Over the last couple of years, various claims have suggested that a new Banjo Kazooie game has either been greenlit or in development. However, according to one reputable journalist and insider, that is simple not the case.
According to WindowsCentral’s Jez Corden in the latest XB2+1 podcast, a new Banjo Kazooie is not in development. “I don’t know if never, but I can tell you right now, categorically, there is no Banjo game in development as of this podcast on the 26th of June 2024. There is no Banjo game in development right now.”
In the past, NateTheHate (under NateDrake on ResetEra) has made several claims that a Banjo Kazooie game has been greenlit and is in active development. In late 2023, he said, “It’s still an active project, but it didn’t get the green light until early last year.” He continued, “There is a lot to do, and development can change a lot (abandoned ideas, internal reboots, etc.).”
Banjo-Kazooie hasn’t seen a true main console entry since 2000’s Banjo-Tooie. There were a couple of handheld games in the early-mid 2000s — Banjo-Kazooie: Grunty’s Revenge and Banjo-Pilot for the Game Boy Advance. There was also Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts in 2008, but that game was such a deviation from the first two games, that it’s regarded more of a spin-off than anything else.
There seems to be a high demand for family-friendly games as of late, though. PlayStation’s Astro Bot “2” reveal saw tremendous traction online earlier this year, so we wouldn’t be surprised if Xbox is also floating around ideas on what they can do with its family-friendly IPs.
Would you like to see a new Banjo Kazooie game? Let us know in the comments below!
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