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Molyneux wants to help Rare find its identity photo

Creative director of Microsoft Europe and possible maniac Peter Molyneux has the rather unenviable task of pulling Rare from the pit of obscurity and back into the limelight. It's a tough job, but Milo's proud father is more than happy to tackle the job.

"Actually one of the things I really want to do is help Rare have more of an identity," he explains. "And make sure the people at Rare are seen more within the industry.

"I was totally blown away from the amount of talent that there is at Rare, but it's just that they come from a background where Nintendo required them to be this very, very secretive company. I just want to give them the confidence to tell the world what they're doing. I hope you're going to see more from Rare and I want to help them get well known."

When I visited Rare's studio in 2008, they stated that gaining a public sense of identity was something they were trying to do. Despite this, the company is still very much within its shell and very difficult to talk to. Luckily, Molyneux does way more talking than any sane man should, so if anybody is going to make Rare a more outgoing studio, it'll be him.

Let's just please not have Rare saying Viva Piñata 3 will revolutionize the way we play games and have the most emotional ending ever conceived. They don't need to learn too much from Peter.


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21 comments | showing # 1 to 21

Sexualchocolate's Avatar
Sexualchocolate at 06/15/2009 10:26
"Actually one of the things I really want to do is help Rare (make us a shit load of money, and) have more of an identity (buy buying them up and making them shovel out FPS games and sequels)," he explains. "And make (every last dollar possible from their work and make) sure the people at Rare (only work for Microshaft and) are seen more within (Microshaft than the rest of) the industry.

That's more like it.
GoldenGamerXero's Avatar
GoldenGamerXero at 06/15/2009 10:30
@SexualChocolate

I was agreed with everything you said apart from the whole "Mircoshaft" thing. It is way too suspicious that he suddendly cares about RARE now he's a main part of Mircosoft. I call foul.
Kvb's Avatar
Kvb at 06/15/2009 10:41
Rare used to have an identity... I miss those times. And I'm not really expecting Molyneux (of all people) to bring Rare back to those days.
Monodi's Avatar
Monodi at 06/15/2009 10:42
He is saying it as if Rareware was made by a bunch of amateurs. They just need to let them make more fucking games as silly they can be.

I mean seriously, if Microsoft is still in love with shooters and stuff they should at least request a new Jet Force Gemini, because Perfect Dark Zero sucked.
Tubatic's Avatar
Tubatic at 06/15/2009 10:44
Gee he's Microsoft Europe's Creative Director. Of course he cares about RARE's presence and perception as it relates to Microsoft.

Come on now.

Also, this is so inline with who the guy is: Peter Molyneux loves talking about what's being worked on, at the risk of -- everything really.
ajaxender's Avatar
ajaxender at 06/15/2009 10:45
What the hell are you two on about? This is Peter Molyneux. He has great ideas, he talks about his ideas, he talks his ideas up, he gets too excited, he starts thinking too far ahead, he fucks around with his games too much, he ends up putting out games that are normally good and fun and all but fall short of both his claims, and whatever potential they actually had. He sacrifices money making in order to do what he wants with his games.

Molyneux is many things, some good, some bad. He is NOT a corporate cash whore. Whatever MS's motives were in giving him this job, I think it was a great move. He does not wring every last dollar out of everything, which would be the last thing Rare (or any decent game dev) needs.
CocoJambo's Avatar
CocoJambo at 06/15/2009 10:51
Nintendo's second party studios have heavy input from Nintendo, after being sold and some key figures going elsewhere they did kind of lost their identity. But still I don't think that anyone from Lionhead studios is in a better position than them.
Monodi's Avatar
Monodi at 06/15/2009 10:57
@ajaxender

Well I am just not so sure about him, everytime he gets on a "promising project" he ends giving out a general disappointment. But eh, I might be overlooking a champion.
Holiday's Avatar
Holiday at 06/15/2009 11:11
Killer Instinct would be a good start.
gatorsax2010's Avatar
gatorsax2010 at 06/15/2009 11:32
Rare did have an identity. They were the Pixar to Nintendo's Disney. Now, though they can still put out quality work, I feel like something's missing. A Rare game isn't an event like it used to be. As for the old secrecy, I'm not so sure that was an edict from Nintendo. In the N64 days (Rare's creative peak, IMHO), they wouldn't show off something until it was ready (admittedly the way Nintendo operates). After all, Banjo-Kazooie was originally a Super Nintendo game about a boy and a pirate. But when they did finally show games off, it usually blew people away. How many Game of the Year awards did they get in their prime? It used to be an exciting thing to hear that Rare was amking a gamne, and I hope Rare can become the great studio they once were.
Jon B's Avatar
Jon B at 06/15/2009 11:48
Molyneux is speaking sense. If we can go back to the days when two of their games (GoldenEye/PerfectDark) are two of the highest scoring games of all time, Rare were SOMEBODY. Now, they're just another developer, churning out mediocrity.
I blame Microsoft for this of course, but the fact that SOMEBODY is trying to put them back on track, is nothing but a good thing. The fact that a visionary developer (who admittedly, nearly never delivers) is trying to get them to do it is a big plus.
manasteel88's Avatar
manasteel88 at 06/15/2009 12:29
Rare has fallen down a peg from the "ZOMG DONKEY KONG COUNTRY IS AMAZING" days. Most of that is identity issues as most people don't perceive Rare to be the same company as it was under Nintendo. Molyneux (as Xbox Europe's Head) should be promoting Rare like this since I'm sure most gamers want Rare to come back to the forefront. Right now they are making interesting and unique (but not the most well recieved) games and I'd like to see some big push from MS to support the developers.
Bastard Spawn's Avatar
Bastard Spawn at 06/15/2009 12:35
Conker's Bad Fur Day was probably the last great game Rare ever produced. Sucks that Rare's founder isn't going to do another one.
Hiltz's Avatar
Hiltz at 06/15/2009 12:37
Nintendo may have kept Rare on a tight leash back then but at least Rare had games to be proud of and that's when people adored the developer.

Unfortunately, ever since Rare joined Microsoft, it has yet to produce an amazing game.It has yet to make games that are as good or better than any of its SNES or N64 titles in my opinion.
Holyetheline's Avatar
Holyetheline at 06/15/2009 12:55
It would be nice to see Rare get a better identity. God speed, Peter!
HiddenAHB's Avatar
HiddenAHB at 06/15/2009 16:38
Molyneux is European.
So it's up to you to take care of him Jim.

PS: Good luck Rare!
Wedge's Avatar
Wedge at 06/15/2009 18:15
I'm pretty sure that identity was lost forever when Microsoft bought them. Rare was THE video game developer in the 90's, their website and community was fucking incredible, with all sorts of hilarious fan interaction with things like Scribes and Ask Uncle Tusk and such.
Kalmah's Avatar
Kalmah at 06/15/2009 20:10
I agree with Holiday. You can help them, and us, by giving me another Killer Instinct game!
JavTheGreat's Avatar
JavTheGreat at 06/15/2009 21:00
Rare made the 360 avatars...That's the last I heard of them.
L0cky's Avatar
L0cky at 06/15/2009 21:00
maybe i am wrong but i isnt nintendo holding some of the rights of killer instinct ? i thought it was a joint venture between rare and nintendo .

For me the old Rare is dead, sure they still can make some decent games.
but the magic they had in the past is gone , prob because rare is only a name and a lot of people from the past have moved on to other companies.
JustLikeBuck's Avatar
JustLikeBuck at 06/16/2009 03:35
Good bye horseeeeeeeeeeeees
I'm flyin' over you!
Good bye horseeeeeeeeeeee
I'm flyin', flyin', flyin', over youuuuuuuuuu

*ahem*
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