It's been on the scene under the Rare name for 25 years, and as Ultimate its legacy stretches back further still. Established in 1985 to focus on the expanding console market, it partnered with Nintendo and sealed a reputation for quality with titles ranging from Donkey Kong Country to GoldenEye.

The acquisition of Rare by Microsoft Game Studios came about in 2002. It went on to support the Xbox 360 debut with two of the three launch games, Kameo and Perfect Dark Zero.

Subsequent years saw it innovate with Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts, the Viva Pinata franchise and its pioneering work on Xbox 360 Avatars. It continues to target top-tier development at both its custom-built rural HQ and new Birmingham facility. The boundless opportunities afforded by Microsoft Kinect are its current source of inspiration.