X10: Ken Lobb: Killer Instinct Has a Place on the XBLA

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Dan Webb

When people mention classic games that they want brought on to the Xbox Live Arcade, Rare's classic, Killer Instinct, always seems to feature in some way or another.

Speaking with X360A at X10, Microsoft's General Manager for Live and Creative Director for Microsoft Game Studios, Ken Lobb, said he had fond memories of his brainchild and mentioned that they were constantly in discussions over the title.

"Ahhhh, Killer Instinct, another one of my babies," mused Lobb. "I obviously have personal feelings about Killer Instinct, but I do think it’s got a place and again it makes that sort of sense... "Let’s bring something that people loved in the past and see how it does on the Live Arcade." Again, we haven’t started anything yet, so don’t freak out, but Killer Instinct is something that we’re constantly talking about."

When pressed on whether the franchise would ever get a true current generation sequel, Lobb reveals that they actually started on the sequel after Killer Instinct 2.

"Actually after KI2, we started KI3 so there was some early work done on it," Lobb revealed. "Someday, maybe. I think in some ways – again, we don’t have any plans – but if we were going to do a KI3, we’d probably start with KI1 on XBLA, you know to a.) see if everyone is still interested in the IP, but also as a reminder of what it was like."

"Street Fighter is a great example of that, right?" he continued, "They obviously did Street Fighter 4 last year very successfully, but right before it, Street Fighter HD. It sold very well. I’ve always been a huge fighting game fan so I never really “got out” of Street Fighter, but when Street Fighter HD came out, I played the crap out of it. I was excited to get Street Fighter 4. I think the same thing could work."

This news will surely raise a smile to the faces of fans of the series and hopefully the original will become more than just "constant" talks in the coming weeks/months/years. Well, at least we hope so.

Comments
65
  • EHHHHHHHHHHHH OHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!
  • *continues to keep hopes up* :)
  • Fuck yeah!
  • Awesome...I LOVED this game on the SNES.
  • Honest to god if this doesn't come to XBLA before the end of the gen I may have to nerd rage.
  • Didn't I just post about this in the Perfect Dark story? Ask and ye shall receive, I suppose. I am liking the thought of KI coming to XBLA, but what I want is to find several million dollars when I wake up and not have to pay any taxes on it.
  • You can count on my money if you put it out Ken Lobb! WANT!
  • Gotta have KI if it makes it to XBLA
  • This game was my Mortal Kombat when I was a young'n Great to see its on XBLA
  • Id prefer Killer Instinct 2 myself. But ill take what i can get.
  • Ultra.... ultra... ultra.... I hope this comes out, I love me some KI!!!
  • @10 - Agreed.
  • sick, hope they bring it all out but mainly SNES one!
  • Cooooommbbbooo breeeaaaakerrr! Haha it would be sick if they put it on xbl
  • how about conkers bad fur day?
  • Maybe they could put the killer kuts cd in it? Fulgore wins, awesome
  • I just did a little happy dance :D YES! Confirmation that there is reason to keep hope for this! Now...if we could just get Clayfighters on there, I'll be set.
  • Why not release every awesome Rare (the company) game? Lets have Conkers Bad Fur Day (full uncensored and not grit-ified), Jet Force Gemini, Killer Instinct HD, Battle Toads HD... *squirts*
  • Mmm, can't wait for it.
  • I would totally buy KI on XBLA. Ultra Combo!!!
  • Please please, bring it to xbla. The best old school fighting game ever and now with cheeves, yup sign me up. I could use a lil Saberwulf action. I always wondered why there was never a KI3. Agrees with #18- yes please bring Conkers Bad Fur Day (fully uncensored) to xbla as well.
  • KI2 XBLA!
  • I'll take KI1 Arcade, but I'd rather have KI2 Arcade (which I never got to play)... however. Battletoads Arcade is the real deal. It seems much better than all the NES and SNES games which either sucked completely or were ruined by hoverbike levels.
  • @#18 don't forget blast corps. that game could definately do with an overhaul.
  • Ok, so most companies are exploting my childhood to make me buy this classics again... AND I FUCKING LOVE IT. But TBH if this gets a port, KI should be the arcade version. SNES was ok for it's time, but I want full intro animations, the stage finishers properly displayed, all the good stuff that made that game awesome. Now if ID Software could get their act together and hurry up and release Doom 2 & Quake Arena I would die.
  • @#24 Blast corps would work well as xbla title. maybe with co-op multi player added in too Killer Instinct would be awesome :) really hope this happens.
  • ULTRA ULTRA ULTRA!!!!!!
  • LOBB IS THE MAN
  • Credit tot he guy for bigging up Streetfighter, Rare is an amazing company, I hope they do this and do well. I'm currently playing Banjo Tooie and not had as much fun on the 360 for ages.
  • i want both on xbla
  • I think that they should make it a mixture of the original KI an KI: Gold for the N64, that would really make it kick ass. I loved Cinder from KI but in KI: Gold, Jago was my fav. PDZ on the other hand, that was a sad sad sequel to the orginal PD, it was 1. Campaign was too short, 2. MP was garbage compared to the N64 version.
  • I also want Battletoads and Super Battle Toads. They where good but awfully hard.
  • That would be pretty awesome, if I do say so myself.
  • All i can say is sweeeeeeeeeeeet
  • Amazing, good old KI I have fond memories of the game.
  • i sure hope they put both KI1 and KI2 on XBLA...that would be awesome...day 1 purchase for sure
  • Please please i loved this game
  • Would rather have the 2 KI games than Project Natal, come on you can even charge me money if you want.
  • WINNAH!
  • My friend's dad would always kick all our asses at this game back in day.
  • OMFG I Want KILLER INSTINCT 1 On XBLA So BAD!!!!!!1!!!
  • I found KI2 was good and all but I also found if you can do a 80 hit Ultra with one character you could do it with all of em, not much variety like the Original Arcade KI where everyone had different button combinations. Sorry for the double post, yes give me KI Arcade HD Remix.
  • The sooner the better and please make Killer Instinct 3.
  • Loved KI1, didn't care for KI2. Absolutely loved the KillerKuts cd. I still listen to it. I would looooove if they put blast corps on live arcade. I utterly destroyed that game on the N64. Stupid save system making 4 save files caused me to accidentally delete my save game though. Turds! You Rare guys owe me!
  • I can't believe it took fourteen comments until someone finally said Cooooommbbbooo breeeaaaakerrr! ...disappointment :D
  • This makes me smile :)
  • 'bout fuckin' time!!! :D Really really hope it turns into more than just talking! I would play the crap out of it :D
  • I want KIller Instinct, but not before Conker's Bad Fur Day!
  • This game was ridiculously hard on Gameboy to me as a kid. I'm sure I'm better, but it made me break the plastic screen on the gameboy pocket back in the day. This is still pretty cool to hear because I'm now more into fighting games and better at them. Bring it on!
  • one of the greatest games of all time in my opinion. this game is money in the fucking bank 4sho
  • Man! I used to f'ing love Killer Instinct
  • conkers bad fur day was epic multiplayer with a friend was jokes the n64 one i mean not that reloaded crap its needs a sequel badly and also an arcade release they could name the achievements after the characters like the legendary great might poo song 'i am the great mighty poo and im gonna throw my shit at youuuuuuu'that song is epic,please rare please do a sequel and a xbla release
  • I want a new Banjo Kazooie game from Rare. Nothing of the nuts and bolts gimmick. Just an old fashioned next generation platformer.
  • C-C-C-C-C-COMBO BREAKKKEERRR! Sorry that didn't add anything insightful to the thread it's just fun to type. That would be a good fit for XBLA.
  • woohooo killer instinct get R done !!!!!!
  • @45 Well, you've gotta build a combo before you can break it ;) I'd definitely get Killer Instinct if it came to the XBLA, especially if they somehow gave it an HD makeover. Regular KI would be good, too, but one can hope, right?
  • Bring it. Love me some KI!!!
  • I have waited for this day. Now is just the time to dust off my SNES and start pulling off some ultras with Fulgore!
  • Hell yeah. now i can quit dustin off the SNES.
  • #26 - Holy shit I completely forgot about Blast Corps. Damn Rare made some sweet games back in the day.
  • C-C-C-Combo Breaker! bring on this game :D
  • One of my all time favs.
  • Too bad HDR had NOTHING to do with SF4's development. KI will fail, again, if it tried to pursue this.
  • Not too bothered about KI3 but if it happens I will welcome it with open arms! ;) I would love to see KI & KI 2 on XBLA! A HD remake like they did with SSF2HD Remix would be great! I played KI to death back in the day in the arcades, on the SNES & KI GOLD on the N64. Didn't play KI2 that much as it disapeared out of the arcades pretty quickly for some reason. Maybe a Killer Combo pack on XBLA like they did with R-type Dimensions and Final Fight. We deserve to have Killer Instinct! With big screens now in homes and HD it would be EPIC! :)
  • just bring this out already, what's the hold up Microsoft?! this is a guaranteed cash cow, u got a first day buy from me when this comes on XBL,one of the greatest fighters that was hugely underated
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