Microsoft Buys Rare - IGN

Rare was responsible for over $1 billion in revenue over the last five years beginning with the N64's groundbreaking eight-times platinum Goldeneye 007 and continuing with megahits like Donkey Kong 64 and Perfect Dark.

Here come the quotes:

Chris Stamper, chairman and technical director of Rare, said, "Our mission at Rare has always been to make the industry's best games for the widest possible audience. Teaming with Microsoft gives us the best opportunity to accomplish this goal. Microsoft's dedication and commitment to game creators, research and development, and to gaming innovation made them the obvious partner to take Rare into the future."

"We've always insisted on pushing the envelope when it comes to creativity," added Tim Stamper, co-founder and creative director of Rare. "And now we get the chance to create for Xbox."

"The last time I was this excited was the first time I picked up a controller and played a game from Rare," said Ed Fries, vice president of Xbox Game Content at Microsoft. "As a gamer, you could hardly wait until Rare's next title was announced. You didn't know what genre it would be, but it didn't matter because you knew you were going to love it."

The new deal between Rare and Microsoft will yield five games over the next two years and included among those will be Kameo, Perfect Dark 2 and games from the racing, platformer and shooting categories. While Perfect Dark would adequately fill up the shooter category, Rare's other powerful franchises, Banjo-Kazooie and Conker would deliver monster platformers to the Xbox lineup. Conker, Joanna Dark, Banjo and Kameo were all featured in the announcement video. See for yourself.

IGN has confirmation that Microsoft will now own all of the intellectual properties previously owned by Rare including Perfect Dark, Banjo Kazooie, Jet Force Gemini, Conker, Killer Instinct, Blast Corps and Sabre Wulf.

IGN will have more on all Rare games including a freshly pirated preview on Kameo, which is now due in Spring of 2003.