain Blubber and the Jinjos are also back to lend a hand, along with an equally colorful cast of new friends and foes. Players can look out for Trophy Thomas, Piddles, Lord of the Games and Grunty’s mechanically menacing army of Gruntbots.
• Innovation connecting the franchise’s past and present. With the power of Xbox 360, this newly activated feature, known as Stop ‘N’ Swop, connects “Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts” to the upcoming Xbox LIVE Arcade release of the original “Banjo-Kazooie.” Players’ accomplishments in the new game will be rewarded with extra content and features in the Xbox LIVE Arcade game, encouraging fans to dive into as much “Banjo” as they can get their hands on!
• Enjoy alone or with friends. “Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts” offers complete single-player and multiplayer experiences. Gamers can play through the adventure alone in the single-player campaign, or compete head-to-head with friends in multiplayer challenges on Xbox LIVE.
• Fun for everyone. Xbox 360 is the home to the best entertainment experiences for everyone. With “Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts,” Xbox 360 continues to build its impressive lineup of content that appeals to people of all ages and types.
Title: “Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts” Publisher: Microsoft Game Studios Developer: Rare Ltd. Format: DVD for the Xbox 360 video game system ESRB Rating: E10+ Availability: November 11, 2008 Price: $39.99 USD
Banjo-Kazooie FREE vintage games on Xbox LIVE with Nuts and Bolts pre-order
On 14th November ‘’Banjo-Kazooie - Nuts & Bolts’’ makes its exclusive Xbox 360 debut for the estimated retail price of £44.99 and for those that remember the original legendary Banjo we have a special pre-order offer which means you can download the Xbox LIVE Arcade release title for free and nearly two weeks before the main release 26th November, 2008. With graphical improvements and full support of gamerscores and achievements, “Banjo-Kazooie” for Xbox LIVE Arcade will be available for 1200 Microsoft points, when it launches this November for those that have not pre-ordered.
However, there is still time to take advantage of the “Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts” pre-order offer. Those who pre-order Banjo’s latest adventure at participating retailers not only get ‘’Banjo-Kazooie Nuts & Bolts’’ but also receive a complimentary code to redeem “Banjo-Kazooie” on Xbox LIVE Arcade nearly 2 weeks prior to launch and exclusive goodies in Stop N’ Swop before anyone else.
The “Stop N’ Swop” is a feature rewards players’ accomplishments in the Xbox LIVE Arcade game by unlocking extra content and features in “Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts.”
In the UK and Ireland Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts pre-orders are available now in Gamestation stores and online at Game, Play, Gamestation and Amazon websites, and at other selected retail and online partners.
As if “Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts” and “Banjo-Kazooie” weren’t enough, “Banjo-Tooie” is also heading to Xbox LIVE Arcade in early 2009, making Xbox 360 the new home of the beloved “Banjo-Kazooie” franchise.
Rare is to open a new second studio facility in Fazeley Studios, Digbeth Birmingham in April which will complement Rare’s longstanding headquarters in Twycross. 
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