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[TheOddOne]

http://www.developmag.com/news/31808/Rare-gets-new-head-of-business-development

Former EA free-to-play manager Shintaro Kanaoya joins Britsoft firm

Rare has appointed Shintaro Kanaoya into a newly-created role as head of business strategy and development.

Kanaoya, who was most recently senior manager of MMOs and free-to-play at EA, will be responsible for 'driving Rare's franchise planning' and 'maximising the potential of Rare's IP'.

Kanaoya started in the industry as a journalist on The Games Machine and Sega Pro, before joining Bullfrog as a designer. He has also worked as a producer at EA Square Japan and on the Harry Potter franchise at EA UK.

 

[Dr. Kitty Muffins]

Rare definitely needs the help in the strategy department.

They failed to position Banjo-Kazooie and Viva Pinata properly. The two games games looked like they were intended for everyone to play but had hardcore gamer gameplay underneath. They were marketed for the mainstream but inevitably got picked up by the hardcore.

 

[Cygnus X-1]

Rare definitely needs the help in the strategy department. They failed to position Banjo-Kazooie and Viva Pinata properly. The two games games looked like they were intended for everyone to play but had hardcore gamer gameplay underneath.

Rare needs only to make a new Killer Instinct, a new Conker that is not a remake and a proper Banjo game.

 

[SecretBonusPoint]

Step 1: Fire the art department.
Step 2: BATTLETOADS.
Step 3: ???????
Step 4: Profit.

 

[Dr. Kitty Muffins]

Rare needs only to make a new Killer Instinct, a new Conker that is not a remake and a proper Banjo game.

I used to think that way but nowadays I think they should just create wholly new IP's tailored specifically towards the Xbox 360 audience and stop living in the past.

I'm beginning to think the problem for Rare actually is the past in the sense that the IP's should remain in the grave (unless brought to XBLA) and that they do not have all the same personnel who made those specific IP's great in the first place. Time for a new Rare era, I say.

 

[RSTEIN]

If anyone can turn around Rare it's Shintaro, the lesser known brother to the supreme commander of the Outworld army.

 

[SecretBonusPoint]

I used to think that way but nowadays I think they should just create wholly new IP's tailored specifically towards the Xbox 360 audience and stop living in the past.

I'm beginning to think the problem for Rare actually is the past in the sense that the IP's should remain in the grave (unless brought to XBLA) and that they do not have all the same personnel who made those specific IP's great in the first place. Time for a new Rare era, I say.

Completely concur. Say what you want about the games brilliant tech or gameplay, but their stable of characters are absolutely awful and lacking any commerical appeal at all. They should just ditch all of them. Except Battletoads.

 

[Chittagong]

Rare has had a head of business development?

 

[Shiggy]

I heard most employees were quite unhappy after the latest restructuring (= lay-offs), so let's hope this guy will bring the studio back to its former glory.

However, this might not be much of a deal. He had been a business manager at MGS Europe since August 2008 and therefore he was already responsible for Rare.

 

[DeaconKnowledge]

Rare definitely needs the help in the strategy department.

They failed to position Banjo-Kazooie and Viva Pinata properly. The two games games looked like they were intended for everyone to play but had hardcore gamer gameplay underneath. They were marketed for the mainstream but inevitably got picked up by the hardcore.

Uh, that's not a Rare problem.

 

[SecretBonusPoint]

Uh, that's not a Rare problem.

It is. What he's saying is that visually games like Banjo and Viva Pinata are aimed at family fun and kids, but the truth is their gameplay and accessability is strictly hardcore based. Its too big a disconnect to ever effectively market and they only have themselves to blame.

 

[Kuroyume]

How many family friendly games have done well on the 360?

 

[Anticitizen One]

Look kids lets not beat around the bush the reason banjo: Nuts & bolts flopped and Viva Pinata didn't do so good is because Banjo: N & B was not a good game and alienated a good chunk of the fanbase and Viva Pinata lacks mass market appeal.

 

[evilromero]

I get the feeling a lot of Rare fans won't like the direction the company is headed.

 

[Anticitizen One]

I get the feeling a lot of Rare fans won't like the direction the company is headed.

They need to stop fucking around and show Killer Instinct 3 and a REAL Perfect Dark game. A sequel to Kameo that builds upon and improves the original in every aspect would also be nice.

 

[TriangularDuck]

Look kids lets not beat around the bush the reason banjo: Nuts & bolts flopped is because Banjo: N & B was not a good game and alienated a good chunk of the fanbase

Nuts and Bolts is my favourite game this generation.

 

[NintendosBooger]

Rare needs new IPs.

Perfect Dark and Goldeneye got as much success back then as it did because they were the only good console FPSs at the time, but as soon as the PC developers who actually made a living creating shooters joined the fray, Rare was stuck holding a 2-inch cock in a room full of Mandigos.

Killer Instinct is another antiquated IP. The original was the third most successful fighting game behind SF and MK. They're not going to make a fighting game anywhere near the quality of a SF4, VF, or SC. Again, they filled a void that was apparent on a console that wasn't exactly remembered for its fighting games.

Banjo. lol, unless you have Mario stamped on the cover box, a 3D platformer won't be a high seller on any console. Same with Conker's...its past success was dependent on great timing and being on the perfect console. Conker won't add any new shock value to an audience accustomed to violent bald space marines.

 

[Monroeski]

If anyone can turn around Rare it's Shintaro, the lesser known brother to the supreme commander of the Outworld army.

http://mkw.mortalkombatonline.com/mka/kintaro/cutout.png[IMG][/QUOTE]
:lol

 

[DeaconKnowledge]

It is. What he's saying is that visually games like Banjo and Viva Pinata are aimed at family fun and kids, but the truth is their gameplay and accessability is strictly hardcore based. Its too big a disconnect to ever effectively market and they only have themselves to blame.

Funny, Nintendo doesn't seem to have a problem with this.

Hidden depth is not something that can (or should) be marketed. It comes from accessibility, word of mouth, and reputation. Rare's problem with Viva Pinata didn't have anything to do with the type of game it was; it had everything to do with the type of console it was on. The XBOX 360 is being marketed as a mature, adult experience, and as such Viva and Banjo were direct clashes to that. Microsoft (who actually marketed the game, not Rare) was trying to sell those games to a market that essentially doesn't want them. That was and IS Rare's biggest hurdle.

 

[spanks]

Rare needs new IPs.
Killer Instinct is another antiquated IP. The original was the third most successful fighting game behind SF and MK. They're not going to make a fighting game anywhere near the quality of a SF4, VF, or SC. Again, they filled a void that was apparent on a console that wasn't exactly remembered for its fighting games.

True, but with Mortal Kombat gone, there is a niche for a Western/'Mature' fighting game with high production values.

 

[DrDogg]

Rare needs new IPs.

Not really. KI on XBLA would make a killing. A new Conker game would probably perform well. A new PD or even PD on XBLA would do well, and it's safe to say a new Kameo would at least make money.

Rare was stuck holding a 2-inch cock in a room full of Mandigos.

Been saving that one for awhile? -_-

Killer Instinct is another antiquated IP. The original was the third most successful fighting game behind SF and MK. They're not going to make a fighting game anywhere near the quality of a SF4, VF, or SC. Again, they filled a void that was apparent on a console that wasn't exactly remembered for its fighting games.

By your logic, SF was antiquated before SF4 was announced. KI did very well in arcades because it was a good fighter for its time. There was no void to be filled on the SNES. Every major fighter was available for the console and KI SNES still sold very well. I suppose you could be talking about KI2/Gold, but that makes even less sense to say a sequel to a best selling game only sold because of the console it was on.

As far as quality... SF4 is just SF2 with a Focus Attack, VF is dead in the water despite being a good fighter, and SC4 still needs a balance patch even after the patch late last year.

Banjo. lol, unless you have Mario stamped on the cover box, a 3D platformer won't be a high seller on any console. Same with Conker's...its past success was dependent on great timing and being on the perfect console. Conker won't add any new shock value to an audience accustomed to violent bald space marines.

So you're saying Conker only sold because it was on the Nintendo 64. Wow... just wow.

 

[DeaconKnowledge]

So you're saying Conker only sold because it was on the Nintendo 64. Wow... just wow.

Conker didn't sell particularly well on the N64 or the XBOX.

 

[DrDogg]

Conker didn't sell particularly well on the N64 or the XBOX.

I'm not saying it did. But the person I quoted was stating that what it did sell was only because of the console it was on... which is ridiculous. :lol

 

[Akira]

I hope Rare is working on a new fantasy action RPG IP with this art:

To be announced at E3, please?

 

[Parl]

Rare with a head of business development:

Rare without a head of business development: