Microsoft may have fans screaming ”ULTRA COMBO!” soon enough. The owner of famed studio Rare has renewed the license for the popular fighting game franchise Killer Instinct. Could we finally be seeing a return to glory for the likes of B. Orchid, Jago, and Glacius?
The news came yesterday from Microsoft knowing full well how news reporters, like yours truly, will react.
“With all due respect to our friends in the media who like to frequent trademark sites, we thought we’d break this one ourselves.”
“Our legal eagles have authorized us to say: ‘We have either renewed or refiled a trademark application in various jurisdictions.’”
So there you have it! There isn’t much else revealed asides from this statement. although. That doesn’t stop us from making some fun assumptions though.
SUPREME VICTORY!
The likely plan for the time being is to release Killer Instinct (and maybe Killer Instinct 2) on Xbox Live Arcade. Depending on the response and sales numbers, this could potentially mean a new entry in the series. If Microsoft plays their cards right here, this could end up being a very profitable move especially with the recent resurgence of the fighting game genre. I have to wonder, however, if Rare will be back in charge of such a project. A lot of the talent back in the company’s history has moved on after all.
Killer Instinct 3 would have a lot of potential to go in a few different directions. Certain mainstay characters would need to return like Fulgore and Sabrewulf along with some fresh new challengers. The combo system would have to be revamped but still keep the over-the-top style that made the series popular. I think the gameplay could be built for beginners to easily get into it (much like Marvel vs Capcom 3) but with a deep system that rewards learning advanced combos and the timing required for combo breakers. I can see the addition of super moves or some sort of revenge mechanic (or both) to give KI3 a more modern feel. The game should be fast-paced and kept in a one on one style. Maybe a tag team system could be considered if KI4 follows suit.
Are you psyched to see the possible return of Killer Instinct? What would you like to see in a brand new entry? Let us know in the comments!
I’m sorry to say, I don’t think a trademark renewal means a return of the series at all. I’m not fully knowledgeable in trademark stuff, but I think that if Microsoft failed to renew the trademark, they could lose the rights to the name. Brands are always valuable to companies, even if they have no plans to do anything with them. They always prepare for the future when they might revisit it, either by re-releasing the existing games or making a new entry. As it is though, I won’t even get a glimmer of hope that KI might make a resurgence until they make a formal announcement.
I can definitely understand where you’re coming from. My hunch that the series will come back is simply from the fact that Microsoft themselves made the statement about the renewal before any news outlet could. I believe if they truly had no plans from making this move, then it would have been done with nary a peep. I won’t get my hopes up too high but it’s always fun to speculate these things.
If nothing else, it sounds more courteous than the traditional “We don’t comment on rumors or speculation.”
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