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Monolith Soft Development Pipeline & Speculation Thread

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Momo

Momo

Member
Oct 25, 2017
2,049
​
Games:
2020
. . . . . Xenoblade Chronicles Definitive Edition
. . . . . Animal Crossing: New Horizon

2018
. . . . . Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna ~ The Golden Country

2017
. . . . . Xenoblade Chronicles 2
. . . . . Splatoon 2
. . . . . The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild

2015
. . . . . Project X Zone 2: Brave New World
. . . . . Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer
. . . . . Splatoon
. . . . . Xenoblade Chronicles X
. . . . . Xenoblade Chronicles 3D

2013
. . . . . The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
. . . . . Pikmin 3

2012
. . . . . Animal Crossing: New Leaf
. . . . . Project X Zone

2011
. . . . . The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword

2010
. . . . . Xenoblade Chronicles
. . . . . Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier Exceed

2009
. . . . . Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans

2008
. . . . . Disaster: Day of Crisis
. . . . . Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier
. . . . . Soma Bringer
. . . . . Super Smash Bros. Brawl

2006
. . . . . Xenosaga Episode III: Also Sprach Zarathustra
. . . . . Xenosaga I & II
. . . . . Baten Kaitos Origins
. . . . . Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII

2005
. . . . . Namco × Capcom

2004
. . . . . Xenosaga Episode II: Jenseits von Gut und Böse
. . . . . Xenosaga Freaks

2003
. . . . . Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean

2002
. . . . . Xenosaga Episode III: Der Wille zur Macht
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Employee count:
July 2021: 275
April 2021: 272
December 2020: 261
August 2020: 254
April 2020: 248
March 2020: 247
February 2020: 243
December 2019: 236 (via third party website)
September 2019: 224
June 2019: 215
April 2019: 209
January 2019: 193
November 2018: 184
October 2018: 178
August 2018: 171
June 2018: 168
April 2018: 163
March 2018: 157
January 2018: 153
December 2017: 150
October 2017: 143
April/May 2017: 133
June 2016: 109
May 2014: 123
March 2013: 108
March 2012: 92
March 2011: 75
2010: 83
2009: 94
2008: 111

7njmqF5_d.jpg

Credit for graph chart: Onix555
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20181004_033454.jpg

Production Team #1 (Xenoblade Chronicles series)
Current project: Fourth entry in the Xenoblade Chronicles series (in development since August 2018)
08/2019: Recruiting Effects Artist
10/2018: Mass recruitment

Previous projects:
2020: Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition (~22 months dev. time)
2018: Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna ~ The Golden Country (>9 months dev. time)
2017: Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (~42 months dev. time)
01/2017: Recruiting programmers, CG designers, planners, etc.
03/2016: Recruiting general positions (executive candidates) and CG designers
01/2016: Urgent recruitment for 3DCG designers. Recruiting web manager
10/2015: Urgent recruitment for 3DCD designers and web staff

2015: Xenoblade Chronicles X (~58 months dev. time)
10/2013: Recruiting planners & motion designers
10/2012: Urgent recruitment for 3DCG designers
08/2012: Urgent recruitment for network programmers
04/2012: Recruiting 3D animation manager & project manager
03/2012: Urgent recruitment for programmers. Recruiting system managers
06/2011: Mass recruitment (mid-career)

2010: Xenoblade Chronicles (~48 months dev. time)


ogp.png

Production Team #2 (The Legend of Zelda series)​
Current project: Latest entry in The Legend of Zelda series
03/2019: Mass recruitment
12/2019: Recruiting freelancers (character modeler, concept art designer, scenario planner, & map modeler)


mv.jpg

Fantasy Action Project​
Recruitment history for Fantasy Action Project AND/OR other projects
07/2019: Recruiting system administration & business assistant staff (with mid-career experience)
08/2018: Recruiting business assistant staff & effects programmer (with mid-career experience)
05/2018: Urgent mass recruitment
10/2017: Hiring freelancers (main character designer, character modeler, concept art designer, & scenario planner). Also hiring permanent members in system management, business staff, & web designers (with mid-career experience)
08/2017: Mass recruitment

__________________________________________________​

Employee count
May 2021: 274
April 2021: 272
December 2020: 261
August 2020: 254
April 2020: 248
March 2020: 247
February 2020: 243
December 2019: 236 (via third party website)
September 2019: 224
June 2019: 215
April 2019: 209
January 2019: 193
November 2018: 184
October 2018: 178
August 2018: 171
June 2018: 168
April 2018: 163
March 2018: 157
January 2018: 153
December 2017: 150
October 2017: 143
April/May 2017: 133
June 2016: 109
May 2014: 123
March 2013: 108
March 2012: 92
March 2011: 75
2010: 83
2009: 94
2008: 111

7njmqF5_d.jpg

Credit for graph chart: Onix555

Studio locations
HQ: Nakameguro GT Tower in Tokyo (Meguro), Japan
Office space #2: Nakameguro GS No. 1 Building in Tokyo (Meguro), Japan
Office space #3: Osaki MT Building in Osaki District, Tokyo (Shinagawa), Japan
Office space #4: Shijo Building in Kyoto (Shimogyo-ku), Japan


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Ozzie

One Winged Slayer
Member
Jan 12, 2018
6,260
I misread the title as new project now in action instead of archive lol, Still, thanks for this, looking forward to see this thread updated regularly.
 
foxuzamaki

foxuzamaki

One Winged Slayer
Member
Oct 25, 2017
21,638
I know its futile but i hope the game is far enough along that they can drop a trailer I'm early 2019
 
ILikeFeet

ILikeFeet

DF Deet Master
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
61,987
I still believe this is a Xenoblade Chronicles X spiritual sequel: an online-focused game but with actual players in the world

And no mechs
 
Cinemikel

Cinemikel

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
2,433
What I'm excited about is the fact that Monolith Soft has been growing incredibly since development of Xenoblade X, 2, and BOTW.

109 employees as of mid 2016 during peak development of XBC2 and near end of BOTW, now at over 170 after expanding with two new studio buildings in Tokyo. This game could be amazing having not only the staff that was occupied with Zelda, but an almost 2x studio size

They already stepped up their cutscenes with really high quality character models and great animations. Imagine the next big step of improvements with a bigger budget and team size to improve the ambition
 
MetalLord

MetalLord

Banned
Oct 30, 2017
1,323
32 different positions they hiring for, for some they could be looking for just 1 guy, but for others it could be 10+
 
mael

mael

Avenger
Nov 3, 2017
17,124
I'm hoping for little to no fanservice.
Keep the vibe from these artworks.
 
4859

4859

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
7,046
In the weak and the wounded
Cinemikel said:
What I'm excited about is the fact that Monolith Soft has been growing incredibly since development of Xenoblade X, 2, and BOTW.

109 employees as of mid 2016 during peak development of XBC2 and near end of BOTW, now at over 170 after expanding with two new studio buildings in Tokyo. This game could be amazing having not only the staff that was occupied with Zelda, but an almost 2x studio size

They already stepped up their cutscenes with really high quality character models and great animations. Imagine the next big step of improvements with a bigger budget and team size to improve the ambition
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Definitely, Monolithsoft has been a simply fantastic partnership.for Nintendo.

Not only do they have industry veterans with a lot of experience under their belts for making games, but probably even more importantly, they are absolutely fantastic leadership at onboarding, training and developing simply fantastic new blood game makers.

Their world building and world design is, to put it simply, world class. I can think of very very very few other studios, where you can be in an big open world game, and from just almost anywhere in said world, have this amazing scene composition that makes you want to run out and check like 5 or 6 different places at just a glance out towards the horizon.
 
GaimeGuy

GaimeGuy

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
5,092
Cinemikel said:
What I'm excited about is the fact that Monolith Soft has been growing incredibly since development of Xenoblade X, 2, and BOTW.

109 employees as of mid 2016 during peak development of XBC2 and near end of BOTW, now at over 170 after expanding with two new studio buildings in Tokyo. This game could be amazing having not only the staff that was occupied with Zelda, but an almost 2x studio size

They already stepped up their cutscenes with really high quality character models and great animations. Imagine the next big step of improvements with a bigger budget and team size to improve the ambition
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Monolith Soft helped out with the map design and logistics, and some of the low level engine stuff (interactions between the characters and environment) right?

Things like helping the Zelda team divide up the map into a grid with manageable sections for filling with content (and terrain designs), sort of like the graph papers used for planning old school 2d pixel games back in the 80s and 90s, but on a larger scale.
 
RedAhmed

RedAhmed

Member
Jan 9, 2018
3,344
I hope they somehow make this using BotW's engine and give it some crazy deep combat mechanics. Have it be medieval themed and at some point in the story time distorts and there is some crazy sci-fi stuff and mechs being introduced.
I want to see some medieval knights with mech parts attached and have crazy battles on a world as big as BotW. Especially if there are big mechs like in Xenoblade X.
 
GaimeGuy

GaimeGuy

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
5,092
RedAhmed said:
I hope they somehow make this using BotW's engine and give it some crazy deep combat mechanics. Have it be medieval themed and at some point in the story time distorts and there is some crazy sci-fi stuff and mechs being introduced.
I want to see some medieval knights with mech parts attached and have crazy battles on a world as big as BotW. Especially if there are big mechs like in Xenoblade X.
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Sounds like you want musou x MG Rising x Nier x Souls x Bayonetta

Accurate?
 
Instro

Instro

Member
Oct 25, 2017
15,158
Saint-14 said:
Are they working on multiple projects or we are not getting another Xenoblade?
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Well we know there are devs that are working on Torna, I would assume that same team will start working on Xenoblade 3 while the majority are developing this. We know Monolith use a lot of contract studios, so I'm sure they can work on two games in some capacity, albeit one is probably a lower priority than the other.
 
Tibarn

Tibarn

Member
Oct 31, 2017
13,378
Barcelona
I'm really interested in their next game, I loved Xc2 (and 1) and knowing that they helped a lot with BotW means that their next game can use a dynamic open world with more freedom compared to Xc2.

Having a new IP with a new artstyle like the one in the concept arts is hyping too.
 
Instro

Instro

Member
Oct 25, 2017
15,158
Personally I would prefer something not open world with this new IP. I think they already have that locked up with Xenoblade.
 
massoluk

massoluk

Member
Oct 25, 2017
6,677
Thailand
Basically I just want them to do White Knight Chronicles concept justice.
Somebody just give me Sword and sorcery with Mech game (Rayearth/Escaflowne style) done right already
 
Prof Bathtub

Prof Bathtub

Member
Apr 26, 2018
2,677
Instro said:
Personally I would prefer something not open world with this new IP. I think they already have that locked up with Xenoblade.
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A dungeon-oriented action game could have room for creative environs, though at this point I don't know if the staff wants to make a non-open game since that's what their modern reputation is built upon. I'd be up for either approach. Or maybe an large overworld with different dungeons, but how would they make that distinct from the OoT model?
 
Tygerjaw

Tygerjaw

Member
Oct 25, 2017
749
Do we know if this a Kyoto or Tokyo studio project?

I mean, I know that Honne works at the Kyoto branch, and I really wish he could direct something again, I really liked both Baten Kaitos games.

Anyway, even if it is a Tokyo project, I don't want Koh Kojima directing again, put some new blood on it.
 
Eros

Eros

Member
Oct 27, 2017
9,724
I mean Monolith got XBCX out, helped on BOTW, XBC2 and XBC2 DLC in a 3 year span so hopefully it's not too long a wait.
 

Deleted member 10737

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 27, 2017
49,774
Eros said:
I mean Monolith got XBCX out, helped on BOTW, XBC2 and XBC2 DLC in a 3 year span so hopefully it's not too long a wait.
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also since xcx they've made project x zone 2 (the main guys behind that game have left monolith soft tho), and their kyoto studio has helped nintendo on splatoon, splatoon 2 and animal crossing happy home designer. they're a very proficient studio.
 
ILikeFeet

ILikeFeet

DF Deet Master
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
61,987
FiXalaS said:
so online makes it x spiritual successor?

:/
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BakedTanooki said:
It wouldn't be a spiritual sequel without the mechs :(
They were a big part of what made the game.
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Spiritual successor in that it follows up the gameplay concept rather than thematic concepts. I.E. open world and strong online focus. I suspect X was to have human-contolled characters before they bailed on that idea. This game could follow through on this idea.
CeroMiedo said:
I'm hoping for a new IP tbh, let this be its own thing
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Depends on if Takahashi executive directs or not. It's why I want to see new directors from Monolith Soft.
Ishaan said:
You left out the best image. :)

mv05.jpg
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Much like the forest image, this was just a recruitment piece. It's separate from the medieval art
 
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