Viva Pinata, Banjo Kazooie, Conker, Recore, Lost Odyssey, Phantom Dust and the list goes on and on. Xbox have too many franchises that need to be revived.
Microsoft have over 20 first-party studios at the moment and there are still many many franchises that are collecting dust, waiting for their turn to be brought back to life, by one of these first-party teams.
The list of forgotten Xbox IPs is huge and us, like other fans of these franchise, would love to see them return, so we've made a list of five Xbox franchises that seriously needed a comeback.
Banjo Kazooie
Xbox
Probably one of the most popular "forgotten" franchises among Xbox fans is the Banjo Kazooie platformer. Rare's title is known for its adorable protagonists bear Banjo and his friend red bird called Kazooie. The last game in the Banjo Kazooie franchise was released in 2008 so it's safe to say that an announcement of a new title or a remake would be positively welcomed by the community.
Though, Rare probably won't be making it since they are busy with Everwild, which is rumoured to be coming in 2024.
Lost Odyssey
Xbox
This JRPG with turn-based strategy elements received mostly positive reviews from both critics and fans but since its 2008 release, there hasn't been any talk about the potential sequel. Lost Odyssey even sold well in Japan, which is why Microsoft should consider giving this another go. It could very well turn out to be their Final Fantasy equivalent.
It's highly unrealistic to expect the return of Lost Odyssey so this one will probably just stay nothing more but a fans' wish.
Viva Pinata
Xbox
Unlike Lost Odyssey, Viva Pinata actually received two sequels as well as a handheld release for the Nintendo DS. Interestingly though, since the release of the handheld version, Microsoft decided to shelve the IP as Rare switched their focus on Kinect Sports and Killer Instinct.
We're optimistic about this one, though. While nothing is confirmed and Phil Spencer said a couple of years ago that there are no plans for a new Viva Pinata game, this franchise does seem like a prime candidate for a reboot, since Xbox Game Pass is always in need for these "family fun" games.
Conker
Xbox
Another Rare gem. It's a real shame that the last major Conker release was 16 years ago. This IP is simply brimming with potential and could be another massive franchise for Xbox and a true mascot for the brand.
Sadly, as with most of these games that we're listing in this article, there are no indications that the beloved red squirrel is making a comeback.
MechAssault
IGN
Phil Spencer would probably make this one happen if it wasn't for the "messy" IP rights situation. It seems like the MechAssault franchise is not fully owned by Microsoft, which makes the whole process of bringing it back a bit harder.
We think it's definitely worth trying since we haven't had a big AAA mech-themed action game in a long, long time.
