Tim Stamper, co-founder of Rare and Ultimate Play the Game, has surprised fans by resurfacing on social media and announcing plans to open a personal archive that spans four decades of British game development.
The veteran developer — whose early resume includes ZX Spectrum classics Jetpac (1983), Atic Atac (1983) and Sabre Wulf (1984) — founded Rare in 1985 and later helped shepherd major 1990s console titles such as Donkey Kong Country (1994), Killer Instinct (1994), GoldenEye 007 (1997), Diddy Kong Racing (1997), Banjo-Kazooie (1998) and Perfect Dark (2000).
Stamper's return began with a short, cryptic post on X and Instagram on 27 October 2026, his first public social-media activity in over three years, accompanied by an image of keys decorated with his trademark googly eyes.
On 29 October he expanded on that tease, saying he was prepared to release “documents and relics” accumulated over his career and that he intended to move away from his longstanding preference for privacy.
In journalistic terms, Stamper told followers he was ready to shed his reputation for secrecy and publicly share the materials he and his team have preserved.
On 5 November 2026, Stamper encouraged fans to subscribe to his newly launched YouTube channel ahead of a planned archival series.
He invited viewers to join him as he explores the collection and promised rare finds and forgotten artifacts, while wryly warning that the first episode might disappoint expectations.
He also posted a fan poll asking what material viewers would like revealed first.
The announcement has been met with enthusiastic response from Rare’s community, many of whom are eager to see design documents, prototypes and concept art from both Ultimate Play the Game and Rare’s commercial peak in the 1990s.
Fans have also called for historic IP revivals, frequently citing titles like Atic Atac, but Stamper has not announced any new game releases or platform plans.
For now, the confirmed facts are Stamper’s social-media return, the launch of a YouTube channel for archival content, and his stated intention to share decades of collected materials.
Those interested in classic British game development and Rare’s catalog should subscribe to Stamper’s channel and monitor official posts for the first archival episode and further release details.
The veteran developer — whose early resume includes ZX Spectrum classics Jetpac (1983), Atic Atac (1983) and Sabre Wulf (1984) — founded Rare in 1985 and later helped shepherd major 1990s console titles such as Donkey Kong Country (1994), Killer Instinct (1994), GoldenEye 007 (1997), Diddy Kong Racing (1997), Banjo-Kazooie (1998) and Perfect Dark (2000).
Stamper's return began with a short, cryptic post on X and Instagram on 27 October 2026, his first public social-media activity in over three years, accompanied by an image of keys decorated with his trademark googly eyes.
On 29 October he expanded on that tease, saying he was prepared to release “documents and relics” accumulated over his career and that he intended to move away from his longstanding preference for privacy.
In journalistic terms, Stamper told followers he was ready to shed his reputation for secrecy and publicly share the materials he and his team have preserved.
On 5 November 2026, Stamper encouraged fans to subscribe to his newly launched YouTube channel ahead of a planned archival series.
He invited viewers to join him as he explores the collection and promised rare finds and forgotten artifacts, while wryly warning that the first episode might disappoint expectations.
He also posted a fan poll asking what material viewers would like revealed first.
The announcement has been met with enthusiastic response from Rare’s community, many of whom are eager to see design documents, prototypes and concept art from both Ultimate Play the Game and Rare’s commercial peak in the 1990s.
Fans have also called for historic IP revivals, frequently citing titles like Atic Atac, but Stamper has not announced any new game releases or platform plans.
For now, the confirmed facts are Stamper’s social-media return, the launch of a YouTube channel for archival content, and his stated intention to share decades of collected materials.
Those interested in classic British game development and Rare’s catalog should subscribe to Stamper’s channel and monitor official posts for the first archival episode and further release details.
