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To say Banjo-Kazooie is a beloved franchise would be a bit of an understatement. Banjo-Kazooie has a rabid fan base, one that erupted with happiness when the characters were added to the roster of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. However, beyond their appearance there and their N64 outings being added to Nintendo Switch Online, the series has essentially been mothballed for years now. According to composer Grant Kirkhope, that likely isn’t going to change. Here’s what he said on X:
I’ve said it before … but .. I have zero hope for another Banjo game, plus all you die hard fans would instantly hate it and slag it off no matter how good it was , it never works.
— Grant Kirkhope (@grantkirkhope) January 23, 2025
“I’ve said it before … but .. I have zero hope for another Banjo game, plus all you die hard fans would instantly hate it and slag it off no matter how good it was , it never works.”
Oof. Some folks took these remarks like a punch to the gut, but Kirkhope was quick to follow up his first post with another:
I hope that last tweet didn’t come across as mean, the Banjo fanverse is a wonderful thing, the reaction when Banjo got into Smash Bros. is something I’ll remember for the rest of my life ❤️
— Grant Kirkhope (@grantkirkhope) January 23, 2025
Regardless of how Kirkhope put it, his point is pretty sound; fans can be notoriously hard to please, and in the case of BK fans, potentially impossibly so. Regardless, it’s disappointing that Microsoft and Rare have done so little with the brand all these years. Hopefully that will change at some point in the future, but in the meantime, at least fans have the classics to enjoy.
Source: Grant Kirkhope X Account
Oh, man. I mean, the last installment if I was right was. on the 360 with Nuts and Bolts. The series has a lot of potential too, although I’m afraid Kirkhope may be right.