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[KyoZz]

The developer says details will be revealed "soon."

Playtonic's Yooka-Laylee series might not be the platforming classic that many had once hoped it would be, but it's not without its strengths, and as such, its legion of fans.
The first game is a solid (if uneven experience), while its successor is a legitimately good sidescrolling platformer. As such, there's no shortage of people who've got their eye on the studio and what it will do next.

Apparently, what they will do next is rebrand themselves. The indie developer has apparently been sending out emails to its Kickstarter backers (via @Logmey92 on Twitter), in which it states that it is undergoing a rebrand.
Interestingly enough, Playtonic says "there is a good reason" for said rebranding, and while that's all they've said on the topic so far, they have promised that "all will be revealed soon."

Honestly, that could mean any number of things, though I'm sure the most optimistic people out there will be hoping that this rebranding is a sign for that ever-elusive Banjo-Kazooie revival that people have so often pegged Playtonic as the perfect developer for.
For what it's worth, the studio explicitly stated earlier last year (and not for the first time), that it was not working on a Banjo game.

Yooka-Laylee Developer Playtonic is “Rebranding” Itself

gamingbolt.com

 

[Lionel Richie]

Bought by Ninty, finishing the New Donkey Kong Trilogy. As God intended.

 

[ZoolNL]

MS bought them, niiice!

 

[KyoZz]

MS bought them, niiice!

Or Tencent

 

[VAL0R]

Uncle Phil is tired of Banjo sequel begging so he's just going to make a Banjo studio, isnt he? XGS does need more family friendly content. It's an obvious gap in their studio portfolio.

 

[Banjo64]

The developer says details will be revealed "soon."

Playtonic's Yooka-Laylee series might not be the platforming classic that many had once hoped it would be, but it's not without its strengths, and as such, its legion of fans.
The first game is a solid (if uneven experience), while its successor is a legitimately good sidescrolling platformer. As such, there's no shortage of people who've got their eye on the studio and what it will do next.

Apparently, what they will do next is rebrand themselves. The indie developer has apparently been sending out emails to its Kickstarter backers (via @Logmey92 on Twitter), in which it states that it is undergoing a rebrand.
Interestingly enough, Playtonic says "there is a good reason" for said rebranding, and while that's all they've said on the topic so far, they have promised that "all will be revealed soon."

Honestly, that could mean any number of things, though I'm sure the most optimistic people out there will be hoping that this rebranding is a sign for that ever-elusive Banjo-Kazooie revival that people have so often pegged Playtonic as the perfect developer for.
For what it's worth, the studio explicitly stated earlier last year (and not for the first time), that it was not working on a Banjo game.

Yooka-Laylee Developer Playtonic is “Rebranding” Itself

gamingbolt.com

I had this email from Playtonic on the 22nd Jan. My interpretation was not that they are being bought out, or making a Banjo game.

I don't see how they could make a Banjo game unless it was in collaboration with Rare and Gregg Mayles. They did do the collaboration for Battle Toads, so stranger things have happened. Gregg's language on Banjo-Threeie on Twitter over the last year or so has definitely become a lot more... open?

I'll never say never.

 

[Bernkastel]

Probably not acquisition, but they may work on a new Banjo or Jet Force Gemini.

 

[YCoCg]

This would be weird as they were the ex-RARE that left after MS bought RARE, so to see them go back to MS would be a weird circle.

 

[K' Dash]

I don't like this, just let Namco develop Conker and Banjo, write them a blank check.

 

[JimboJones]

Maybe they just want to get away from being seen as Rare 2.0

 

[Umbasaborne]

Purchased by rare to become a rare off shoot (studio name will be rare "insert location here") and they will make games out of rares legacy ip platformers like banjo and conker. First major project will be banjo 3. They have learned from the first yooka game and this one wont be shite

 

[Night.Ninja]

They are stuck in the past.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

There's 2 thousand people begging for a Banjo Kazooi sequel.

3D platformers are a relic of the past for a reason.

 

[disap.ed]

Nintendo European Studio (NES) incoming!

 

[NeptuneCL]

I don't think this is a good move for them. They had the experience of being bought by Microsoft and they already KNOW what will be happening if this occur.

It's better for them to be independent or they will surely will be the next Rare (with no magic, no games and no personality at all).

Enough said.

 

[Banjo64]

There's 2 thousand people begging for a Banjo Kazooi sequel.

3D platformers are a relic of the past for a reason.

You're absolutely right mate.

Super Mario Odyssey Reviews

New Evolution of Mario Sandbox-Style Gameplay. Mario embarks on a new journey through unknown worlds, running and jumping through huge 3D worlds in the first sandbox-style Mario game since Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine. Set sail between expansive worlds aboard an airship, and perform...

www.metacritic.com

 

[BusierDonkey]

These guys can't quite figure it out when it comes to trying to be old Rare.

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair was not as bad as the 3D Yooka-Laylee but I ended up abandoning it.

Sluggish gameplay, think DKC at 2/3 speed. Characters were awful, setting was awful, it was really just incredibly bland. There was no charm and the games were entirely forgettable.

 

[GrayFoxPL]

They'll be assimilated and vanish without a trace.

I enjoyed their old school 3d platformer.

 

[Jack Videogames]

Bought by Ninty, finishing the New Donkey Kong Trilogy. As God intended.

God I hope not. Get Gears for Breakfast to do it instead.

 

[Lionel Richie]

God I hope not. Get Gears for Breakfast to do it instead.

Get Gears to do a good Sonic game. Playtonic worked better on 2D games, DK should stay a 2D series IMO.

 

[Jeeves]

Probably not acquisition, but they may work on a new Banjo or Jet Force Gemini.

I would play the fuuuck out of a Jet Force Gemini revival.

 

[Men_in_Boxes]

You're absolutely right mate.

Super Mario Odyssey Reviews

New Evolution of Mario Sandbox-Style Gameplay. Mario embarks on a new journey through unknown worlds, running and jumping through huge 3D worlds in the first sandbox-style Mario game since Super Mario 64 and Super Mario Sunshine. Set sail between expansive worlds aboard an airship, and perform...

www.metacritic.com

The Nintendo Switch audience is not the same as the XBox/PC audience.

Mario is not the same as Banjo Kazooi.

Nintendo (developer) is not the same as Playtonic.

The three best selling Ratchet and Clank games are all PS2 games.

 

[GaviotaGrande]

They'll be assimilated and vanish without a trace.

I enjoyed their old school 3d platformer.

Wrong. They will be making quality platformer after platformer to fuel Gamepass.

 

[Last Prime]

Another Tencent acquisition?

 

[MacReady13]

These guys can't quite figure it out when it comes to trying to be old Rare.

Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair was not as bad as the 3D Yooka-Laylee but I ended up abandoning it.

Sluggish gameplay, think DKC at 2/3 speed. Characters were awful, setting was awful, it was really just incredibly bland. There was no charm and the games were entirely forgettable.

It was 1 of my games of the year! It is a brilliant 2D platformer that many of us are begging to come back into favor.

 

[Astral Dog]

Bought by Ninty, finishing the New Donkey Kong Trilogy. As God intended.

This but Microsoft and no Donkey Kong

 

[Jack Videogames]

Dp

 

[Jack Videogames]

Get Gears to do a good Sonic game. Playtonic worked better on 2D games, DK should stay a 2D series IMO.

For some reason I thought you were talking about a DK64 sequel. A 2D DK... I could see myself buying that.

I don't see Nintendo taking DK off Retro though, they've done a great job.

 

[GrayFoxPL]

Wrong. They will be making quality platformer after platformer to fuel Gamepass.

 

[Bridges]

Purchased by rare to become a rare off shoot (studio name will be rare "insert location here") and they will make games out of rares legacy ip platformers like banjo and conker. First major project will be banjo 3. They have learned from the first yooka game and this one wont be shite

"Rare" for new ideas like Sea of Thieves and Everwild
"Rare Classic" for shutting up the fans and leveraging the IP catalogue

 

[SpiceRacz]

Bought by Ninty, finishing the New Donkey Kong Trilogy. As God intended.

 

[Diddy X]

So basically MS buying Rare again.

 

[carlosrox]

Rare 2

Would be kinda weird if they got bought, I thought they whole reason they started Playtonic was to go solo.

 

[Soodanim]

I'm surprised that more people didn't pick up on the deja vu (if it is MS)

It wouldn't make much sense if they did sell to MS given that Playtonic was basically "Remember when MS didn't own Rare?"

 

[Lionel Richie]

For some reason I thought you were talking about a DK64 sequel. A 2D DK... I could see myself buying that.

I don't see Nintendo taking DK off Retro though, they've done a great job.

100% with you on that one, but since Retro only releases a game every 10 years or so, after we get Metroid Prime 4 in 2025 good luck waiting until 2035 for DK.

 

[Connificent]

So they are a publisher now



Whoopdiedoo

 

[ripeavocado]

Their Only output is a poor old school platform, who is going to pay big money to buy them?

 

[BabyYoda]

Their Only output is a poor old school platform, who is going to pay big money to buy them?

The Impossible Lair was actually really good.

 

[OldBoyGamer]

I'm happy that they've managed to find a way to stay alive and hopefully more than that, get some solid financial backing.
And I'm fully supportive of them for that.

But Banjo is one of my all time favourite games - it really is a master piece for me - and I don't see enough from Playtonic to believe they can pull off the B3 I've been waiting for all these years.

I genuinely don't mean that disrespectfully to them as I do have respect for what they've done as an indie dev. But the YL games have fallen far short of the level of BanjoK.