It's official: Rare is now with Microsoft!
by Jolex Del Pilar

Friday, September 13, 2002

The most important Nintendo ally of the last decade has officially joined forces with Microsoft.

We reported about this on April 15th ( http://www.vgln.com/games/cube/101893388552372.shtml ) when the rumors of Rare's buyout became even louder when rumors started to float around that the relationship between Nintendo and the creative development house had grown particularly icy. Well like a house of cards, everything has tumbled and Nintendo and Rare are no longer sleeping in the same bed. What makes this story even more interesting is who Rare is now partnering up with.

Nintendo, in a startling move has sold every last share it owns of Rare to Microsoft Corp. Nintendo actually had a chance at owning Rare completely but for some reason or another did not choose to go that route. Activision, one of the largest game publishers in the industry, also was rumored to be a front runner for ownership of Rare.

Five years ago, Rare was a major reason that Nintendo's lackluster Nintendo 64 hardware managed to sell any units at all. With hits like Donkey Kong 64, Golden Eye, and Perfect Dark, Rare provided the backbone to a clearly outclassed system, in terms of software.

More importantly, Nintendo Gamecube sales have been bolstered greatly by gamers anticipating Rare's forthcoming projects, which include Star Fox Adventures (still going to Gamecube), Kameo and Perfect Dark Zero, and Diddy Kong Pilot and Sabre Wulf on GBA.

More to come as this story develops.

--- Jolex Del Pilar, Conker multiplayer "Expert" Sniper