How Banjo-Kazooie Made Nick Offerman Quit Gaming
He's the man of the moment right now, and in case we didn't already love Nick Offerman enough, we've seen a whole new side to him thanks to HBO's The Last of Us series.
Known for his roles in the likes of Parks and Recreation and We're the Millers, it's clear Offerman can turn a comedic role, however, it was as doomsday prepper Bill in The Last of Us Episode 3 that we got to see his softer side.
Bella Ramsey was apparently told to avoid playing Naughty Dog's 2013 title, but it turns out she wasn't the only one not to step into the mushroom apocalypse before joining its world. Offerman has explained why he hasn't picked up a controller.
Why Hasn't Nick Offerman Played The Last Of Us?
The Last of Us' "Long Long Time" is already being heralded as one of the greatest TV episodes of all time, with Offerman speaking to Jimmy Kimmel about the rave reviews for his portrayal of Bill - alongside The White Lotus' Murray Bartlett as Frank.
When Kimmel asked whether Offerman had played The Last of Us, he explained that he hasn't played a single game since 1998. Apparently, it's all Banjo-Kazooie's fault.
This bear and bird platformer came out at a time Rare was one of the biggest developers out there. As well as Banjo-Kazooie, it delivered N64 staples, including Diddy Kong Racing, Donkey Kong 64, Perfect Dark, and GoldenEye 007.
"25 years ago, I played my last video game and I'm very indulgent," said Offerman. "I lost a couple of weeks to a video game called Banjo-Kazooie. Two weeks went by and, you know, I was like, 'Oh my god, the slow dopamine drip is so delicious.'"
Discussing the addiction to video games, Offerman added, "Then it's over and you're like, 'Yes, I won!' And immediately, I'm like, 'What have I done with my life?' And so, I decided I'm never going to do that again."
He said that because video games have become so good in the 21st Century he thinks he'd "be in a basement" and "wouldn't even be going to audition for shows like this" if he continued playing.
It's easy to see where Offerman is coming from, however, others have called out his use of the phrasing "lost time," saying it devalues the experience and the entire gaming industry.
Where's Our Banjo-Kazooie Remake?
We've got to admit, Banjo-Kazooie is a pretty damn great title. Rare delivered a sequel in 2000 with Banjo-Tooie, which was a bigger (and arguably) better continuation that only improved on the OG.
Sadly, the Banjo-Kazooie name slipped into disappointing titles like the GBA Banjo-Pilot and Xbox 360's Banjo-Kazooie: Nuts & Bolts. We're big fans of the franchise here, with a mythical Banjo-Kazooie remastered trailer proving what we're missing out on.
Now that Rare falls under Microsoft's umbrella, there was a leak about a potential revival that's not come to fruition. Even if Offerman hasn't played a video game for 25 years, we bet if anything can do it, it'd be Banjo-Threeie.