Responding to the comment that high-priced consoles and mass market software don"t exactly match up when launching new hardware, Lobb told Next-Gen, "If you look backwards, I think that"s the case. We saw it. Kameo launching today would do better than Kameo did at launch. And yet I was still super-happy to have Kameo at launch.

"You need to have a portfolio that has a spectrum of experiences available the day of launch."

However, he said, "At the same, especially with the launch of the 360, the price makes it somewhat prohibitive for a parent to go out and buy something for a six- or eight-year-old. So it"s important, especially now as we move into this holiday, that we have content available that really does cover everything, from Gears of War to Banjo to Viva to accessible Xbox Live Arcade Games, and even third-party licensed IP games that strike a chord with younger audiences."

The Rare Xbox 360 launch game Kameo: Elements of Power was able to win the appreciation of critics and a relatively small group of gamers, but its colorful, cartoonish settings were overshadowed by more "mature" games such as Call of Duty 2, Project Gotham Racing 3 and even Rare"s own Perfect Dark Zero.

With both the Xbox and Xbox 360, Microsoft has relied on the idea that you cater to the hardcore first with a high-end console and core-focused software. Then as consoles comes down in price, you start introducing more mainstream software, as average Joes and Janes buy more affordable hardware.

The Xbox 360 Pro model launched at $400 in the U.S. in 2005. Today, the Pro model retails for $350, and many expect another price cut by the end of the year.

Microsoft, which claims to have already won the core gamer, has now positioned Rare as the internal studio that will lead efforts to penetrate the mass market, as the Xbox 360 continues to become more affordable. Rare releases like Viva Pinata and the upcoming Banjo Kazooie: Nuts and Bolts illustrate this strategy.

Lobb added, "If you think about moving forward, when we launch the next platform, whenever that is, we"d love to have the broadest possible spectrum of content available on day one for the broadest possible audience.

"I think one of the beauties of Banjo is that this game has always hit a broad audience. It"s something that Rare has always prided themselves with. ... It"s truly a game for everyone."

Next-Gen will have more from Lobb on Banjo and more in the near future.