Grant Kirkhope Says Several Studios Have Pitched New Banjo-Kazooie Games, But Rare Has Rejected Past Ideas

Banjo-Kazooie remains one of the most requested revivals in Microsoft's wider game catalogue, but composer Grant Kirkhope says the series' long absence has not been caused by a complete lack of interest from prospective developers. According to Kirkhope, several companies have approached either Rare or Microsoft with ideas for a new entry, only for those efforts apparently to go nowhere.

Speaking to FRVR, Kirkhope said he knows of "like three companies" that have made pitches connected to a potential new Banjo-Kazooie game. He did not identify those studios or describe the concepts they proposed, but said he did not believe any had succeeded. In his telling, Rare has historically been resistant to approving such projects, with the composer saying the studio "just typically say no to everything."

That assessment does not amount to confirmation that Banjo-Kazooie is actively returning. There has been no announced new game, no revealed development team, and no indication that Microsoft or Rare has selected a pitch. Still, Kirkhope's comments offer a little more context for why a property with enduring fan demand has remained dormant for so long: interested parties may have existed, but internal approval has been the major obstacle.

A small change in optimism

Kirkhope has been candid about the uncertainty surrounding Banjo-Kazooie for years. This time, however, he suggested his view has become marginally more hopeful. "I used to always say there's zero chance of another Banjo-Kazooie game and right now I feel there's a slight chance," he said.

The distinction matters. A slight chance is still far from a promise, especially for a franchise that has spent decades without the kind of full platforming sequel many players want. But it is a noticeably less pessimistic position than declaring a revival impossible. Kirkhope's apparent optimism is particularly notable because he has a close personal connection to the characters, their musical identity, and the legacy of the original Nintendo 64 games.

He also made clear that he would want to participate if a new project did happen. Asked whether he would return, Kirkhope said he would "absolutely" be interested. His music was one of the defining ingredients of Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie, helping establish a playful style in which melodies shifted and changed with locations and circumstances. A new installment could naturally invite questions over how much of that sound should return, and Kirkhope's willingness to contribute means an important creative link to the series is still available.

The composer has already revisited the duo's musical world in a major way. When Banjo and Kazooie joined Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in 2019, Kirkhope created a new arrangement for their appearance. That crossover gave the characters a high-profile role on Nintendo hardware long after their original games and demonstrated that the pair still possess enormous recognition beyond the confines of their own series.

A franchise defined by a very long gap

Much of the discussion around a comeback comes down to how players count Banjo-Kazooie's hiatus. Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts arrived nearly two decades ago, but it was a dramatic departure from the collectathon platforming formula associated with the Nintendo 64 classics. Rather than delivering a conventional journey built around jumping, exploration, transformations, and item collection, Nuts & Bolts centered on designing vehicles and using them to solve challenges.

The game has its supporters and is often appreciated on its own terms, but its design divided the audience. For fans who have been waiting specifically for another traditional Banjo-Kazooie platformer, the more meaningful gap reaches back much further. Banjo-Tooie launched in 2000, making the wait for a direct stylistic successor roughly a quarter of a century by the time of Kirkhope's comments.

That explains why even limited suggestions of movement can generate so much interest. The original Banjo-Kazooie was a landmark 3D platformer of the Nintendo 64 era, while Banjo-Tooie expanded its worlds, interconnected structure, and cast. Together, the games made Banjo and Kazooie enduring mascots despite the absence of a modern mainline follow-up. Re-releases and the characters' Smash Bros. Ultimate inclusion have kept them visible, but they have not resolved the question of whether the franchise can receive a new purpose-built adventure.

Rare's priorities remain a key question

Kirkhope does not expect Rare itself to build a new Banjo-Kazooie game. He said the studio would never do it because it is too busy, a view that reflects Rare's commitments elsewhere rather than an official announcement about its future plans. Rare is part of Microsoft, which controls the Banjo-Kazooie intellectual property, so the eventual decision on any revival would involve the rights holder and its internal teams.

His comments also suggest that the issue is broader than game pitches alone. Kirkhope said ideas such as cartoons had been rejected over the years. If accurate, that would indicate a cautious approach to licensing and expansion of the brand, not merely reluctance to commission one particular sequel. It is impossible to know from the outside what standards a proposal would need to meet, what resource concerns might be involved, or whether the right project has simply not yet appeared.

There are reasonable arguments for caution. Banjo-Kazooie carries strong nostalgia, and a new game would face high expectations from players who remember the original duo as icons of the genre. A revival would need to decide whether to imitate the older games closely, update their design for current audiences, or find a compromise between the two. That is a difficult balance for any legacy series, particularly one whose last major release was so different from what much of its audience expected.

On the other hand, an outside studio could bring the focus and enthusiasm that a dormant series requires. This model is not unusual for large publishers with extensive catalogues. A dedicated developer can work on a beloved older property while the original studio continues with its existing projects. Kirkhope's remarks indicate that at least some studios have seen the potential in precisely that arrangement.

Possible developers, but no confirmed project

When discussing who might be suitable, Kirkhope pointed to Day 4 Night Studios, the team behind Bradley the Badger, a game for which he is composing music. He said the studio could be a good match for Banjo-Kazooie. That is a personal suggestion from Kirkhope, not evidence that Day 4 Night Studios is attached to the franchise or has submitted a pitch.

Toys For Bob is another name that has surfaced in discussions around a possible Banjo-Kazooie revival. The studio is associated with the Spyro series and is reportedly interested in working with the property. However, it is currently working on Spyro: A Realm Beyond, meaning there is no announced Banjo-Kazooie commitment from the developer. Until Microsoft, Rare, or a named studio makes a formal statement, any proposed developer remains speculative.

The idea of a new game arriving from an external team will nevertheless be familiar to fans who have watched other older platforming properties return through new partnerships. What matters would be the game itself: whether it captures the character-based humor, dense worlds, memorable abilities, musical personality, and exploratory momentum that made the original games stand out.

There is also continued interest in preserving the classics. Kirkhope referred to new Banjo-Kazooie releases as "native ports," an approach that could potentially make room for additions such as restored material or bonus features in the Nintendo 64 games. No specific new port, restoration plan, or feature set was announced in the comments, so fans should not treat that possibility as a confirmed product roadmap. Even so, it reflects an ongoing conversation about how the older games should be presented to modern audiences.

Fans still wait for an official answer

For now, Banjo-Kazooie's future remains unannounced. Kirkhope's comments do not reveal a secret game, a greenlit partner, or a release window. They do, however, challenge the assumption that nobody has tried to bring the bear and bird back. Multiple pitches may have been made, and the composer himself now sees a narrow opening where he once saw none at all.

That may be enough to keep hope alive for a community that has waited through re-releases, crossover appearances, rumors, and years of silence. But a "slight chance" is still only a chance. Until Rare or Microsoft publicly commits to the next step, Banjo and Kazooie's next real adventure remains one of gaming's most persistent unanswered questions.