Banjo-Kazooie revival finally happening at Xbox, says insider

Speculation surrounding a Banjo-Kazooie revival has been going strong for several years now; through doubt, dismay, and blind optimism, the desire to see the franchise revived has persevered.

In 2023, the developers of the original Banjo-Kazooie feared it was too late for the franchise, with their concern being that it was gone for good. Luckily for us, that doesn’t appear to be the case.

Xbox bosses teased a revival in December 2023, with that tease all but confirmed. According to an insider, likely the same one who revealed the project had been greenlit, the revival is being “reworked from its original vision and scope”. What is more, that same insider admitted that they’d “spoken too soon” about the comeback.

We love an excuse to sit back, get comfy, and watch the original Banjo-Kazooie trailer.

What this means, besides further confirmation that a remake is in development, is that the next Banjo-Kazooie title will likely launch on next-gen consoles. “Banjo in the early stages. Sad to hear, but looking forward to whenever it comes out!” said one fan, before adding, “Childhood game right there.”

Still, while it’s slated for next-gen, considering gamers are concerned next-gen is coming at us too quickly, we could see Banjo-Kazooie sooner than anticipated. Not that we wish to further get your hopes up. For some fans, though, any wait is worth it. “Honestly at this point I wasn't ever expecting it [Banjo-Kazooie revival], so any semblance of its eventual existence is more than enough for me.”

In a year that’s already declared Xbox "dead" as it changes into something new, as well as Xbox confirming a new console, us Xbox fans take the win whenever and wherever we can. Banjo-Kazooie returning will always be a win, no matter the waiting time ahead of us.

Given how early on in its development this revival is, no launch date is remotely in sight. But it is happening, which is the respite we need after a bleak couple of weeks.