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Yooka-Laylee Developer Playtonic is “Rebranding” Itself with a "good reason", XGS ?

KyoZz

Tag, you're it.

The developer says details will be revealed “soon.”

Microsoft-Playtonic-Games.jpg


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.

unknown.png


 

VAL0R

Banned
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

cumsessed

The developer says details will be revealed “soon.”

Microsoft-Playtonic-Games.jpg


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.

unknown.png


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.
 

Umbasaborne

Banned
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
 

NeptuneCL

Member
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

cumsessed
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.


 
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.
 

Men_in_Boxes

Snake Oil Salesman
You’re absolutely right mate.




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.
 

MacReady13

Member
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.
 

Bridges

Member
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
 

carlosrox

Banned
Rare 2

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

Soodanim

Gold Member
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?”
 
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.
 

OldBoyGamer

Banned
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.
 
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