Xbox boss explains how Banjo-Kazooie in Smash Bros. Ultimate came to be
This information comes from Xbox boss Phil Spencer…
“The ‘how’ is not actually that interesting. Obviously we’re one of the biggest third-party publishers on Switch, so we have great relationships with their third-party team. And you’ve seen the ambition they’ve had with every character that’s ever been in Smash and even more. So it was just kind of part of the partnership relationship we have with them.”
“There wasn’t anything kind of CEO-to-CEO that had to happen. People have asked me on social [media] – I’m sure you’ve seen that – over many years: ‘Would I welcome having Banjo in Smash?’ and I’ve always been open to that.”
– Spencer noted that Microsoft has worked with Nintendo for a long time, publishing games on 3DS and Switch, and letting classic Rare games like the Donkey Kong Country series show up on Nintendo back-catalogue services
“The licensing relationships between the two companies, they’re there and are kind of ongoing. The reason it’s not some interesting, deep conversation is because with us owning Rare and the history between those two things, there are a lot of conversations over the years about, ‘Hey, we want to do “X” is that okay?’ I think it’s cool that Banjo is going to be in Smash.”
