Rare confirms: no Piñata DLC

Rare has confirmed that it will not produce any further downloadable content for Xbox 360 title Viva Piñata.

The Microsoft-owned developer made the comment on its own website in response to a question from a fan. Rare also said the Viva Piñata team is working on an alternative project.

"We aren't doing any downloadable content for Viva Piñata because we are much too busy doing something else," wrote a member of the Viva Piñata team in the Scribes column.

The revelation echoes comments made by Rare late last year. In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, lead designer Gregg Mayles expressed scepticism about the value of producing downloadable content for Viva Piñata unless there was significant demand.

"The jury is still out," Mayles said at the time.

"It's almost pointless doing a huge amount of work at this point, because if it's not going to be successful you may as well put that effort into making a new game."

Viva Piñata has not been the mass market success Rare and Microsoft were hoping for. It sold poorly on its release in late 2006, failing to break into the UK all-formats top 40.

However, although the original release will not be supported with DLC, both developer and publisher are committed to developing the Viva Piñata brand further.

PC and Nintendo DS versions have been announced, along with a spin-off party game, Viva Piñata Party Animals, which is in development at Krome Studios.

At present it is unclear whether the "something else" being developed by the Viva Piñata team is an extension of the franchise or an all-new project.