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Facts About Banjo-Kazooie @factsaboutbk.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Rare confirms they're working on multiple projects. Most of the staff cut were from central operations. To avoid cutting too many people Rare stopped outsourcing work for Sea of Thieves and moved internal staff to it. www.thegamebusiness.com/p/is-xbox-ma...

thegamebusiness.com

Is Xbox making the right decisions? Plus, how AI is (and isn’t) transforming game localization

Plus, some thoughts on our trip to Japan

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OlieGamerTV @oliegamertv.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Update to this: If you noticed the entire top half inflating like a balloon when he breathed, that's because of some data I initially copied over from the early TiP version of the animation. Changing that data back results in just his torso breathing, so this'll basically be the intended animation.

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Facts About Banjo-Kazooie @factsaboutbk.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

OlieGamerTV was able to fix the animation for the Banjo-X animation. Apparently they had updated the model after Viva Pinata's release as it has morph shapes that weren't present in the original but were found in Trouble in Paradise.

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Facts About Banjo-Kazooie @factsaboutbk.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Borman opens up an early build of Viva Pinata that features a high polygon Mumbo Jumbo from 2004 that features his staff that was once found in the data of a Banjo-X prototype that Borman also showcased on PTOPOnline back when RarewareCentral existed.

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Facts About Banjo-Kazooie @factsaboutbk.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

Gregg uploaded more pages today: x.com/Ghoulyboy/st...

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Facts About Banjo-Kazooie @factsaboutbk.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Gregg Mayles shares Dream version 2's script on Twitter: Source: x.com/Ghoulyboy/st... #BanjoKazooie

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Facts About Banjo-Kazooie @factsaboutbk.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Honestly, a big year for BK despite no game. Lighthouse, Banjo-X model, Dream prototype, Evercade rerelease.

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Facts About Banjo-Kazooie @factsaboutbk.bsky.social · 09/09/2026

Someone claimed to have uploaded the SNES prototype of Project Dream that they had in their personal collection on Archive.org. This is footage by OlieGamerTV. We don't know if its authentic but it works.

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Facts About Banjo-Kazooie @factsaboutbk.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

Updating my rumor mill list: 2024 - Aaron Greenberg says no one at Xbox cares about BK, later says he was joking. 2024 - Jez says there is no BK happening. 2025 - Nate doubles down on BK game but hasn't heard news. 2025 - BK cartoon pitch rejected by Rare 2026 - Grant says Rare denied 3 pitches.

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Reonu @reonu.bsky.social · 09/08/2026

PSA: Somebody who isn't us bought the banjorecomp dot com domain and is distributing malware while passing it as the official website for the Banjo: Recompiled project. DO NOT fall for it. ONLY download it from our GitHub page. If you know of a way to get this taken down, please reach out.

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Facts About Banjo-Kazooie @factsaboutbk.bsky.social · 02/09/2026

On Reddit, someone is claiming that one of the games pitched to Rare was from Playtonic games. But it was rejected due to bad blood? It got 300+ upvotes because Redditors genuinely don't have critical thinking skills. Why would someone even go anonymous about that? Stupid.

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Facts About Banjo-Kazooie @factsaboutbk.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

According to OlieGamerTV, text strings for Young Conker imply that before settling on Conker, Banjo-Kazooie and Viva Pinata were considered. The IP for the game was originally titled "J.O.E" and switched to a Rare IP later.

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Facts About Banjo-Kazooie @factsaboutbk.bsky.social · 23/07/2026

I haven't seen anyone else talk about it, but the Nintendo 64 "Home of the Hits" promotional for Banjo-Kazooie from the new footage shown just has Mumbo T-posing in his chair as part of the promotional image on the video itself. Source: us.preservica.com/Render/rende... @ 21:37

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Facts About Banjo-Kazooie @factsaboutbk.bsky.social · 10/07/2026

"Banjo-GIAF" is a piece of concept art by Paul Cartwright. While he lists it as a Miscellaneous piece it was originally seen at Rare during an early Rare Replay tour. The art was replaced by Battletoads in the final version of the game. Source: www.artstation.com/artwork/dWdxJ

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Jason Schreier @jasonschreier.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

I want to re-emphasize one part of this Xbox story: Half of the 3,200 cuts are happening today and half are happening in the next 12 months. In other words, even people who survived today's layoffs will have to spend the coming year wondering if they're going to be next.

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Jason Schreier @jasonschreier.bsky.social · 06/07/2026

Even now there's misinformation floating around, so let me make this clear: Xbox is cutting 3,200 jobs, or 20% of the organization. 1,600 jobs will be eliminated today, and then another 1,600 (including the studio divestments) in the next 12 months. Full story: www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

bloomberg.com

Microsoft’s Xbox to Cut 3,200 Jobs, Divest Five Studios in Major Overhaul

Compulsion and Double Fine studios will become independent; Undead Labs and Ninja Theory will be sold. Xbox will also look to sell or spin out Arkane Studios.

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Facts About Banjo-Kazooie @factsaboutbk.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

Microsoft had purchased all of Rare's trademarks in 2023. (They let Banjo-Pilot's trademark die, sadly) So if Rare were to go independent or sold off it wouldn't have any IP and it won't even be able to own its iconic R logo (since Microsoft bought that too).

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Facts About Banjo-Kazooie @factsaboutbk.bsky.social · 03/07/2026

According to Patrick Garrat from Edge Magazine's newsletter. Rare or a chunk of its staff (its unspecified) is on the chopping block in the upcoming mass layoff / studio shutdowns in the upcoming weeks.

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Facts About Banjo-Kazooie @factsaboutbk.bsky.social · 02/07/2026

There's a new ability in the Evercade version of Banjo-Kazooie. When you collect all Jiggies and Music Notes you unlock the ability 'Breegull Boost' which lets BK fly anywhere. Might be a reference to the prototype that originally allowed BK to do that without pads.

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Facts About Banjo-Kazooie @factsaboutbk.bsky.social · 30/06/2026

Banjo-Kazooie for the Evercade has a music player that features 21 beta tracks in it, a majority have never been heard before. Including all of "Mount Fireyes" tracks and tracks for a mushroom level that eventually became Cloud Cuckooland. #BanjoKazooie www.youtube.com/watch?v=6nkQ...

youtube.com

Banjo-Kazooie Unused Track - Lava World [Evercade Music Player]

YouTube video by TSR Stormed

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Facts About Banjo-Kazooie @factsaboutbk.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

Interesting fact, Youtooz has their own version of Banjo's backpack that is distinct from other versions and merchandise.

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Facts About Banjo-Kazooie @factsaboutbk.bsky.social · 14/06/2026

New Youtooz Banjo-Kazooie full revealed. Source: x.com/youtooz/stat...

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Facts About Banjo-Kazooie @factsaboutbk.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

Associate Creative Director of Toys for Bob: "I'll say that we love Spyro, love Banjo, love all these types of titles"... "We've been doing this all along. It's not a new thing that we're shifting to, but we want to carry that type of experience into the world." www.gamesradar.com/games/platfo...

gamesradar.com

Spyro: A Realm Beyond dev says the "loud and consistent" fans who bought 11 million copies of the Reignited trilogy helped manifest the series' first new game in years

"Going independent was taking on massive, massive risk," says studio head Paul Yan

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Facts About Banjo-Kazooie @factsaboutbk.bsky.social · 11/06/2026

Youtooz teases another Banjo-Kazooie figure. Based on the box art for the Nintendo 64 version of the game. Source: x.com/youtooz/stat...

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Facts About Banjo-Kazooie @factsaboutbk.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

Here’s a fun mystery if you’re bored. Does anyone know what GameCube development kit this Mumbo’s Mountain offshoot came from? It’s called Knoll on Model Resource and it’s literally half of MM From Banjo-Kazooie. #BanjoKazooie Source: models.spriters-resource.com/gamecube/nin...

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Facts About Banjo-Kazooie @factsaboutbk.bsky.social · 08/05/2026

First 4 Figures is releasing a Banjo-Kazooie Jinjonator Statue. #BanjoKazooie. $20 off with code JINJONATOR208QDS5PGP. Not sponsored btw, its just what they sent in my email.

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Jeph Perez - The Rare Historian @peg-leg-perez.bsky.social · 01/04/2025

"Arrr! I had a dream once... I were in this fine game... A bear stole me glory... looked a bit like you, 'e did!" Thirty years ago, before a bear and bird battled a rhyming witch, there was a boy named Edson who dreamed of adventure...

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Chris Allcock @taskbaarchitect.com · 01/04/2026

Banjo fans! I've recently been pondering (🤔) how Banjo-Tooie has a lot of score-based minigames centered around targets, hoops, etc. that are red, blue or green. Do you have colour vision deficiency? Were these minigames particularly hard for you, or were other clues enough to get by? Let me know!

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Facts About Banjo-Kazooie @factsaboutbk.bsky.social · 02/04/2026

OlieGamerTV cracked open the files to Rare Replay's version of Grabbed by the Ghoulies which still has content from the Nintendo GameCube version of the game in its files. #GrabbedByTheGhoulies Source: tcrf.net/User:OlieGam...

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Facts About Banjo-Kazooie @factsaboutbk.bsky.social · 31/03/2026

Evercade Nexus 64-Edition will release with a double pack cartridge featuring Banjo-Kazooie and Banjo-Tooie Source: evercade.co.uk/evercade-nex...

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Oakieland @oakieland.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

Modified the jumping (might still be too high) and made Pack Whacking slightly slower. Can rapidly press A or let go of the A button to discontinue your ascent. #BanjoKazooie

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Facts About Banjo-Kazooie @factsaboutbk.bsky.social · 24/03/2026

Went on a big tirade about the oral history of Banjo-X. #BanjoKazooie. Sources: tcrf.net/Proto_talk:B..., web.archive.org/web/20150219..., x.com/search?q=fro..., www.youtube.com/@facts_about...

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Oakieland @oakieland.bsky.social · 23/03/2026

Dev Log 22 - Eyes to the Soul. Implementing more of Tanooki's animations and trying to fix the uncanny stares the models had when UV Warping wasn't cooperating with exporting from Blender. Still can't figure out shape keys on Rigify models though! Can't find an answer to that one! #BanjoKazooie

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Oakieland @oakieland.bsky.social · 23/03/2026

After a long while, figured out UV Warping from Blender to Unity using an instanced material then modifying the offset. Next thing on the itinerary is figure out how to export shape keys on armatures. #BanjoKazooie

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DK Vine @dkvine.com · 19/03/2026

Your pirate can get a free Jinjo emote, complete with a mention of Treasure Trove Cove in the description, right now in the Sea of Thieves Pirate Emporium.

A purchase screen for the Help Me emote in the Pirate Emporium showing the pirate Captain Cussin’ Russel doing a Jinjo “HELP!” pose.

“In far-off Treasure Trove Cove, this is recognised as a plea for help. On the Sea of Thieves, people will just think you've had too many grogs.”

Screenshot from Sea of Thieves.

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Oakieland @oakieland.bsky.social · 18/03/2026

Current goal is to try to get a playable prototype of Cliff Farm out there in the next month or two. Polish will come after. Then move on to the next world as its own demo. Repeat. #BanjoKazooie

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Oakieland @oakieland.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

Another update on the Crag Mill, adding ivy to it. How's it look? #BanjoKazooie

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Oakieland @oakieland.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

Similar change as the barn, here's the new Crag Mill (left) and the old one (right). Squished it in slightly and adjusted the emission. #BanjoKazooie

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Oakieland @oakieland.bsky.social · 17/03/2026

New Bluff Barn (left), old Bluff Barn (right), people in the Banjo's Backpack server gave their insight that the right one was too boxy, shared pictures of Jolly Roger's Lagoon showing there is no straight angles on the buildings. Does it feel more Banjo-y? #BanjoKazooie.

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Facts About Banjo-Kazooie @factsaboutbk.bsky.social · 15/03/2026

One of the rejected pitches that Clark Crozer did for the Go Nuts TV Spot for #BanjoKazooie: Nuts & Bolts was a spokesperson wearing a Banjo head. Source: www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQGN...

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Oakieland @oakieland.bsky.social · 14/03/2026

BKGR Reimagined 21: Cliff Farm Exterior Work in Progress. If you noticed in my previous CF video I was gungho on making it an American-styled red barn level HOWEVER someone pointed out the original barn was based on a British hangar, and because it's a British game I wanted to stick to its roots.

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Oakieland @oakieland.bsky.social · 13/03/2026

Some progress shots of Cliff Farm, changed the aesthetic slightly to match better with the British farmstead look rather than American. #BanjoKazooie

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Oakieland @oakieland.bsky.social · 12/03/2026

More progress on Cliff Farm for BKGRR, it spirals around the cliff that the farm is on kind of like Mayahem Temple, it just feels more Greg Mayles-like that way. Still trying to figure out some layout stuff, especially the water mill. #BanjoKazooie

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Facts About Banjo-Kazooie @factsaboutbk.bsky.social · 11/03/2026

A Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts recomp is now functional, meaning BK:N&B runs natively on PC and is moddable before Banjo-Tooie. Source: SolarCookie

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Robin Beanland @robinbeanland.bsky.social · 11/03/2026

The cover art was drawn by the one and only Pete Hentze. He was the concept artist on Conker Live & Reloaded.

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Oakieland @oakieland.bsky.social · 11/03/2026

Tanooki's new Jinjo model and animation for BKGRR. If anyone knows how to resolve UVWarp export from Blender to Unity, I'd appreciate it! #BanjoKazooie

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