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MS Peter Molyneux: "I want to help Rare"

Newly appointed creative director of Microsoft Europe, Peter Molyneux, has said that he wants to help internal studios – including Banjo creators Rare – regain a sense of identity within the company.

Molyneux was speaking following his promotion to a role which will see him liaise with all internal and external developers and help them focus on creative and innovative output.

"Actually one of the things I really want to do is help Rare have more of an identity," said Molyneux in an exclusive interview published today. "And make sure the people at Rare are seen more within the industry."

Although one of Microsoft Game Studios most expensive and well-known development teams, Rare has yet to establish a breakout hit for the company in the same league as Bungie’s Halo or Lionhead’s Fable. The closest the team has come is Viva Piñata, but a number of titles including Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts and Perfect Dark Zero have failed to spark with consumers and achieve significant sales numbers.

And unlike Lionhead or Bungie before it separated from Microsoft, the company is still considered secretive and lacking a public profile.

"I was totally blown away from the amount of talent that there is at Rare, but it’s just that they come from a background where Nintendo required them to be this very, very secretive company," offered Molyneux. "I just want to give them the confidence to tell the world what they’re doing. I hope you’re going to see more from Rare and I want to help them get well known," he added.

However, Molyneux said that what his new position won’t involve is interfering with the creative process and watering down a studio’s own distinctive style - "you’ll definitely still recognise a Rare game," he said.