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StarTopic Nintendo First Party Software Development |ST| Nintendo Party Superstars

Number of Employees
  • One of the things that I find most interesting is to know the number of employees that Nintendo currently has working on games for them, both in their own developments groups as well as supervising third parties.

    This is the information I have as of April 2022:

    TypeNameEmployeesReference
    0​
    Nintendo Global
    6737​
    https://www.nintendo.co.jp/corporate/en/outline/index.html
    0​
    NCL (Nintendo Co. Ltd.)
    2621​
    https://www.nintendo.co.jp/corporate/en/outline/index.html
    1​
    Nintendo EPD (minus EPD #8)
    700​
    ∟EPD #1
    0​
    Pool for EPD Kyoto Projects
    ∟EPD #2
    0​
    Pool for EPD Kyoto Projects
    ∟EPD #3
    0​
    Pool for EPD Kyoto Projects
    ∟EPD #4
    0​
    Pool for EPD Kyoto Projects
    ∟EPD #5
    0​
    Pool for EPD Kyoto Projects
    ∟EPD #6
    0​
    Pool for EPD Kyoto Projects
    ∟EPD #7
    0​
    Pool for EPD Kyoto Projects
    ∟EPD #8
    34​
    Estimated data from 2011
    ∟EPD #9
    0​
    Pool for EPD Kyoto Projects
    ∟EPD #10
    0​
    Pool for EPD Kyoto Projects
    ∟EPD #11 (Smart Devices)
    0​
    Pool for EPD Kyoto Projects
    2​
    Nintendo Software Technology (NST)
    50​
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_Software_Technology
    2​
    Nintendo European Research & Development (N.E.R.D.)
    63​
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nintendo_European_Research_&_Development
    2​
    1-Up Studio
    75​
    https://1-up-studio.jp/company/outline.html
    2​
    Monolith Soft
    273​
    http://www.monolithsoft.co.jp/recruit/environment/
    2​
    Retro Studios
    147​
    https://www.linkedin.com/company/retro-studios
    2​
    NDcube
    122​
    https://www.ndcube.co.jp/company
    2​
    iQue
    2​
    https://www.ique.com/index.html
    2​
    Next Level Games
    115​
    https://ca.linkedin.com/company/nextlevelgames
    3​
    HAL Laboratory
    205​
    https://www.hallab.co.jp/company/profile/
    3​
    Intelligent Systems
    187​
    https://intsys.co.jp/company/outline/
    3​
    Game Freak
    167​
    https://www.gamefreak.co.jp/company/about/
    ∟R&D High-End Graphics Division
    51​
    https://famiboards.com/threads/nint...d-st-nintendo-party-superstars.114/post-64524
    3​
    Grezzo
    80​
    https://www.grezzo.co.jp/jp/company/
    3​
    Genious Sonority
    22​
    https://www.geniussonority.co.jp/about/
    4​
    Arika
    50​
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arika
    4​
    Arzest
    80​
    https://www.arzest.jp/
    4​
    Camelot Software Planning
    45​
    https://www.camelot.co.jp/public-wpFIu30X/?page_id=201
    4​
    Creatures Inc
    207​
    https://www.creatures.co.jp/company/
    4​
    Eighting
    216​
    https://www.8ing.co.jp/company/
    4​
    Good-Feel
    138​
    https://www.good-feel.co.jp/company/about/
    4​
    ILCA
    288​
    https://www.ilca.co.jp/company/
    4​
    indieszero
    45​
    https://indieszero.co.jp/profile
    4​
    MercurySteam
    160​
    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MercurySteam
    4​
    PlatinumGames
    291​
    https://www.platinumgames.com/company/overview/
    4​
    Spike Chunsoft
    200​
    https://www.spike-chunsoft.co.jp/company/information/
    4​
    Syn Sophia
    58​
    http://www.syn-sophia.co.jp/corporate/
    4​
    Tantalus Media
    0​
    Unknown
    4​
    Vanpool
    50​
    Estimated data


    For reference, the values for "Type" column are:

    TypeDescription
    0​
    Main division
    1​
    Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development
    2​
    Nintendo Subsidiaries
    3​
    Nintendo Affiliates
    4​
    Frequent Collaboration Studios

    Please take with caution employee figures from Wikipedia or LinkedIn

    I will update as new information becomes available. Feel free to comment or point out any errors in the data presented.
     
    Last edited:
    Nintendo Composers
  • Speaking of EPD composers, their last known game:

    • Koji Kondo - Super Mario Maker 2 (2019)
    • Kenji Yamamoto - Metroid: Samus Returns (2017) (may have composed/arranged for Dread, "Music Director" is a bit too vague and no soundtrack/sound selection has been released)
    • Minako Hamano - Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (2014) (may have composed/arranged for Samus Returns/Dread, "Sound Coordination" is a bit too vague and no soundtrack/sound selection has been released)
    • Kazumi Totaka - Animal Crossing: New Horizons (2020)
    • Masaru Tajima - Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain (2021)
    • Masami Yone - Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain (2021) (unknown whether he composed or was just the sound director/supervisor)
    • Kenta Nagata - Mario Kart Tour (2019)
    • Hajime Wakai - The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (2023)
    • Toru Minegishi - Splatoon 3 (2022)
    • Shinobu Nagata - Animal Crossing: New Horizons (2020)
    • Mahito Yokota - Captain Toad: Treasure Tracker (2014) (may have moved into a management/supervisor role)
    • Asuka Hayazaki - Ring Fit Adventure (2019)
    • Toshiyuki Sudo - Splatoon 3 (2022)
    • Ryo Nagamatsu - Splatoon 3 (2022)
    • Shiho Fujii - Ring Fit Adventure (2019), Splatoon 3 (2022) (only composed one track)
    • Manaka Kataoka - The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (2023)
    • Shinji Ushiroda - Ring Fit Adventure (2019)
    • Megumi Inoue - Miitopia (2016) (likely moved into a supervisor role)
    • Daisuke Matsuoka - Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury (2021)
    • Atsuko Asahi - Super Mario Maker 2 (2019) (also did the two ARMS arrangements for Smash Ultimate)
    • Yasuaki Iwata - Animal Crossing: New Horizons (2020)
    • Naoto Kubo - Super Mario Odyssey (2017) (also did one arrangement for Smash Ultimate, credited in the Captain Toad 3DS/Switch ports, but I don't think those have any new music)
    • Yumi Takahashi - Splatoon 3 (2022)
    • Maasa Miyoshi - The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (2023)
    • Soshi Abe - Metroid Dread (2021)
    • Sayako Doi - Splatoon 3 (2022)
    • Masato Ohashi - The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (2023)
    • Haruko Torii - Nintendo Switch Sports (2022)
    • Takuhiro Honda - Nintendo Switch Sports (2022)
    • Tsukasa Usui - The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (2023)

    This should be mostly accurate, as Nintendo hasn't released a mobile game since 2019 and the only recent EPD 4 project that hasn't had credits is Game Builder Garage (wouldn't be surprised if Sudo worked on that, given that he was involved with Labo). We also don't know who's working on the arrangements for the MK8D Booster Course Pass, but there were no additional staff added to the first update, so some of the original composers returning is likely.

    Going through this list, it feels like the newer composers are popping up a lot more frequently.
     
    Last edited:
    HAL Laboratory Producers/Managers
  • Updated the HAL Producers/Project Managers and their last known projects based on Forgotten Land and Dream Buffet.


    HAL Producers:
    • Tadashi Kamitake - Kirby and the Forgotten Land (2022), Kirby’s Dream Buffet (2022)
    • Hiroyuki Hayashi - Kirby Battle Royale (2017)
    • Yasuhiro Mukae - BOXBOY + BOXGIRL! (2019)
    • Yoshiya Taniguchi - Part Time UFO (Switch) (2020)
    • Nobuyuki Okada - Kirby 30th Anniversary Music Fest. (2022)
    HAL Project Managers:
    • Yoshihiro Nagata - Kirby and the Forgotten Land (2022), Kirby’s Dream Buffet (2022, credited as “Line Producer”)
    • Ayaka Seno - Kirby and the Forgotten Land (2022)
    • Tetsuya Mochizuki - Kirby and the Forgotten Land (2022)
    • Atsuko Yamashita - Kirby and the Forgotten Land (2022)
    • Yoshiki Suzuki - Kirby Fighters 2 (2020)
    • Isao Takahashi - Kirby Fighters 2 (2020) (also Assistant Producer on BOXBOY! series)
    • Kazuyuki Nakamura - BOXYBOY + BOXGIRL! (2019), Kirby’s Dream Buffet (2022)
    • Kaori Ishizaka - Kirby’s Dream Buffet (2022)
    • Kojiro Ooki - Part Time UFO (Switch) (2020)
    • Eitaro Nakamura (?) - Part Time UFO (Mobile) (2018)
    • Teruyuki Gunji (?) - Picross 3D (2015), Pasocom Mini (2017)
     
    Nintendo Pictures credits
  • - Nintendo Pictures Credits -
    Last Updated: 2024/03/17

    Nintendo productions:
    The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom
    Release Date: 2023.05.12​
    Credit(s): Special Thanks​

    Gfw88Pw.png




    Pikmin 4
    Release Date: 2023.07.21​
    Credit(s): Very Special Thanks​

    IBMey0o.png




    Super Mario Bros. Wonder
    Release Date: 2023.10.20​
    Credit(s): Character Design / Character Action Design / Field Design / Cinematic Design / Technical Support / Project Management / Special Thanks​

    ZzUytxi.png




    Super Mario RPG
    Release Date: 2023.11.17​
    Credit(s): Character Art / Animation Art / Technical Art​

    C77sOz4.png




    Another Code: Recollection
    Release Date: 2024.01.19​
    Credit(s): Very Special Thanks​

    3E6S4JK.png

    Non-Nintendo productions:
    Hirogaru Sky! Precure
    Release Date: 2023.02.05 - 2024.01.28​
    Credit(s): Ending Staff - CG Production​

    k8F5SNh.png
    K5YzWat.png

    jA44uPu.png
    4j00pTV.png

    Credited on:
    Episode 3: Hic-hic-homesick! Don't cry, Ellee-chan! [2023.02.19]​
    Episode 5: Hand in Hand! Our New Attack! [2023.03.05]​
    Episode 7: Thrilling! The Transfer Student is a Hero Girl!! [2023.03.19]​
    Episode 9: Wings of Courage, Fly Cure Wing!! [2023.04.02]​
    Episode 11: Awkward Pair!? Tsubasa and Ageha [2023.04.16]​
    Episode 13: Deliver it! First Present [2023.04.30]​
    Episode 15: A Mega Ranborg Explosion!? Protect Sky Land! [2023.05.14]​
    Episode 17: The Great Baton Pass! Mashiro's Intense Relay [2023.05.28]​
    Episode 19: Ageha and Tsubasa, Get Colorfully Excited! [2023.06.11]​
    Epiosde 21: Soar! Wings of Knowledge [2023.06.25]​
    Epiosde 24: Sparkling Morning Star☆ Ellee-chan's Secret [2023.06.25]​
    Epiosde 26: Take off! Memories Connected by Airplanes [2023.07.30]​
    Epiosde 28: Ageha's Exciting Fashion Show! [2023.08.13]​
    Epiosde 30: Soaring Sea! Beach Paradise! [2023.08.27]​
    Epiosde 32: Big Transformation! Cure Majesty!! [2023.09.10]​
    Epiosde 34: Mon-Mon! Mashiro And His Return [2023.09.24]​
    Epiosde 36: Ageha Fails At Being The Best Nursery School Teacher!? [2023.10.08]​
    Epiosde 38: Save The Sky! The Secret Of Floating Island [2023.10.22]​
    Epiosde 40: Good Fwiends♡ Ellee-Chan's Wedding☆ [2023.11.12]​
    Epiosde 42: Overcome Self Doubt, Naive Hero! [2023.11.26]​
    Epiosde 44: A Grown-Up Princess And The Legendary Pretty Cure [2023.12.10]​
    Epiosde 46: The Heroes' Christmas [2023.12.24]​
    Epiosde 48: Heroes, Protect It! Everyone's City! [2024.01.14]​
    Epiosde 49: Cure Sky And The Strongest Power [2024.01.21]​



    Ensemble Stars!! Reminiscence Selection: Element - Episode 5: Wish [Link]
    Release Date: 2023.04.10​
    Credit(s): Animation Cooperation​

    60H1D6j.png



    HATSUNE MIKU EXPO 2023 VR [Link]
    Release Date: 2023.11.12​
    Credit(s): Motion Editor - Naoya Akuta​

    d9sM01a.png




    Wonderful Precure!
    Release Date: 2024.02.04 - Ongoing​
    Credit(s): Ending Staff - CG Production​

    kLJXCDm.png

    Credited on:
    Episode 1: It Starts With "Wonderful!" [2024.02.04]​
    Episode 3: Don't Say It! It's Baaad~! [2024.02.18]​
    Episode 5: Connecting Bonds, Friendly Tact! [2024.03.03]​
    Episode 7: Their Friend Liberale! [2024.03.17]​

    Please let me know if you catch any credits missing from the above lists!

    Nobody else is doing it as far as I can see, so I may as well start keeping track of Nintendo Pictures credits. I imagine their name is going to be appearing in pretty much all of the major EPD productions going forward after all, as they eventually drop out of their non-Nintendo roles.

    I would not be surprised if some miscellaneous animation credits have gone undocumented in the past eight months though; they were always fairly busy, and continued to be credited as Dynamo until around the completion of the acquisition in October 2022 (or even past it in the case of the Precure's 2022 season, where they remained credited as Dynamo through to the final episode in January 2023). If anyone catches a stray credit, let me know!

    I can also imagine that some of their post-acquisition work is just not credited anywhere to begin with; they produced a lot of promotional / event / ride videos, the majority of which did not have credits. The old Dynamo Pictures website has gone untouched since the acquisition, and the Nintendo Pictures site doesn't feature a Works page to list said productions, so some of their work will never be properly attributed; just how it is.
     
    Last edited:
    Nintendo outsourcing summary
  • Quick Response
    • Masahiro Sakurai isn't a permanent Nintendo employee, but he is a contractor (assuming he still has something in place for the next Nintendo project). So he does work for Nintendo.
    • Sakurai may be the face of Smash, but it is an EPD Production Group No.02 game under Nintendo producer Shinya Saito and team. EPD isn't an entity you see on twitter or Youtube - just game credits and a few official Nintendo interviews or short PR interviews with heavy guidelines. But if Sakurai did not come to terms with the next game, Nintendo would move on and make something happen.
    • When discussing outsourcing, the fact is that there is always going to be some type of outsourcing. If Nintendo has 800 developers, they rather try to have 20 projects in production with Nintendo DNA than 5 projects where every single developer is a Nintendo employee.
    • Bandai-Namco clearly has some structures in place -- they are a full contract developer for Nintendo EPD2 (Smash, Mario Sports) and a partial contract developer (as Nintendo calls it) for EPD Production Group No.09 where they assist mainly with assets and some additional game elements for Mario Kart (and spin-offs like ARMS).
    • Nintendo has created a strong production network through their Nintendo Group Companies (also Nintendo coined): SRD, 1-UP, Mario Club, Monolith Soft, and Nintendo Pictures to help flesh out their production units. We also even have outside Japan subsidiaries being part of that production fold (NST, NERD, iQue China, NTD). Like all of Japan they continue using freelance contract companies like Imagica-Digital, Digital Frontier, Mox, Pole To Win, Digital Hearts, etc. Lastly, they have developers who have allied themselves to different degrees of working in the Nintendo production scheme like Bandai-Namco, Eighting, Indies Zero, Mercury Steam, Good-Feel, Koei-Tecmo. It all encompasses the ambition of a leading platform developer with the most viable IPs in the industry.
    • Ultimately, I think Nintendo's software production has positioned itself in accordance with their success and consumer demand, and are continuing to develop their structure and systems with efficacy in mind - that are slowly starting to trickle out to the public.
     
    Mar10 Day 2024 New
  • @astrogamer can you threadmark these please? and/or compile them in one post?


    NSO Dr. Mario, Mario Tennis (GBC), Mario Golf (GBC) coming March 12
    PM TTYD dated for May 23
    Luigi Mansion 2 dated for June 27
    SMB Movie sequel April 3, 2026 (US, some territories release throughout April)
     
    Last edited:
    Nintendo-related Tech Talks and Articles New
  • Nintendo-related Tech Talks
    Nintendo Systems

    Speakers: Taiji Iwai (AWS), Shinya Ogura


    Speakers: Takeo Tanaka. Masayuki Fukuoka


    Speaker: Masayuki Kawamoto


    GDC
    The Inspiration Behind Nintendo DSi Development - Nintendo Hardware Prototypes (2009)
    Breaking Conventions with Breath of the Wild (2017)

    ARMS: Building Mario Kart 8 Insights into a Showcase Nintendo Switch Fighter

    Splatoon and Splatoon 2: How to Invent a Stylish Franchise with Global Appeal (2018)

    A Recipe for Mixed Reality in 'Mario Kart Live' (Velan Studios) (2021)

    Many Dimensions of Kirby (Forgotten Land) (2023)

    CGWorld articles
    CEDEC
     
    Last edited:


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