at this point releasing SSB4 makes no sense. they should make SSBV on switch and yes, it doesnt make sense to wait for too long. however the game should be polished up. i think 2019-2020.
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Nintendo First-Party Thread
- Thread starter EAD Ninja
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The more rare blades of Xeno2 I see, the more this design appeals to me sad to say...Nice to see EAD/Shikamaru Ninja back here. He always seems to have the best detailed breakdown of Nintendo projects and teams.
Monolith's current project should probably be appended to include this unknown title
Given that we know Xenoblade 2's development started before Xenoblade X launched, it's pretty much certain now given that Xenoblade 2 is just over a month to release (so the game should probably be in Certification right now), that the majority of the development team has probably transitioned to the new project.
Of course given that we know pretty much nothing about this project, there's no way to even theorize when it could ever release. While Xenoblade 2 was able to be released in 2 years from the prior game, given that this game will likely be something completely new (and reusing the Xeno2 engine, as it was reused from XenoX, may not be an option to hasten development)
I have to say, that 2019 might be too ambitious.
i'm really digging this concept art. game probably won't look anything like it but i'm hoping it does. the design seems a lot more grounded than Xenoblade 2.Nice to see EAD/Shikamaru Ninja back here. He always seems to have the best detailed breakdown of Nintendo projects and teams.
Monolith's current project should probably be appended to include this unknown title
Given that we know Xenoblade 2's development started before Xenoblade X launched, it's pretty much certain now given that Xenoblade 2 is just over a month to release (so the game should probably be in Certification right now), that the majority of the development team has probably transitioned to the new project.
Of course given that we know pretty much nothing about this project, there's no way to even theorize when it could ever release. While Xenoblade 2 was able to be released in 2 years from the prior game, given that this game will likely be something completely new (and reusing the Xeno2 engine, as it was reused from XenoX, may not be an option to hasten development)
I have to say, that 2019 might be too ambitious.
yeeeeees
I cant see Grezzo doing 2 projects anyway unless it was equally small in scope and the 2nd was merely in preproduction. However, the UE listing makes me thing it's just that. Going UE4 would rule out a collab game like the N64 remakes. Sounds like they're being trusted to make the game on their own much like Good Feel (if this is even a Nintendo joint, of course)
Just looked up their website, they list Unity as well as UE4, which makes what tools they're using a mystery as it sounds like they want someone with general experience with modern toolsets. Though, given their size, they're probably moving to an external engine, like Good Feel did
it's hard to see nintendo ignore a game doing over 1 million domestically for too long.
This is the huge problem with people looking into new hires. And they never learn. Everyone went nuts when Retro hired someone from Naughty Dog and Vigil that one time and thus went "holy shit you guys!!!!" and then the game they announced was DKC TF. Alex Brandon's career as "sci-fi composer" was 1999/2000-era. His mainline work in recent years has been in sound design for anything and everything. You're setting yourself up for disappointment with this line of thinking.
Same goes for people trying to pin MonolithSoft recruitment ad artwork to "concept art for unannounced game!!!" ... I still get PTSD from all the dozens of threads about "MonolithSoft's new 3DS IP!" with that recruitment art of the weird tree/fantasy woods setting...
Checking in.
I asked a couple of times if this thread would make it over and now it has I didn't even realise it was here -_-
I asked a couple of times if this thread would make it over and now it has I didn't even realise it was here -_-
Two of those pieces of concept art are showing a medieval fantasy setting while specifically attached to job ads for a project that's asking for people with medieval fantasy setting expertise, where as the art you mention was just attached to a generic recruitment ad. I don't think it's quite the same.
The people expecting BotW and Mario Odyssey sequels in 2018 are asking far, far too much imo. Those games had at least three full years of development time and even though they would have the engines and core assets already made (SMO looks like a continuation of SM3DW's engine and assets) there's no way sequels could arrive any sooner than late 2019 at the earliest imo.
I think it really will all be about DLC when it comes to BotW, Splatoon, ARMS and Smash (when it arrives) on Switch. I can only really see Odyssey getting a sequel on Switch but then again that team might want to work on their own 2D instalment of the series (a reboot of sorts) or even try a completely new 3D Mario idea or hell even try a completely new IP if they stick to 3D Mario and the usual rule of one per system.
When I look at the first party teams (great work OP!) I think it's safe to say that in the next two years, excluding DLC, Nintendo's main four releases will be - Smash, Animal Crossing, Pokemon and Metroid Prime 4. I think they will split them up to two titles per year and for 2018 I'm expecting Smash in the first half of the year and Animal Crossing in time for the Holidays with Metroid and Pokemon saved for 2019.
Once you take out those four games, the fact we already know about Yoshi and Kirby's ongoing development aswell as expecting Pikmin 4 and Mario Kart 9 as locks from those series respective teams then it starts to become difficult to see how they're going to keep this exclusive software momentum up over the next two years without releasing two or three WiiU ports per year (which is fine with me - I'd love DKC: Tropical Freeze, Mario Maker, Captain Toad and Bayonetta 2).
The wildcards seem to be what Retro and Next Level Games are doing (I'm guessing a new IP from Retro and Luigi's Mansion 3 from NLG) aswell as wondering what potential third party exclusives Nintendo have managed to secure from the likes of Platinum Games or even From Software.
It's certainly going to be interesting to see how Nintendo's software plans for 2018 shape up (aswell as what PS360 / PS4XB1 ports they've managed to secure). I'm expecting a Nintendo Direct in the latter half of January for all the games coming pre e3.
I think it really will all be about DLC when it comes to BotW, Splatoon, ARMS and Smash (when it arrives) on Switch. I can only really see Odyssey getting a sequel on Switch but then again that team might want to work on their own 2D instalment of the series (a reboot of sorts) or even try a completely new 3D Mario idea or hell even try a completely new IP if they stick to 3D Mario and the usual rule of one per system.
When I look at the first party teams (great work OP!) I think it's safe to say that in the next two years, excluding DLC, Nintendo's main four releases will be - Smash, Animal Crossing, Pokemon and Metroid Prime 4. I think they will split them up to two titles per year and for 2018 I'm expecting Smash in the first half of the year and Animal Crossing in time for the Holidays with Metroid and Pokemon saved for 2019.
Once you take out those four games, the fact we already know about Yoshi and Kirby's ongoing development aswell as expecting Pikmin 4 and Mario Kart 9 as locks from those series respective teams then it starts to become difficult to see how they're going to keep this exclusive software momentum up over the next two years without releasing two or three WiiU ports per year (which is fine with me - I'd love DKC: Tropical Freeze, Mario Maker, Captain Toad and Bayonetta 2).
The wildcards seem to be what Retro and Next Level Games are doing (I'm guessing a new IP from Retro and Luigi's Mansion 3 from NLG) aswell as wondering what potential third party exclusives Nintendo have managed to secure from the likes of Platinum Games or even From Software.
It's certainly going to be interesting to see how Nintendo's software plans for 2018 shape up (aswell as what PS360 / PS4XB1 ports they've managed to secure). I'm expecting a Nintendo Direct in the latter half of January for all the games coming pre e3.
I think we talked about this in the other thread-Nintendo gave us two brand new big IP's and they're both multiplayer focused in ARMS and Splatoon. They're both very good IP's and Nintendo did a great job.
Now I want to see a couple of brand new single player AAA IP's. Idk if the new IP Monolith Studios is working on is a single player IP or multiplayer focused. I'm hoping Retro is making a new single player AAA IP. Aonuma mentioned in the past that Nintendo asked him to make a new IP and he mentioned a "thief".
I'm hoping that means he's also working on a new single player IP.
Now I want to see a couple of brand new single player AAA IP's. Idk if the new IP Monolith Studios is working on is a single player IP or multiplayer focused. I'm hoping Retro is making a new single player AAA IP. Aonuma mentioned in the past that Nintendo asked him to make a new IP and he mentioned a "thief".
I'm hoping that means he's also working on a new single player IP.
To be honest, I don't think 2018 will be focused on big Nintendo IP like this year was. Nintendo knew they had to get big names out ASAP for the Switch in order to drive up a healthy install-base. Now that the Switch has sustained itself, I think Nintendo's going to keep it lower-key next year, focused mainly on lower tier Nintendo series, more new IP, and pretty much having just Pokemon as their fall highlight. Leaving third parties to fill in the rest. Also, since Nintendo is winding down 3DS support, I expect them to able to release even more Switch games next year.
Game freak isn't competent enough of a developer to have an HD Pokemon game ready for Switch only a year after US/UM. 2019 at the earliest.
I'd expect Animal Crossing and/or Prime 4 to be their big holiday title(s) mixed in with some smaller stuff (e.g. Fire Emblem, 2D Zelda, NLG's project, Retro's project, etc.)
I think they are still in a position next year where a) they need to hit Switch hard and b) big third party support won't be there for them yet. I don't think they can "let up." Sure, they can try giving the summer or the early year or a secondary holiday position to a new IP, but that wouldn't ideally be the crux of their software output.
For example: look at Japan. There probably won't be a new Switch Monster Hunter next year, given world. Dragon Quest XI will come but it will be a late release of a game that just came out there this past year. Yokai Watch seems to be cratering and Level-5 is looking a bit lost between hits while also dithering on its mobile branch. I don't think there will be a large third party game driving Switch sales next year in Japan. Maybe some western developer ports a multiplayer game to Switch and it takes of in Japan?
They're going to need big games on Switch themselves to drive install numbers in Japan, I'd guess. And they need to drive them particularly among women and children. They've got traction there but they need more. I don't think the best case scenario is necessarily that they completely unload on that audience, i.e. that they a) drop the price, and b) release AC, 2D Mario, and Pokemon all in one year but they should put good work towards completing those objectives next year.
I don't think Nintendo is in a place where they can look at their first year success and sit back. Switch is still something they have to fight for and smartly at that.
Eisner nominated writer, dialogue scripts, world lore.
It could still be Donkey Kong!
Eisner nominated writer, dialogue scripts, world lore.
Where do you people find this stuff? Also I dunno how being nominated for a comic book award proves they aren't working on DK.
You know, Cranky, we really are a bunch of us.
Eisner nominated writer, dialogue scripts, world lore.
Well considering the amount of dialog and idol lore snippets in Uprising, Kid Icarus still isn't off the table here! :D
Eisner nominated writer, dialogue scripts, world lore.
. . .Yes I know it's almost definitely a new IP, but I'm gonna keep riding the maybe train until there's a hire that definitively brushes the idea under the table because speculating nice things is fun, LOL. This and the online server manager disconnect pretty hard with DK but at least don't completely fly in the face of Kid Icarus even if it's not a total match with what Uprising was.
I mean, Capcom just released a port of Street Fighter 2. Smash 4 is what, three years old now? It's newer than Mario Kart 8, at least.
Nintendo only has two western studios. Retro is fine. NST is whatever. They should expand their development teams in the west.
Well if they add online to all VC games, not just the SNES/NES ones, I could see Melee being a huge push for both VC/Paid online.
Seems like the best way to do that short term would be to buy one. Nintendo HQ isn't going to be super keen on growing that from scratch and game development takes long enough as it is without setting up a new team. They ARE open to doing acquisitions now though IIRC.
But that begs a new question: Who's a team comparable in size to Retro that would be worth buying?
For some reason I thought you were arguing with that. Sorry, my bad.
Whatever, the problem is that Nintendo doesn't usually operate with massive studios, but through collaborations between smaller devs. There's also the fact that they're a conservative japanese company that set NoA as a marketing arm, so even though I think more/bigger western devs would be a good investment I hardly see it happening.
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From the top of my head, their last considerable acquisition was... MonolithSoft? Opening new studios takes more time, but I'd think it's cheaper (as you don't have to pay for already existing IPs/assets).
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Hasn't it been suggested multiple times that Pikmin 4 is in development and close to completion though?
It's been that way for years now by their report. I think that's part of the point being made.
Yes.
Nintendo's western development division took a hard hit during Iwata's ternure after they decided to concentrate all power and decision making at NCL leaving it almost non-existant today. Very few western first and second-parties are still left. Which is bad, considering how big western development, market and aesthetics turned out in business overall. It's fine Nintendo improving it's relationship with companies like Bethesda and Ubisoft, able to restore EA and 2K/Rockstar support after how badly Wii U failed, but still there's a long way to go.
It would be a good idea if they manage to have a similar western roster like the SNES/N64 days, like the Dream Team, almost fully composed of western devs. This would suit their western market needs properly. Another thing they should is restoring NoA/NoE decision making's authonomy in order to improve relationship with third-parties, retailers, etc. and act more like a global company. They are on theory, but power decision heavily concentrated on NCL (Japanese branch) can slow them down most of the times in order to act globally.
Would everyone please stop acting like NoA had it's autonomy somehow stripped when Iwata took office? That doesn't even make any sense. Tatsumi Kimishima ran NoA completely even after Iwata became President of NCL. It was only until 2013 where Iwata took over running NoA. This whole "NoA was stripped of autonomy" nonsense really needs to die.
I think Animal Crossing for Nintendo Switch might be further off than some are thinking -- 2019 maybe. In January we had the Fire Emblem Direct which revealed the mobile project in Heroes and the main series entry on NS coming for 2018. Makes me wonder why the Animal Crossing Direct didn't follow a similar format. Also, Nogami has presumably had a lot on his plate these last few years, with Splatoon and its DLC immediately followed by Splatoon 2 and its DLC, plus, I assume, work on Pocket Camp.
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Because that is true and actually happened? NoA took a major downgrade after Iwata took the office and never had the same autonomy they once had during the Arakawa/Lincoln's days. No secret why he shut down almost the entire western development division and disbanded second-parties off with very few expections. Kimishima (and Reggie) never runned NoA with the same freedom like his antecessor had. This makes sense because Arakawa was Yamauchi's son-in-law, so he trusted him enough to allow him this kind of power.
You can read these both articles from Emily Rogers. They can give you a great insight about what actually happened:
http://www.dromble.com/2013/09/07/howard-lincoln-kicking-ass-before-reggie-came-along/
https://www.dromble.com/2014/01/07/dolphin-tale-story-of-gamecube/
There's no actual evidence of Iwata disbanding Western teams himself though. Kimishima was CEO of Nintendo of America, he could've kept those relations if he wanted to, but he didn't. The fall of Nintendo's western development actually has more to do with the departure of Arakawa and Lincoln than Iwata taking charge. Even with Nintendo's western development largely downsized, NoA still had a degree of autonomy under Kimishima, as evidenced by that large amount of un-localized games during his reign. What, are you going to tell me that the decision to almost not localize Mother 3 in North America came from Iwata? Hell no.
The problem with Wii U era Nintendo was actually quite the opposite, NoA had too much autonomy, and wasn't really on board with NCL. This forced Iwata to step in to try and unify the company, taking over as NoA CEO in 2013.
So I got Kirby Adventure for Wii U's Virtual Console and have almost beat the 2nd world. How do I save the game?
Here's the history of Miyamoto discussing Pikmin 4.
September 7th, 2015 -- Miyamoto speaks with Eurogamer.
June 6th, 2016 -- Miyamoto speaks with GameRant.
June 14th, 2017 -- Miyamoto speaks with Eurogamer...again.
Well, guy also said that star fox was schedule for 2014, even when they didn't even had chosen a team to actually make the game yet, didn't he? His idea of game completition is really different for us and even nintendo.
Yes, there is. Just read the articles from Emily Rogers I provided (which you probably didn't) as there's many statements from Nintendo's top executives from the time confirming this and NoA's downgrade and disbanding of western devs and deals happened at this tenure. You make your claims but don't show any proof to support your theories such as: Arakawa and Lincoln's departure being responsible for NoA's downgrade rather than an upper management decision to restructure the company; and Kimishima being able to prevent NoA's downgrade and disbanding, when this was out of his power as it came from an upper management level. This purely assumption from you.
You're out of touch with what actually really happened. If Nintendo was unhappy with NoA's "excessive autonomy" to the point of a direct intervention to "downgrade" them, as you suggest, it wouldn't make any sense to promote Kimishima to the board of directors and they probably would never trust him to succeed Iwata after his death, as Nintendo management would be disappointed with his management and would never trust him for such a high job. Iwata taking over NoA just shown the obvious: that was actually NCL calling the shots and the branch had no autonomy.
I took a look at the articles you linked. While Yes, it was true that the new management disbanded NoA's western partnerships, nothing in those articles say that it was Iwata specifically who was behind it. In fact, much of it was already put into motion by Yamauchi. Arakawa and Lincoln's departure also had a lot to do with it as well. While it said that Japan would become more involved with decision making, there was nothing that said that NCL had complete control over NoA. Kimishima was in charge of NoA following Arakawa and Lincoln's departure, He had just as much say in management as well.
The decision for Iwata to take over as NoA CEO was likely a collaborative decision between Iwata and Kimishima. Kimishima probably volunteered to head back to Japan when the decision was made. It's not that he wasn't doing a good job, necessarily. It's that a lot of streamlining and unification to Nintendo's management needed to be done to get them back on track. Notice how after Iwata took over NoA, Nintendo started to be much more consistent in which games they would localize for the US and Europe, whereas under Kimishima, a lot of games went un-localized for a variety of reasons.
Ah, I was worried he was referring to Hey! Pikmin, but the last quote is reassuring.
Wasn't Miyamoto saying Pikmin 3 was close since like E3 2008? Look forward to Pikmin 4 in 2020!
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