Rare Producer On Conker, Kameo, Ghoulies

Thanks to C+VG for their interview with Rare's producer at Microsoft, Ken Lobb, getting in-depth about the developer's Xbox-exclusive titles following its acquisition by Microsoft last year. As for Conker: Live And Uncut, it's suggested that: "To all intents and purposes, when we showed Conker at E3 that was a prototype", and that much more work is being done on the game. Kameo:Elements Of Power's perceived delays are also discussed, eliciting the comment: "We thought there was some chance that either Kameo or Conker might make it this year, but we knew it was pretty low", and the near-Gold Grabbed By The Ghoulies is pegged as misunderstood after its E3 showing, with Lobb suggesting "...you really need to play the game for a while" to appreciate it. Finally, Perfect Dark Zero is "just too early" to discuss.

Comments

Rare Taking Too Long?

[Babbster]

To those detractors who keep harping on Rare's record on extended development time, I would suggest that berating them in the case of their Xbox titles is out of line.

We should try to be a little fair with Rare (apologies for the rhyme). They've been developing for the Xbox for a little over 12 months, and when you're trying to make good games that will hopefully at least approach ridiculously high expectations (some folks seem to think that every game Rare does should be another Goldeneye) it's going to take some time.

The truth is that if they manage to release a game this year and at least two (Conker remake and Kameo - MAYBE Perfect Dark Zero) next year, then they will be doing well as long as all three are at least good (3/4 stars, 80/100, whatever scale you like).

It should also be noted that Microsoft and, by extension, Rare are more than likely looking down the road a piece toward the Xbox 2 in addition to their already announced Xbox titles. It wouldn't surprise me at all if at E3 2005 Microsoft showed off a demo of a Rare launch title for their next console.