Digging around in the trademark database sometimes uncovers interesting information, and this time around it's been noted that Microsoft and Rare have trademarked something called "Viva Pinata" for not only a game, but for a cartoon and all kinds of merchandise ranging from "shampoos to trading cards". It certainly took Microsoft and Rare long enough to try and establish their own character mascot. Banjo, Kazooie, Joanna Dark, Conker, and Rare's other characters have that Nintendo baggage still attached to them. Master Chief of the Halo series doesn't have enough personality or marketability to be a stand-alone character. Microsoft needs a friendly character mascot if it wants to compete in the mighty ancillary profit world, so Viva Pinata just may be a step in that direction.
Rare really didn't have much luck in the first Xbox generation with this sort of thing. Rare's only original title, Grabbed By The Ghoulies, didn't shoot to the top of anyone's popularity list, nor was there a kiddie cartoon series based on the game. Microsoft has probably been watching Nintendo across the street rake in the profits with their many lovable and familiar characters. I can't blame them for wanting a piece of that kind of action. Let's see what they come up with and how quickly the new character becomes annoying and overexposed.
