[TheOddOne]

No, not at all, he was hired for concept art.

Sorry to double post, but could you clerify if he is still working on bases of freelance for Rare?

[Shiggy]

Cool, I know this guy. He was telling me two months ago he had to go to the UK for a job at Rare (he has worked for Ubisoft before, he's a freelancer). A few weeks ago he came back, the project was cancelled. We talked about Rare's demise and the whole Kinect direction they're heading and he said he was actually surprised to be asked by Rare, since his style is very realistic and serious. He does some great stuff btw.

Thanks for that information. Was it that racing project though?

[leesmapman]

That's a shame, even though the first piece of art is older than three months.

He went to the UK early March, so that's when he started.

[leesmapman]

Sorry to double post, but could you clerify if he is still working on bases of freelance for Rare?

He's back in the Netherlands, so no.

Thanks for that information. Was it that racing project though?

He couldn't tell much about it, but I'll try to get some info out of him, I probably see him in the pub this weekend :-D

[Shiggy]

It's probably not the best idea to talk about his NDA revelations on here though ;)

[TheOddOne]

He's back in the Netherlands, so no.

Thanks :)

[IOnEI Falcon]

He's back in the Netherlands, so no. He couldn't tell much about it, but I'll try to get some info out of him, I probably see him in the pub this weekend :-D

Haha! Awesome! Would understand if he doesn't tell you anything. I can't imaging the NDAs these guys have to sign.

[leesmapman]

Oh, and Lucid Pixel is a company another friend of mine has, specialized in 3D animation and CGI effects, nothing game-related.

[TheOddOne]

Credit to superannuation for finding this:

http://j.mp/KhvUMF | http://j.mp/L2gpti — Rare working on new IPs for Durango in the action-adventure or FPS genres?

Source 1:

Title: Senior Product Manager Category: Product/Brand Managers Client Reference: MD PPMR Location: UK - Midlands Salary: DOE Date Posted: 16th May 2012 Recruiter: Amiqus Description: Amiqus are working with a stable first party developer based in the UK to find a Senior Product Manager who will be responsible for multiple AAA future console releases. You will be joining a highly regarded publisher-backed studio that is responsible for a number of IPs currently on the market that have already hit number 1. Whilst continual development of their core releases will be maintained, the successful candidate will be joining at a time where the studio is looking to move into new areas and develop new IPs for future platforms. To help move in this direction, a role has become available for a candidate with experience of managing multiple projects simultaneously. Ideally, you will have worked as a Senior Production Manager, Mini Head of Production, Principal Producer or similar. You will have a successful history of releasing exceptional AAA games and these will ideally be in the Action/Adventure or FPS genre but this is not essential. You will also be experienced at effectively implementing positive change to working practises. Excellent management skills are required for this role and you should have experience managing both technical and creative teams. You will be able to plan programmes, taking into account peaks and troughs of workflow and produce an even workload for all involved. This is a fantastic opportunity to join a hugely successful studio and put your stamp on future releases.

Source 2 (Principal Program Manager - Microsoft Game Studios (Rare) Job):

Role Purpose As a first party developer and market leader in the motion gaming space with the Kinect Sports franchise, Rare continues to push the boundaries with innovation and new technology development. Together with our award winning products and our drive to have the best development process in the world, we are looking to recruit an experience Principal Program Manager to join our team. You will provide leadership to a triple A product team, manage other program managers, plan, execute and finalize projects according to strict deadlines and within budget. You will also assist the Studio in continuing to evolve and refine our development processes. Team/Department Mission Key Accountabilities and Responsibility In this role you will… Own delivery of a triple A product, direct and manage project development from beginning to end Provide leadership to cross-discipline teams Work with stakeholders to define project scope, goals and deliverables Track and manage these project deliverables Define project success criteria and disseminate them to involved parties throughout project life cycle Drive communication project progress to team members and stakeholders in a timely and clear manner Line manage and mentor other Program Managers on the team Refine, evolve and enforce our development processes Plan and track risks for the project, pro-actively developing strategies for addressing these risks Manage scoping, scheduling, tracking and reporting of production Collaborate with the discipline managers to provide a detailed plan of resources through product lifecycle Execute assembly of overall project budget projection Track actual spend against predictions for the project Identify and resolve resourcing shortfall or surplus as project unfolds Work with discipline managers to address resourcing imbalance Build, develop, and grow any business relationships vital to the success of the project. Knowledge, Skills and Experience Essential Experience Strong understanding of project management software tools for tracking, scheduling and reporting Strong, current knowledge of production methodologies and principles Experience of at least three full game development lifecycle across multiple high-end platforms Experience of managing continual on-line deliverables and sustain tails through product updates Proven ability of leading large multi-discipline teams Successful track record of performance managing direct reports, including managers Experience of recruitment and selection at various levels within business Experience of balancing the resource needs of multiple projects Proven record of working with external partners, developing relationships Experience of working with outsource partners. A thorough understanding of the pipelines and processes required to achieve a successful, efficient production cycle in this area An understanding of basic revenue models and P&L Personal Attributes/Interpersonal Skills An enthusiastic, positive and team oriented attitude Strong leadership skills, challenges others to develop as leaders while serving as a role model and mentor Good presentation skills Authoritative and confident; must be able to constructively hold their own against senior voices Able to communicate effectively with varied personality types Diplomatic handling of disputes and excellent negotiation skills An eye for sources of risk Ability to manage and develop these skills in others

[TheOddOne]

Eurogamer picked up the story.

Rare hiring for "multiple AAA future console releases"

Following yesterday's revelation that Fable studio Lionhead is making an "MMO-like" RPG for the next Xbox, it has now emerged that Kinect Sports developer Rare is working on a raft of Durango games. Rare is hiring for "multiple" triple-A games for the next Xbox, according to a job ad. The job spec (spotted by Superannuation), calls for a senior product manager to help create "multiple AAA future console releases". It suggests Rare will continue to make games in the successful Kinect Sports franchise, but also branch out with new IP. The listing says the candidate will ideally have experience in the action/adventure or FPS genres. "Whilst continual development of their core releases will be maintained, the successful candidate will be joining at a time where the studio is looking to move into new areas and develop new IPs for future platforms," it reads. "You will have a successful history of releasing exceptional AAA games and these will ideally be in the Action/Adventure or FPS genre but this is not essential." Last month former Sega design chief Simon Woodroffe became the new creative director of Rare. "I am looking forward to getting stuck into making incredible games that will be worthy additions to the pedigree of the studio," he said at the time. Rare has in recent years focused on Kinect Sports, but over the years has released a number of Xbox games for owner Microsoft, including Kameo, Perfect Dark Zero, Viva Pinata and Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts.

[Conor 419]

Rare and Vancouver both on new shooters?

Uhhh...Microsoft?

[IOnEI Falcon]

Nice find, I just read about this and came to post it! Very interesting indeed...

So it mentioned developing new IPs, so not PD 2 then?

[TheOddOne]

Anybody who wants to make a thread about it? Seems useless to keep it buried here.

[disap.ed]

Eurogamer picked up the story. Rare hiring for "multiple AAA future console releases"

Only Triple-A? What ever happened to Rare...?

[Diddy Kong]

Only Triple-A? What ever happened to Rare...?

Microsoft/Kinect

[Shiggy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...8q98X0Gg#t=33s
Rare knew about their Kinect-fate years before! Listen to Krystal, she definitely mentions Kinect.

[Shiggy]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...rm53-JQ#t=132s

Yes, an American is leading Rare Ltd. now. Did he want to copy Ballmer at first?

[Astrosanity]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...rm53-JQ#t=132s Yes, an American is leading Rare Ltd. now. Did he want to copy Ballmer at first?

RARE IS BACK BABY

oh god make it stop

[scitek]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...rm53-JQ#t=132s Yes, an American is leading Rare Ltd. now. Did he want to copy Ballmer at first?

I can't get over the presenter being Chris Hardwick's British doppelganger.

[Shiggy]

RARE IS BACK BABY oh god make it stop

If the Stampers saw that video, they surely banged their heads against the wall.

[Banjoman]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...rm53-JQ#t=132s Yes, an American is leading Rare Ltd. now. Did he want to copy Ballmer at first?

I don't feel anything anymore.

[QueenOfThorns]

I can now describe to you perfectly the sensation of my soul leaving my body.

[IOnEI Falcon]

No Rare at all during the MS conference :(

[Garcia el Gringo]

No Rare at all during the MS conference :(

Welp, I hope they have some big stuff brewing for next-gen. They had an interesting run this gen.

[Biggzy]

No Rare at all during the MS conference :(

Not surprising as all their future projects appear to be for next-gen.

[Dynopia]

Not surprising as all their future projects appear to be for next-gen.

Do you know what/how many games they've got in the pipeline?

[Biggzy]

Do you know what/how many games they've got in the pipeline?

No idea, but my guess would be two going off the job adverts - the new IP and probably a new Kinect sports title.

[Ocean_Voyager]

So disappointed to see no sign of Rare during the MS keynote speech. I really thought we'd get something. However, MS have sneaked out news of a new Kinect Sports Ultimate Edition in some Microsoft videos. Details here; http://www.raregamer.co.uk/2012/06/0...edition-outed/

[IOnEI Falcon]

Looks like Retro had no room for Grant Kirkhope:

https://twitter.com/grantkirkhope/st...09480899706880

[Diddy Kong]

Looks like Retro had no room for Grant Kirkhope: https://twitter.com/grantkirkhope/st...09480899706880

So disappointing. I tweeted Grant too and he responded :). Fans are also commenting on Retro's fb page asking for them to hire him.

[Shiggy]

So disappointed to see no sign of Rare during the MS keynote speech. I really thought we'd get something. However, MS have sneaked out news of a new Kinect Sports Ultimate Edition in some Microsoft videos. Details here; http://www.raregamer.co.uk/2012/06/0...edition-outed/

[Hero of Legend]

So disappointing. I tweeted Grant too and he responded :). Fans are also commenting on Retro's fb page asking for them to hire him.

Maybe if we're really lucky Retro might just succumb and open a spot for him.

If this fails, just put him in NST, I mean they have Yasuhara, more big platforming legends the better.

[MarkusRJR]

RIP Rare

You will be missed. :'(

[Diddy Kong]

Maybe if we're really lucky Retro might just succumb and open a spot for him. If this fails, just put him in NST, I mean they have Yasuhara, more big platforming legends the better.

Amen! GAF unites for Grant? <3

[Empowe]

Rare should take him back on for a next generation game.

[Banjoman]

https://twitter.com/RareLtd/status/218694501726818306



happy bir... ehm.
at least that drink is awesome.

[IOnEI Falcon]

Nothing new but Mr. Seavor on Conker sequel:

[IOnEI Falcon]

More confirmation of the latest KS release thanks to rarefandabase:

[Shiggy]

More confirmation of the latest KS release thanks to rarefandabase:

Huh? That was confirmed at E3 already and has been rated by the German USK. Of course it's coming.

[Shiggy]

Business Intelligence Engineer - Microsoft Game Studios - Rare Job

Following on from the success of ‘Kinect Sports’ and its recent sequel ‘Kinect Sports: Season Two’, Rare is continuing to push the boundaries of the Kinect hardware with our exciting new project.

If anyone still had doubts about their Kinect future.

[Vinterbird]

Business Intelligence Engineer - Microsoft Game Studios - Rare Job If anyone still had doubts about their Kinect future.

While it sucks they are still doing that, I'm somewhat excited to see what they can pull off with the next Kinect. Rare has been one of the few developers who have delivered some of the better Kinect experiences, so given the right environment I think they can shine alot in that field.

[IOnEI Falcon]

New Dinosaur Planet video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFbAWW_pVUw

[Hero of Legend]

New Dinosaur Planet video! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFbAWW_pVUw

Wow, so the voice actors stayed in the transition, but seriously, how can you not think of Fox when you see and hear Sabre?

[IOnEI Falcon]

Posted some new material here:

http://www.rareminion.com/dp.html

Condensed story, character bios and 5 songs.

[IOnEI Falcon]

Just posted some beta footage of Perfect Dark and Jet Force Gemini for anyone that is interested:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MR5Jcf6oIoA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5BeTXpYJrw

http://rareminion.com/betas.html

[Bluemercury]

What about footage for the GC Perfect Dark version???it was almost going to be shown at an E3 at some point but myiamoto changed postion at the last minute...

[IOnEI Falcon]

What about footage for the GC Perfect Dark version???it was almost going to be shown at an E3 at some point but myiamoto changed postion at the last minute...

We only have screenshots of that at the moment. Shiggy put them up along with some Xbox version screenshots too.

[ScOULaris]

This generation is going to kill the industry.

Pretty much this. So many development houses have either shut down completely or become shadows of their former selves this gen. Shit is depressing.

[Bluemercury]

We only have screenshots of that at the moment. Shiggy put them up along with some Xbox version screenshots too.

Where can i see them???

[EatinOlives]

Just posted some beta footage of Perfect Dark and Jet Force Gemini for anyone that is interested: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MR5Jcf6oIoA http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r5BeTXpYJrw http://rareminion.com/betas.html

Oh god, it makes me pine for a true sequel with modern hardware, complete with the original design of Juno/Vela being kids. It instantly injects a ton of character in the game and nobody would care that they're kids these days.

But fuck MS, it's never gonna happen.