There is Still Hope for a New Banjo-Kazooie Game

No new Banjo-Kazooie game has been released since 2008’s Nuts & Bolts in 2008, but there is still some hope that the iconic bear and bird duo will make a comeback one day. Rare found a great deal of success with the first two Banjo-Kazooie games on the Nintendo 64, spawning a franchise that would include mobile spin-offs Grunty’s Revenge and Banjo-Pilot on the GBA, the aforementioned sequel Nuts & Bolts, and even an appearance in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as DLC.

Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts has its fans, but there are few that consider it a proper entry in the beloved 3D platformer series. Banjo-Kazooie fans have been hoping for ages to see the iconic duo make a comeback on modern platforms with a new game, but as of 2025, that has yet to happen. There have been rumors over the years of a potential new Banjo-Kazooie project waiting in the wings, but nothing concrete has materialized from it. The latest word is that the supposed Banjo-Kazooie revival is dead after Microsoft’s latest round of layoffs, but there may actually be some hope that the franchise will return one day.

Skylanders Studio ‘Would Love’ to Work on Classic Rare Franchise

Skylanders developer Toys for Bob reveals that the studio “would love” to work on a classic Rare franchise, which has been dormant for a while.

In a VGC podcast, spotted by TheGamer, VGC’s Andy Robinson said that while Rare is reluctant to tackle a new Banjo-Kazooie game, pitches for such a project have been “heard,” with Toys for Bob and Moon Studios reportedly interested in making such a game. Besides a new Banjo-Kazooie video game, there is apparently also interest in adapting the series into a movie or cartoon, so even if a new game is never made, it’s always possible the franchise can live on in other mediums.

Banjo-Kazooie Pitches Are Being ‘Heard’ at Xbox

Many would agree that Toys for Bob would be the perfect candidate for a new Banjo-Kazooie game. The now-independent studio worked on Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy and Spyro Reignited Trilogy, and it also made Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time, which released to mostly positive reviews back in 2020. Toys for Bob is rumored to be working on a new Spyro the Dragon game for Xbox right now, so the relationship is already well-established. Whether this means Toys for Bob will ever get to make a new Banjo-Kazooie game remains to be seen, but it’s an exciting prospect to consider.

It would also be interesting to see Moon Studios tackle the project. For the uninitiated, Moon Studios made the critically-acclaimed Ori games, and more recently, it has turned its attention to the action-RPG No Rest for the Wicked. Of course, it would also be great to see Rare back at the helm of the franchise, especially in light of Everwild being canceled. No new Banjo-Kazooie game has been announced at the time of this writing, but fans shouldn’t lose hope just yet.