In an interview with RareFanDaBase.com Chris Seavor, a former Rare employee, says that if Rare was still owned by Nintendo, then most of the original staff may have still been with the developer.  See below for the question that spurred Chris Seavor’s response and his actual quote.

“RareFanDaBase.com: If Rare were still with Nintendo today, do you think the company would have still been the same as it was all those years ago?

 

Chris Sevor: Pretty much. Tim and Chris would still be around, Mark B, Simon, loads of other people who subsequently left as well… Even me maybe. A company isn’t defined by bricks and mortar. It’s a people thing, so yeah , bar a few tweaks it would have been pretty much the same, both the good and the bad.”