Banjo-Kazooie Reveal Reportedly Planned for Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase

The Banjo-Kazooie series might be getting a revival announcement during the Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase event.

As spotted first by VGC, respected content creator and developer at NightDive Studios, ModernVintageGamer, spoke in-depth recently on the Nate the Hate podcast about momentum seemingly building for the classic action-adventure series.

"Banjo will be at this show and it will be announced," ModernVintageGamer said. "I have spoken to a lot of people, and I’m not an insider, I’m a developer, but sometimes I hear things and I was at GDC earlier this year and there were some people that were talking about Banjo. I’ve heard Banjo’s coming up, from different people, for months now that something’s happening with Banjo."

Although MVG was certain that something related to Banjo-Kazooie would be announced, he also added that he doesn't know exactly what it would entail.

"What I can’t tell you is what that is," MVG said. "Is it an entirely new Banjo game? Is it a collection of old Banjo games? Is it a Nuts & Bolts remake? I couldn't tell you what this will be."

Both MVG and Nate the Hate went on to share that they would rather see Banjo-Kazooie go the route that Spyro and Crash Bandicoot recently took and have its first two games get the remaster collection treatment, complete with their core structures and a modern coat of paint.

"People want to return to that form of Banjo," Nate the Hate said. "Even [with] Banjo Nuts & Bolts, I don't think it was a bad game. I think it was a good game at the wrong time."

The Rare IP has been dormant for some time, having last seen Banjo-Kazooie, Banjo-Tooie and Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts upgraded and re-released with Rare Replay for Xbox One in 2015, and Banjo-Kazooie added to Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack this January.

In 2019, Banjo and Kazooie were added as playable characters in Super Smash Bros Ultimate.

The Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase is set to kickoff on Sunday, June 12, at 1 p.m. ET.

To stay up to the hour with all of the latest Xbox and Bethesda Games Showcase news, feel free to check out our Summer Game Fest 2022 announcement tracker.