Microsoft: Ask us About Rare in 3 to 5 Years

"I think that the story on Rare is really going to be told in the next three to five years. The kind of titles we're really asking them to focus on now are the Banjos, the Viva Pinatas, the Kameos, and so forth. Rare is going to be our internal studio--really, our primary studio for the most part--that's going to be focused on creating those big, triple-A-level, broad appeal titles. We're entering into the life cycle stage of the console where those kinds of titles can and should do well. We've never been in that stage since we owned Rare. When you look back at Xbox version one, that was a hardcore box through and through, right? Now, Kameo and Viva Pinata have launched during the highest price point of the Xbox 360. Those are really good titles that we're very proud of, and Viva Pinata in particular I think will have very long legs with the television series."