Goodbye Donkey Kong Now That Microsoft Bought Rare

I G N insider have annouced that Microsoft just bought Rare away from nintendo all the stocks too. That means the only Rare game to hit the cube will be Star Fox Adventures, after that there won't be any.

The Donkey Kong franchise is dead as of Sept 11 2002.

Hopefully IGN is wrong but it doesn't look like it is.

[Ross]

Interesting...

If this is true then yes, this does throw a serious money wrench (haha...) into new DK productions. Don't count it out though:

- Does anyone besides Nintendo know the contract agreement that Nintendo and Rare had? I would suspect that the character Donkey Kong would specifically owned by Nintendo, that in the future if such an event like this would happen, Nintendo would own DK and the name. I would say that there is a really good chance the contract leaves Nintendo with DK... however (plays sinister music) Diddy, Cranky and the rest were created both from Rare and Nintendo collectively, such cases before (ie. Super Mario RPG) have shown that both parties own the characters, and if they don't come to an agreement then those characters are dead.
- Nintendo is slowly starting to have better connections with their liscensees, and other companies in general. DK is one of Nintendo's most lucrative series, I have no doubt that Nintendo and Rare would sit down and talk to each other (and on the flip side, Rare and Microsoft) all three sitting together would deffinately take a while...) about the future of DK.

Originally posted by DK's Tie:
Hopefully IGN is wrong but it doesn't look like it is.

Don't forget, the Idiotic Garbage Network is often wrong and IGNorant (especially when it has to do with Nintendo).

[ September 11, 2002, 11:20 PM: Message edited by: Poochy ]

Yeah DK is owned by Nintendo so they'll just pass it to another Developer for Gamecube. Just like they did with Starfox (The next Starfox game will be from Namco).

As for Perfect Dark and Banjo Kazooie, those go to x-box I think.

There is also info at Raretopia.

If it does happen all the Rare character created during the N64 era will go to X Box.

For those of you who don't have Insider, (myself being one of them), the info leaked so:

September 11, 2002 - In past months, UK development studio Rare has been the subject of a seemingly endless stream of rumors, all of them suggesting the company would break from Nintendo's wings and possibly join with a new publisher. Now we have the full story, anonymously confirmed by numerous credible, high-level insiders. The reports are true. We stake our reputation on it.
Nintendo, formerly a 49% shareholder in Rare, had the chance to purchase the company outright nearly a year ago, but refused, according to high-ranking sources. With Rare software contributions amounting to only 9.5% of total revenues in Nintendo's fiscal 2001 year, and a miniscule 1.5% in fiscal 2002, the publisher weighed the benefits and drawbacks of making additional investments in Rare and decided against it.

Rare went on the market. Publishers bid on the company. Activision and Microsoft were both interested in acquiring Rare, but it was Microsoft who won out and delivered the asking prices for the developer and Nintendo's 49% stake in it. Nintendo sold all of its shares in Rare, according to insiders, and the studio's second-party status was terminated.

The obvious questions then: why all of the secrecy and why haven't Rare, Nintendo or Microsoft made any announcements? The truth is that the details have not been finalized. Insiders allege that Nintendo and Rare are still haggling over licenses, and specifically whether or not Rare will be able to purchase the properties it worked on under the Nintendo brand, including Perfect Dark and other trademarks Nintendo holds. Franchises and characters created and owned by Nintendo, of course, including Donkey Kong, will remain in Nintendo's control. An official announcement, though, is not far off. The latest word is that the news will be made public at Microsoft's X02 Europe event which begins September 24 in Seville, Spain.

Meanwhile, sources indicate that Nintendo plans to utilize some of the money it made in the selling of its Rare shares to entice other development studios to make GameCube software, fund new games, and more. The company's de-emphasized focus on a second-party model and its new partnerships with Namco, Sega, Capcom and others exemplifies its change in development philosophy, and leaves no room for an expensive investment in Rare.

Look for much more on this major news as it develops.

It really sucks to see DK go. DKC1-3 and DKR were some of the best gaming experiences ever. And other Rare games such as CBFD and Banjo Kazooie were of equally high caliber. Now, it looks like DK will be reduced to party games and golfing, and we might see him transform back into the pre-Rare storyline. DK will probably be considered DK SR., not DK JR., like in Melee. So there goes the DK storyline, unless Nintendo goes with what Rare has set forth, which, if we look at Mario Tennis and Melee, they may not. For once, I'm really mad at a company. I'm sure BK, Perfect Dark, and other Rare games won't get as big a following as they would on the GCN.

Sorry to see you have to go, Rare. Sorry you ever existed, Microsoft.

Uh no DK is still Ninty's. Its things like Banjo-Kazooie and Perfect Dark that will definately be leaving.

Luckily DK is still Nintendo's. And StarFox is still coming out as well thank the lord.

Looks like vgf got their version up in the X Box section.

[Ross]

More interesting things being said I see.

I think some people could use a bit more video-game legalities clarity.

Who owns what?
-Nintendo owns the Donkey Kong franchise. This includes the name, and the title character. Nintendo is also sure to own all characters before Rare's involvement, which is only a handful: Donkey Kong Jr., Pauline, Stanley the Bugman, and Mario... (note, Mario has only ever been given a name in the DK series in Donkey Kong Jr. Originally he was reffered to as Jumpan, but that was not copyrighted) This has no relevance at all, but just some history for you.) And besides characters (talking baddies now) they would also own those things called klaptraps (are that what they called?) as they were shown and named in for DK Jr.
-Characters and baddies from Donkey Kong Country have unknown futures right now. Nintendo could have made an arrangement that would have given them sole copyright of the characters and enemies should they part with Rare. But again, Super Mario RPG has shown that they have ignored (or not been able to agree) on that in the past. Thus Cranky, Diddy, Funky, Candy etc. King K. Rool could be jointly owned. What does that mean? Unless Rare works with Nintendo in the future (which is still not completely impossible) the characters can not be used by either company!
-Rare deffinately does not have sole ownership of the jointly made characters. Nintendo would not have allowed that to happen. Thus there is no chance that Rare could go its seperate way and produce 'Super Cranky Kong.' Or even a game featuring such characters in cameos.
-Cranky Kong is a new character. I know he's made out to be the original DK, but it is name, and appearence (not to mention the fact of being the main character) that actually makes the DK sporting the tie owned by Nintendo.
-Nintendo could produce future games resembling anything they've done with Rare (ie. on an island, DK wears a tie etc.). Within reason though.

Final point though, we don't know! Wait and see who owns what!

Nintendo owns the Dk Franchise(I think) Which means all and every Characher from Dk series is Nintendo's. Remeber, Nintendo gave Rare the licence to make Dk games. Rare added on by making new characters. Rare can't take those characters away. Thats what I think though.

[imported_Link the Adept]

I knew 9/11 would be bad

Ironically on 9/11.

From what I understand, right now Nintendo and Rare are arguing about who belongs to who, of course Microsoft might just buy the character rights just like they bought the icon rights from Mac. Currently we don't know who belongs to who except Donkey Kong.

This has been talked about on Rare forums in the past, and it was basically, all Snes made characters are Nintendo's, all N64 made characters are Rare's. Rare could probably do a Lanky game, but they can't use Lanky Kong because the Kong is copyrighted. It was interesting when discussed back then, who knew it would have actually happened.

Dont count on the gorilla being dead. Rare makes its own games but microsoft just looks them over and sends them out.

Diddy Kong Pilot is still being worked on by Rare, after that hopefully Nintendo will do something instead of just redoing old DK games on e cards and porting DK +.

Here is what is gonna happen to donkey kong! (geez you guys worry to much about games) Rare uses donkey kong but rare didnt own dk from the start. It was also owned by nintendo. So,both nintendo and microsoft will use it. You guys are crying because of a lie you are starting. You have no proof that your statement of dk being dead. I am right. Rare only has the right to use dk in their games. But so does camelot and nintendo. IGN is a bunch of false rumors. They dont have any relations with companies. And it costs money to see copied gamefaqs.

[ October 16, 2002, 07:23 AM: Message edited by: The evil warlock. ]

The thing is that statement was from over a month ago.

::laughs::

Neko^^

Actually...if I remember correctly when I got the newsletter from IGN, they said that the only game that was not sold to microsoft was Donkey Kong. Donkey Kong was originated by nintendo and there it stays. Why would they sell it to Mircosoft?

Well I'm really doubting Nintendo and a GCN Rareish Donkey Kong game right now. Rare is still working on GBA games though.