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Microsoft renews Killer Instinct trademark
Long-languishing intellectual property Killer Instinct has had its trademark renewed by Microsoft.Microsoft's PlayXBLA noted the renewal, saying the company's legal department authorized the following statement about the franchise: "We have either renewed or refiled a trademark application in various jurisdictions."The takeaway here is not much more than Microsoft protecting its rights. The most recent mention of the series was an interview with a former 3D modeler at Rare, who said, "We all wanted to make KI3, but Microsoft [was] more interested in broadening their demographic than making another fighting game ... So it never got made, I doubt it ever will."[Thanks to all who sent this in.]
Ex-Rare dev discusses Killer Instinct 3, Kinect's 'Savannah' prototype and Microsoft acquisition
A former artist at Rare has given us a peek behind the curtain at the studio's "Savannah" project and the eventual elimination of Killer Instinct. Speaking with NotEnoughShaders, Donnchadh Murphy, who was a 3D modeler at Rare but now works at an animation studio, revealed the developer was working on a project called "Savannah" for Kinect.Savannah (models pictured) was going to be a Kinect title where players raised a lion cub from birth, teaching the animal survival skills. The game was only ever a prototype and was never greenlit.Meanwhile, Murphy said, the company was always interested in revisiting the Killer Instinct franchise in HD, as is often requested by ardent Rare fans. "We all wanted to make KI3, but Microsoft [was] more interested in broadening their demographic than making another fighting game," he said. "So it never got made, I doubt it ever will."
Rare 'may do something' with Killer Instinct franchise
Being the teases that they love to be, Rare studio head Mark Betteridge told Eurogamer that they're still kicking around the idea of bringing back Killer Instinct, but that the idea would have to be something uniquely special."Killer Instinct is an IP that is fondly remembered and we may do something with it," Betteridge admitted, "but it's a tricky market to be like the old Killer Instinct." If Rare were to bring back Killer Instinct, they'd require some sort of market "revolution", as was done with Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts. Let's just hope that if they were to do another KI, that it wouldn't stray too far away from the golden formula.[Thanks, Joe]
Banjo designer defends Rare, disappoints Killer Instinct fans
MTV Multiplayer cornered Banjo-Kazooie creator – and de facto Rare defender – Gregg Mayles in San Francisco recently and asked him to not only comment on those things Peter Moore told the Guardian last week, but also to comment on those Killer Instinct 3 rumors. Ostensibly catching his breath in between all the body blows, Mayles avoided mentioning Moore by name, instead saying, "I don't take much notice about what people say about our games I work on," continuing, "We've always been seen as a bit, I don't know, willing to take a chance on doing something different and trying to come up with new experience."As long as a Banjo-Kazooie update is on the table, Multiplayer asked about the possibility of another Killer Instinct installment. Without saying "no" Mayles handily shot down the speculation, explaining, "... what we're not gonna do is just say 'okay, there's this kind of vocal, fairly small vocal minority of real die-hard fans out there that want to see [Killer Instinct], so therefore, we should be doing [Killer Instinct].'" Hear that, small vocal minority? You can keep screaming but Rare can't hear you. Maybe with Banjo coming to Xbox Live Arcade, you guys could start asking for a similar treatment for fellow Nintendo 64-alumnus Killer Instinct. That's better than nothing, right?
Rumorang: Killer Instinct 3 comes back ... as sheet music!
(click image for full size) No matter how many times Rare tries to tamp them down, rumors about a continuation of the Killer Instinct franchise continue to surface periodically. This time the rumors come from fan site MundoRare, which received the above photo of purported Killer Instinct 3 sheet music from an anonymous "someone at Microsoft."Of course, this shot doesn't really prove anything -- that header at the top could just as easily read "ULTRA Punch Out!!" or "The MORE Fantastic Adventures of Dizzy" and work just as well. We're sure some photoshoppers out there will have their own ideas of what other big name sequels this photo could possibly confirm. What we're really interested in, though, is what this purported music actually sounds like. Anyone out there with some MIDI sequencer skillz want to help us out?[Update: The community comes through! Check out the alleged theme as either a MIDI (thanks Dan H.) or a violin synth MP3 (via Giant Bomb)][Update 2: Check out this awesome remixed version of the "theme" (via NerdiestKids)]
Rare is so not working on Killer Instinct 3
In their latest mailbag answering session of Scribes, Rare squishes then squashes the rumor that their team is currently working on a Killer Instinct sequel stating that "purely out of contractual obligation, no, we're not working on KI3". Rare also re-emphasizes that their main focus right now is the Xbox 360 Banjo-Kazooie sequel which we're sure we'll be seeing at this year's E3.That pretty much ends the Rare rumor squashing for today. But let it be known that their yet to be announced project after Banjo ships is totally fair game for the rumor generators among us.[Via Joystiq]
Rumor: Killer Instinct 3 for 360 in 2007
The rumors keep rolling in this week. This latest is an oldie but a goody. A Dutch website called Xbox 360 Only is reporting that the latest issue of Games TM (a UK publication) states that Killer Instinct 3 is headed to the Xbox 360. For those that don't know, Killer Instinct was part of the nineties fighting game boom (think Street Fighter and Mortal Kombat) and also one of the earliest games to promote the Nintendo 64 (called Ultra 64 at the time). Not only that, but KI is one of Rare's most fondly remembered titles, introducing millions to the dial-a-combo system that still pops up in fighting games today.Killer Instinct is a game that fans have clamored for since Rare was purchased by Microsoft. It's not uncommon to see people hoping it -- and other classics like Goldeneye -- will pop up on Xbox Live Arcade. Interestingly, this article doesn't mention Xbox Live Arcade. Could Rare be working on a full fledged sequel? It's possible, but we get the feeling they're probably too busy concentrating on Banjo Kazooie. Stick this one up on the big board and forget about it for now.
