Alright, we’ve got some great news for fans of Rare and fighting games. Microsoft has just announced that they’ve renewed the Killer Instinct trademark. Could it be heading to Microsoft’s upcoming next generation console, the Xbox 720?
Here’s the official announcement on Play XBLA:
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.”
That’s it! Have a good Monday!
While it’s not uncommon for companies to renew trademarks, what’s different here is that Microsoft took the time to announce it.
Killer Instinct had quite a following back in the days of the SNES and is fondly remembered as one of Rare’s top franchises. However, after the second game, it suddenly fell silent. But hardcore fans of the series have never really stopped clamoring for a comeback. Microsoft probably recognized this which is why they decided it was in their best interest to keep their trademark on Killer Instinct. And since Microsoft took the time to officially announce the renewal, people are now wondering if this means they’ve got big plans for the franchise.
One of the most popular guesses right now is that Microsoft and Rare are developing Killer Instinct 3 for the Xbox 720. That certainly wouldn’t be a bad assumption; a solid fighting game with a built-in following would make sense on the Xbox 720. Imagine Killer Instinct but with more modern gaming conventions such as online play, wouldn’t that be just awesome? And while I would welcome such a game, the non-betting man in me thinks that this is more likely because the original Killer Instinct will be getting an XBLA release, which is also why it was announced on Play XBLA.
However, if Microsoft and Rare do decide to create Killer Instinct 3, let’s all hope that they make it just as great as the first one.
Would you like to see a new Killer Instinct for the Xbox 720? Share your thoughts in the comments below!