Author Topic: Rare Founders Leave the Company (Read 5904 times)

Karl Castaneda #2 · « **on:** January 02, 2007, 11:38:00 AM »

Tim and Chris Stamper have left the company they started almost 25 years ago.

When Rare Ltd. was purchased by Microsoft in 2002, it meant the end of the company's involvement with Nintendo's home consoles. Luckily, they've continued to support the Game Boy Advance (with games like It's Mr. Pants and Banjo Pilot), and later this year, they'll be releasing a new Diddy Kong Racing on the DS.

They'll be doing this without two of Rare's founders, however, as Tim and Chris Stamper left the company at the end of 2006. Luke Smith from 1Up News secured the following comment from Microsoft:

"Chris and Tim have helped shape Rare into the world-renowned development studio that is it today and their impact on the videogame industry as a whole is well known. They are simply leaving to pursue other opportunities and we wish them luck in their future endeavors."

Mark Bryant will be taking over the roles of Studio Director and Creative Director in the Stampers' place.

NinGurl69 *huggles · « **Reply #1 on:** January 02, 2007, 11:50:37 AM »

I see. They stayed on as long as they could to print money. Apparently the printer is out of ink.

DAaaMan64 · « **Reply #2 on:** January 02, 2007, 11:55:17 AM »

I don't know, I wouldn't mind if they came and visited us again.

TJ Spyke · « **Reply #3 on:** January 02, 2007, 12:27:17 PM »

The Stampers haven't beend hands-on with a game since the N64 days (which is also the last time Rare made a good game, Viva Pinata is just plain boring), so it's not a big loss to MS.

ThePerm · « **Reply #4 on:** January 02, 2007, 12:46:50 PM »

so rare is offficially dead!

Louieturkey · « **Reply #5 on:** January 02, 2007, 01:01:18 PM »

Do we really about about this? Are we caring now?

RickPowers · « **Reply #6 on:** January 02, 2007, 01:20:29 PM »

I say they're either going to ...

A) Quit the industry altogether

or

B) Start developing for Wii

What rare's games since leaving Nintendo have needed is Nintendo's guidance. Their "family friendly" games on the Xbox 360 are almost exactly the same, but missing that familiar Nintendo spark that made them something special. Maybe starting a new studio and making games for Wii will get that spark back again.

ThePerm · « **Reply #7 on:** January 02, 2007, 01:38:44 PM »

c making games for ps3

BlackNMild2k1 · « **Reply #8 on:** January 02, 2007, 01:49:41 PM »

This just in, Stamper Bros. created NEW Wii development studio

Quote
New games in development:

Guitaro & Flutie
Immaculate Enshadowment
Plane Force Sagitarius
Murderer Intuition
Bonker: Bad Hair Day

Can't wait to see how this new venture works out for them...

seriously though, I wouldn't be surprised to see them start a new development studio. One that will focus on either Wii and/or DS games.

NinGurl69 *huggles · « **Reply #9 on:** January 02, 2007, 01:53:38 PM »

ZOONAMI IS WHERE ITS AT

ThePerm · « **Reply #10 on:** January 02, 2007, 02:15:41 PM »

Imperfect Darkness will now be known as Immaculate Enshadowment

Smash_Brother · « **Reply #11 on:** January 02, 2007, 02:42:11 PM »

At this news, I tremble with indifference.

18 Days · « **Reply #12 on:** January 02, 2007, 03:32:00 PM »

Do you think there is anyone left from 5 years ago?

Karl Castaneda #2 · « **Reply #13 on:** January 02, 2007, 03:43:16 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: 18 Days
Do you think there is anyone left from 5 years ago?

Well, Mark Bryant's been with the company for 19 years.

Rize · « **Reply #14 on:** January 02, 2007, 04:10:37 PM »

RIP Rare

Arbok · « **Reply #15 on:** January 02, 2007, 04:18:23 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: RickPowers
What rare's games since leaving Nintendo have needed is Nintendo's guidance. Their "family friendly" games on the Xbox 360 are almost exactly the same, but missing that familiar Nintendo spark that made them something special.

That "Nintendo's guidance" sure didn't help Starfox Adventures...

TrueNerd · « **Reply #16 on:** January 02, 2007, 05:03:37 PM »

Rare Is Dead
Long Live Free Radical

Karl Castaneda #2 · « **Reply #17 on:** January 02, 2007, 06:22:23 PM »

Free Radical's alright. TimeSplitters 2 was great, but everything else in the series (and Second Sight) were nothing special. As for Zoonami, yeesh. For games that never come out, we've got Vaporware. But what do you call a developer that doesn't develop? Vaporcorps?

Oh wait, they've got that Sudoku game coming out. My mistake.

IceCold · « **Reply #18 on:** January 02, 2007, 07:26:34 PM »

What about Brownie Brown?

Arbok · « **Reply #19 on:** January 02, 2007, 07:53:07 PM »

Quote
Originally posted by: IceCold
What about Brownie Brown?

The people who developed Sword of Mana and that Japan only Magical Vacation for the GBA? Yeah, sadly they never amounted to much.

KDR_11k · « **Reply #20 on:** January 02, 2007, 08:28:32 PM »

From what I heard the Stampers were running a very nepotist company and made "connections" count more than abilities. If that's true I think Rare will be better off without them. Maybe they'll shape up to be a developer that gets games done on time now.

Arbok · « **Reply #21 on:** January 03, 2007, 05:12:43 AM »

Quote
Originally posted by: KDR_11k
From what I heard the Stampers were running a very nepotist company and made "connections" count more than abilities. If that's true I think Rare will be better off without them. Maybe they'll shape up to be a developer that gets games done on time now.

Yes, one can read a lot of the old "annoyed" employee remarks here if they like, which started to gain steam in 2003... if they are all true or not is another question:

http://forums.advancedmn.com/showthread.php?t=857

18 Days · « **Reply #22 on:** January 03, 2007, 03:47:31 PM »

Yeah like how they operated a daycare on site but closed it by the time the Stamper's kids reached school age.

News:

Author Topic: Rare Founders Leave the Company (Read 5904 times)