I don't think its that easy to establish a new studio. Just look how difficult it is for them to manage their existing ones. If the work culture is similar to Nintendos, i would rather use the opportunity and get an existing partner. Thats why i see Wayforward or Velan. They are working mostly on licensed IP's (besides Shantae amd Mighty Switch Force), arent very expensive, habe a good relationship with Nintendo and in case of Velan are trying some new technical things like the SkylandersBuying a western studio is a crapshoot if they have nothing of value. If you want bodies, just lease some studio space in a desirable area and mass hire/head-hunt leads
but we also see how difficult it is to even find studios that have compatibility with nintendo. if ones are found, like whom you listed, are they even willing to sell? establishing a studio gives them a benefit of establishing the culture from the start, especially if they hired a lot of green workers.I don't think its that easy to establish a new studio. Just look how difficult it is for them to manage their existing ones. If the work culture is similar to Nintendos, i would rather use the opportunity and get an existing partner. Thats why i see Wayforward or Velan. They are working mostly on licensed IP's (besides Shantae amd Mighty Switch Force), arent very expensive, habe a good relationship with Nintendo and in case of Velan are trying some new technical things like the Skylanders
concept or AR Mario Kart.
Their relationship with Grezzo is only a decade long; wouldn’t retire them to the same tier as HAL just yet. Monster worked exclusively with Nintendo for a decade and then after Xenoblade 3D they moved on; can’t take anything for granted.I think EPD should use part of their new expansions to start up a group for seeking out western development talent, as well as start up japanese talent as well. I'd like to see Nintendo gather a new generation of second party partners similar to HAL, Monster, and Grezzo.
but we also see how difficult it is to even find studios that have compatibility with nintendo. if ones are found, like whom you listed, are they even willing to sell? establishing a studio gives them a benefit of establishing the culture from the start, especially if they hired a lot of green workers.
Are Big Brain Academy and Brain Training really internal, though? I thought they were mainly developed by Indies Zero, with Nintendo directing and supervising. Kinda like the Vitei games on 3DS.On that note above, I should probably update my internal engine use chart again.
I think Switch Sports' EPD Group is easy enough to guess, but i'm trying to present things factually and we still don't know for certain. Also why Splatoon 3 isn't over on the LunchPack side yet, where it'll obviously end up. 1-2-Switch is the only game i'm unsure of at this point (hence the question mark).
Nintendo did most of planning and design work in-house, and had indieszero finish the game based on those builds. It's a practice they've employed with quite a few internally led projects, including the Veti games.Are Big Brain Academy and Brain Training really internal, though? I thought they were mainly developed by Indies Zero, with Nintendo directing and supervising. Kinda like the Vitei games on 3DS.
Farewell HAL, Intelligent Systems, Game Freak...I’m not counting on any company who isn’t a subsidiary of Nintendo.
I ignored Velan. Woops. But yeah, they're a good fit for Nintendo. It is a bit of a shame Nintendo aren't a bit more aggressive at securing some of these studios, assuming they'd be open to acquisition.I still think Velan could make for a solid close partner if both parties are interested. MK Live was a cool experiment and Knockout City is a really good take on the multiplayer "shooter". The founders have a lot of history on Nintendo hardware as well.
I ignored Velan. Woops. But yeah, they're a good fit for Nintendo. It is a bit of a shame Nintendo aren't a bit more aggressive at securing some of these studios, assuming they'd be open to acquisition.
Yeah, but the development itself was done by the partner -- for example, Tank Troopers used a proprietary engine developed by Vitei. In this context, I think Brain Training and Big Brain Academy are external games.Nintendo did most of planning and design work in-house, and had indieszero finish the game based on those builds. It's a practice they've employed with quite a few internally led projects, including the Veti games.
We also have the smaller eShop games, like Good Job or The Stretchers.I feel like the Switch gen has been pretty good for Nintendo and Western development. Next Level Games, who've had an enormous hit in Luigi's Mansion 3, have now become a subsidiary. New partnerships for exclusive games with Ubisoft Milan and WayForward, and Nintendo have cemented the partnership with MercurySteam which resulted in the release of Metroid Dread, a GOTY candidate for 2021 and soon to be the best selling Metroid yet. Retro Studios should even finally be present with a re-release and a new game in the next couple of years, too.
Like yeah, don't take anything for granted because the only 2 relationships guaranteed to continue are Retro and NLG, as subsidiaries. But WayForward seem an excellent fit for Nintendo, and the partnership with MercurySteam has reaped dividends and I don't see either side wanting to end that yet. As for Ubisoft Milan... it's a shame they're part of such a binfire of a company, but they've probably the best Mario spin off on Switch and a great looking sequel is on the way. Really solid additions to Nintendo's exclusive software line up.
Edit - should also provide a shout-out to NST, whose partnership with EPD 8 seems to be going from strength to strength and which hopefully bodes well for their future.
Yeah, and for Cadence of Hyrule, too. It's not exactly the same thing as Nintendo expanding Western development through acquisition or investment, but good partnerships have come about this generation. Hopefully they continue to invest in those areas; games like Good Job and The Stretchers would be excellent as subscription incentives. They don't seem to have made a splash as standalone purchases.We also have the smaller eShop games, like Good Job or The Stretchers.
I don`t know about Cadence of Hyrule, but NST was involved in Stretchers, Good Job and Scribblenauts. They`re doing a good job (no pun intended) lately as a support studio!Yeah, but the development itself was done by the partner -- for example, Tank Troopers used a proprietary engine developed by Vitei. In this context, I think Brain Training and Big Brain Academy are external games.
We also have the smaller eShop games, like Good Job or The Stretchers.
They didntI don`t know about Cadence of Hyrule, but NST was involved in Stretchers, Good Job and Scribblenauts. They`re doing a good job (no pun intended) lately as a support studio!
On wikipedia they are listed as dev support for these two.They didnt
Because someone saw Masamichi Abe name on those games and thought he still at nst,despite being at Nintendo of America for some years nowOn wikipedia they are listed as dev support for these two.
You love to see it. I’m like legit excited for this studio for the first time in my life considering the work they’ve done lately. Showing some great talent thereTalking about NST,looks like someone is expanding
All time record
Talking about NST,looks like someone is expanding
All time record
Could we actually get a new wave race from themTalking about NST,looks like someone is expanding
All time record
Hmm. Maybe that’s why no water sports in Nintendo Switch Sports…Could we actually get a new wave race from them
still a better fate than Mario vs. DK jail imoUntil they hire more planners, it looks like they will be connected to EPD's game designers or continue their role of working with source material for ports, remasters or remakes.
Projects at EPD are developed in a variety of scaling ways. EPD develops and creates games themselves internally, designs concepts and prototypes of games to ship off to other developers to help finish, produces other developers' games and creations, and supervises use of Nintendo IP in third party published projects. Brain Age and Big Brain Academy are in the 2nd category. They're internally developed games that were polished up by another studio.Yeah, but the development itself was done by the partner -- for example, Tank Troopers used a proprietary engine developed by Vitei. In this context, I think Brain Training and Big Brain Academy are external games.
Not the first time Nintendo have worked with Indieszero in that manner either; NES Remix was a similar case.Brain Age and Big Brain Academy are in the 2nd category. They're internally developed games that were polished up by another studio.
The idea came from EPD (Kaori Ando specifically). They laid out the story, characters, and premise, and iZ just built a game around that.Never looked too deep into Sushi Striker but I believe that one was a lot more collaborative (external development staff from EPD 1 + Indieszero).
Nintendo buys SRD Co
They've worked on the programming for many Nintendo games since I think the original SMB.I wonder if Nintendo was worried someone might pick them up. They look to be a support studio.
they're an army of programmers whom are housed within Nintendo's building (though their HQ is elsewhere). how do you buy that, exactly?I wonder if Nintendo was worried someone might pick them up. They look to be a support studio.
they're an army of programmers whom are housed within Nintendo's building (though their HQ is elsewhere). how do you buy that, exactly?
Interesting, I read some of the after I posted. Well, I am glad that Nintendo is making them part of themselves.They've worked on the programming for many Nintendo games since I think the original SMB.
F-Zero was the first EAD game to have no assistance from SRD, which shows how valuable they were.
Were you expecting something big like a Sony/Microsoft level acquisition?SRD's purchasing I find to be a nonmover and barely noteworthy. Not sure how outright owning them enhances Nintendo more than SRD already was enhancing Nintendo. I am sure it was just a logistical move so they don't have to operate independent finances.
There really is no mystery here, the very basic thing of "the owners are on their way to retirement and likely wanted to cash out" is where this will end up at. Nintendo isn't in the acquisition game, as much as current sentiments in the gamingsphere may want to force it onto them. Every time they've acquired a company in recent years it was either something basic like this, where the owners were looking to sell and they happened to have been long-time close collaborators already, or and/or some strategic efficiency thing like when they bought that sales/distribution company a couple of years ago etc. They're not doing drafts here, they're not looking to fill a roster to compete next season.SRD's purchasing I find to be a nonmover and barely noteworthy. Not sure how outright owning them enhances Nintendo more than SRD already was enhancing Nintendo. I am sure it was just a logistical move so they don't have to operate independent finances.
maybe Nintendo want to expand the studio to paly a bigger role supporting their internal studio ?
Takahashi was the general manager of SPD, and had spearheaded all of Nintendo's non-EAD projects during the Wii U and 3DS days.Also, how did Shinya Takahashi become General Manager of EPD after only directing Wave Race 64 and various CG model/mocap stuff? Every other deputy manager or senior officer- Eguchi, Aonuma, Nogami, Koizumi, Tezuka, Sakomoto- all either directed or had major roles in multiple games over several years minimum. What did Takahashi and Tanabe in particular do that landed them the positions they have today?
There's also the fact he already knew how to coordinate with multiple studios, both inside and outside of Nintendo, and managed to pull together multiple ones. Such as with Wii Play Motion and Street Pass DLC on the 3DS.Takahashi produced a lot of the really successful touch generation games during the DS era. Iwata actually handpicked and groomed him to lead the SDD group in SPD, and then move on to become the Deputy GM of SPD.