What are Nintendo working on - A look at their studios
Each year Nintendo release games that cover off a number of genres, 2022 saw long lost lands rediscovered, witches casting final spells and the return of Wii Bowling. The problem with Nintendo, from a fan point of view, is that they are so secretive that learning about a game, generally only happens a few months before they release it.
Across the board, Nintendo published works last year just barely into reached into the double digits and while some games were going to be big draws for fans, they were lacking some big names again. We know Nintendo has a few big games coming out over the next few months, including the highly sought after sequel to Breath of the Wild, but beyond that, well that is anyone’s guess. And hey, we are anyone so here are our guesses on what we might see and from who in 2023.
Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development
Series known to them: Everything, Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Animal Crossing…
For the main development arm for Nintendo, at least in Japan, 2022 was an interesting year for the group, as they released a few big titles, and they also had some interesting DLC to go along with it. The first big game for them was Nintendo Switch Sports, but that didn’t release until the end of April. Their only other major title that released during the year was Splatoon 3, which has sold incredibly well, even with its extremely chaotic launch. The other massive release from them in 2022 was the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Booster Course Pack, which has delivered three of the six planned packs, which is aiming to double the track count for the game. So some big names, but really not a lot games overall, so that must mean that 2023 is going to be even bigger right?
Well, the biggest game that the group are working on, at least that we know about, is The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, which is currently dated for May 12. I say currently as Zelda titles are known to get delayed randomly, but there is a high likelihood that this one will hit this date. The only other game that we know is being developed or at least lead by this group is Pikmin 4, but that does not have a release date outside of 2023. So the question remains, what else is the group up to? Well we know there will be three more waves for the Booster Course Pack, likely in March, August and December again. This year will mark six years since the last mainline Mario title, so that is due for something. Will this be the year when F-Zero makes a return, unlikely, however we could see new Donkey Kong or Wario titles. As mysterious as Nintendo are though, we just have to wait and see sadly.
Nintendo Software Technology
Series known to them: Mario vs. Donkey Kong series, Wave Race: Blue Storm, Metroid Prime: Hunters
Nintendo Software Technology, or NST has been quiet since they helped bring Super Mario 3D World to Switch back in early 2021. This is the studio that brought Wave Race and 1080 to Gamecube, as well as Ridge Racer to DS and countless others, so they don’t tend to have any sort of genre niche that they stick to.
The studio is not massive, their last reported headcount was less than 50 people, so if they were creating something new it would likely be in the Mario & Donkey Kong series, as that is theirs. The problem isn’t what they make, but how often they make things, there were three years between their last released game and the one before, so they are not a production powerhouse and both of those titles were ports. Given their recent porting work, it might stand to reason that we could see some classic titles hit Switch, maybe the Zelda HD games or Xenoblade Chronicles X, but there is just no way to tell.
Nintendo European Research & Development
Series known to them: Virtual Console, older console emulation
Affectionally known as NERD, the Nintendo European Research and Development group are the folks that make the Nintendo Switch Online apps work, among many other Nintendo tech functions. Over the past few years they have done things like add VR support to Switch via Labo, made Ring Fit Adventure possible and most recently making sure that Nintendo Switch Sports would track motion, no matter the direction the player was facing.
It has been a few years now since they have directly worked on a game, that being Super Mario 3D All-Stars, as they were the folks that took the GameCube tech and made an emulation program for Switch, along with giving the game HD visuals and such. Given the work on that, it is possible, however unlikely that we could see GameCube hit the Nintendo Switch Online service this year. The only reason it may not is that GameBoy is rumoured to be coming first, but even that may only be a pipedream. The group is around 75 people strong and they are still hiring more, one such current role is for an emulation expert, so take from that what you will. Given their work on NSO lately, expect most of the content from this group to be connected to that, the only question is will it be around existing or new platforms?
Monolith Soft
Series known to them: Xenoblade Chronicles series, Baten Kaitos series and Disaster: Day of Crisis
Last year I said that there is a chance we will see a new Xenoblade game and I was right, so expecting an all new title from them this year would be foolish. The studio’s release of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 was a big deal and made many fans of the series quite happy, but they also provided a lot of development support to Splatoon 3. With those games also swapping release dates, lots of people expected XC3 to release with issues, but it was near perfect.
With a major release from them last year, that does not mean that we won’t see anything from them this year, as they have more DLC to come for Xenoblade Chronicles 3. Waves 1 and 2 are out now, with Wave 3 expected by the end of April, but it is the release of Wave 4 by years end that will expand the game in a meaningful way with new story content. Before then though, we will also see their name on The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom as they are supporting development. The studio is large, almost 300 people and shared across 4 locations, so they could have something else in the works, but it is unlikely we will see anything new from them this year.
NDcube
Series known to them: Wii Party series, Mario Party series
Best known for their work on the Mario Party series, ND Cube had a very quiet 2022, as they were still riding high on the release of Mario Party Superstars. The problem was that the game was begging for DLC and like before, we got nothing and while Super Mario Party did get one random update years later, that was to add online multiplayer, something that we had from the outset in Superstars.
The studio has a few hundred staff and they are known to work on multiple projects at a time, so seeing something from them this year is quite likely. While I would love to see them release new content for Mario Party Superstars, I suspect we are more likely to get a Super Mario Party 2 or something else in the series. We could get a new Clubhouse Games release, but those titles are not massive sellers, so its unlikely.
Next Level Games
Series known to them: Luigi's Mansion series, Super Mario Strikers series
I said last year that there was a good chance we would hear from this studio in 2022 and even added that it might be a new entry in the Mario Strikers series and I was right on both points. Mario Strikers Battle League Football released around the middle of the year and gained attention, but interest quickly fell from it. The studio did release a few free updates throughout the rest of 2022, including new outfits, stadiums and playable characters, but the last one released was noted to be the last.
Given the studio has kept to a release cadence of a game every three years, it is unlikely that we will see anything from them this year. However if they did release something, I personally would love to see it be a new Punch-Out, a series that started on the NES, but something we haven’t seen since the 2009 release on Wii, which this group also worked on. But like I said, their work is pretty circular by this point, so unless they have a second group working away on something else, we won’t hear from this team this year.
Retro Studios
Series known to them: Metroid Prime series, Donkey Kong Country series
Ok, if 2023 doesn’t come with a full reveal and release of Metroid Prime 4, I would start to question the worth of this studio. The last original game that they released was Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze for Wii U back in 2014. The studio did port the title to Switch a few years later, but this year marks 9 years since they have released an original game and there is no denying it, that is a long time.
While Metroid Prime 4 was first revealed back at E3 2017 with a logo, the next time we heard about it was in early 2019, when a development update video was released that revealed development was restarting. All we knew before that was Retro were not developing the game, but with the restarting of development, they were given back control. The studio is meant to have two teams working there, but we have no idea if both teams are working on this game, or if one is working on something else. The problem is that the last official update was that development restarting video, which at the time of posting this is just shy of four years ago and that needs to change.
At this point, we would end the feature here, as that is all of the owned development studios by Nintendo, but they are a weird one, as they have either partial ownership or exclusive relationships with a few additional studios, that also develop games for them, making use of IP that are owned by Nintendo, so let us take a look at them as well.
Camelot Software Planning
Series known to them: Mario Golf series, Mario Tennis series, Golden Sun series
The year was 2021 and Golf was the sport that developer Camelot were working on and while it was a good game, it released with less content than many were hoping for. A few post release updates added some new players and courses, but those wrapped up pretty quickly and since then the studio has not released anything. Given they have bounced between Golf and Tennis titles for a while now, you could assume that a new Mario Tennis game is on its way, but the Switch has been around for a while and we already have one of those.
Given their year of silence, 2023 could see the small studio reveal their next title, it could be within the world of sports, but the question would be, what sport? The studio has also created a beloved RPG series in Golden Sun and while some time has passed since the third title (yes that exists people) was released, the fans still adore the series. As the studio normally puts out a game every 2 years, the year of the pandemic not being counted, 2023 would be their “on” year, so now we just have to wait and see what we might be getting from them and if its for Switch.
Game Freak
Series known to them: Pokémon
If you don’t know the name Game Freak, you will at least know their largest series Pokémon, though the developer has had other titles like Tembo the Badass Elephant and Pocket Card Jockey. 2022 saw the studio release two major Pokémon games with Legends Arceus in January and Scarlet/Violet at the end of the year.
With two Pokémon games out in the one year, there is a chance that the only Pokémon news we are going to get this year, will be related to DLC for Scarlet and Violet, perhaps like what Sword and Shield got a few years ago. The studio is set up to have multiple teams working on different things, but as both teams shipped games last year, the odds of there being anything new are slim. That being said a sequel to 2019’s Little Town Hero is not out of the question, nor is something on a smaller scale like Tembo. The odds of us seeing a sequel to Pocket Card Jockey are quite high though as a trademark was filed in Japan for “ソリティ馬 Ride On” or translated “Solitaire Horse: Ride On”, with the 3DS title just being called “Solitaire Horse” in Japan. Trademarks are no means a confirmation that a new game is coming, it could be a console port of that same game, for now though only time will tell.
Good-Feel
Series known to them: Yoshi series, StreetPass games
2023 makes it four years since Good Feel released a new title and that was connected to Yoshi. In October of 2020, we got word that the studio was developing a new title that visually looks like Lego crossed over with Mystical Ninja and while many were hoping of a full reveal in 2021, nothing ever amounted. Heck the game was meant to release in that year, but of course that was unlikely to happen given the issues with the world in 2020.
This year we really need to hear from the studio, the only real question is what game will it be? Given their early hype and then silence on their mystical ninja feeling action game, it could be the year for it to show up. The studio has also been responsible for the recent craft versions of Yoshi and Kirby, so seeing those series expand with more yarn based aesthetics would be pretty fun. The only reason we might not get a Kirby Epic Yarn 2 is if HAL have other plans for the pink puff. Right now, I would say its a toss up between a new Yoshi game and their mysterious action game, so flip a coin and make a guess.
Grezzo
Series known to them: The Legend of Zelda series, Miitopia
It has been a while since Grezzo have released anything of note, sure in 2021 they put out Miitopia, but the game wasn’t great on 3DS and the Switch version just doubled down on that. Prior to that, the game they worked on was the remake of Link’s Awakening, which was very well received, so it has been a few years since they did something new. The studio has become a bit of a sister studio to the internal Zelda team, having worked on Ocarina of Time and Majora’s Mask 3D, along with Tri-Force Heroes and Four Swords in the past.
Given the desire for Zelda games, you could make a bet that Nintendo would have them working on something in the series, however Nintendo has never released two mainline titles from the same series in the same calendar year. It could be that the group are working on those highly sort after Zelda HD ports, but that is unlikely as they are actively recruiting for new jobs. One of the roles they were looking for late last year was that of a ‘Cinematic Artist’ and with both Zelda HD titles being complete, new cinematics are unlikely. Another job was for a map designer and again, the same logic applies, but with both those roles there is a fair chance that whatever the new game is, it’s a Zelda-like title, with bosses being a highlight. As the studio is quick to turn around games, there is a chance whatever they are doing is released this year, but I would wager it’s announced later in the year, perhaps in a September Direct and released in early 2024.
HAL Laboratory
Series known to them: Kirby
2022 was a massive year for HAL Labs, not only did they drop Kirby and the Forgotten Land, which was an incredible game, they also dropped Kirby’s Dream Buffet, a smaller scale Kirby game, which was something we predicted last year. While the latter game was not nearly as successful as the former, both games proved that Kirby can still provide fun experiences. Last year was also the 30th anniversary of the little pink guy, part of which included a live concert of music from the series, as well as a replay from the 25th, which featured music from Return to Dreamland and speaking of..
We know that the studio has the remake of the Wii title, Return to Dreamland launching on Switch in February and while they are listed as the developers, there is no telling if there is another studio helping them, as has been the case before. Given that they tend to release small scale Kirby games in between other games, see Kirby’s Dream Buffet, there is a chance we will get more this year. However, given that they have other series they can always reach into, something like Box Boy or Part Time UFO could happen, I would love to see a new entry in the Lolo series, but that is just me. However with Return to Dreamland coming first, it is unlikely that we won’t hear anything else until after that is released.
Intelligent Systems
Series known to them: Fire Emblem series, WarioWare series, Paper Mario series
Last year was an odd year for Intelligent Systems, only in the sense that it was the first year that the studio did not release a game, in 24 years. The last time they missed a year was 1997, so it has been a while since they haven’t had a game-free year, though you could argue that Fire Emblem Warriors: Three Hopes was somewhat related to them, but that is a stretch.
Of course, one of the first games to launch this year will be the latest chapter in the long running Fire Emblem series, with the toothpaste hero in Engage. We know that the game is going to have DLC that will release across the year, the first is dropping the same day the game releases and the rest will come over time. There is a chance that Engage was meant to release last year, so there is a good likelihood we might see something else from them, the only question is what. The developer has rotated through three series over the past decade, so there could be a new Paper Mario on its way this year, but if its not that Wario could be back. The other possibility is a Codename S.T.E.A.M sequel, but I give that a <1% chance.
Sora Ltd.
Series known to them: Super Smash Bros series, Kid Icarus series
This is perhaps the only studio that we won’t hear anything from this year, as it is a two person group and one of them is Masahiro Sakurai, creator of Kirby and Super Smash Bros. The company basically operates as him directing a contracted studio, so anything they are working on requires external support.
Last year saw Sakurai-san begining a YouTube channel, where he breaks down countless topics of game development and while short, each video is very well put together and offers great insight. With his dedication to the channel, its possible he may not be working full time on any new game, but he could be in the early planning stages of something new on the side. Given the limited size of the company there is no way of knowing what they might be working on next or who is helping to bring it to life.
Vanpool
Series known to them: Dillion’s series, Paper Mario Sticker Star, Kirby Fighters 2
A studio that generally flies under the radar most of the time, Vanpool had a big year in 2022, as they were the co-devs on Kirby and the Forgotten Land, alongside Hal Labs. Their work was mostly focused around backgrounds and programming, so some key parts of the title, with the game before this one also being a Kirby title. The company has also made the Dillion’s series of games, as well as a Paper Mario.
The last game that they worked on for themselves was the 2018 3DS title Dillion’s Dead-Heat Breakers, a game that confused many players when it launched on 3DS when the Switch was gaining steam. Given they have doubled as a support studio and also done solo projects, there is no telling what they might be working on next. They are usually hiring staff and one of their more recent applications was for a programmer to make a game that would run on Windows, but as most games are technically made on PCs, this could be nothing. With the size of the studio being on the smaller side, if they were all in on supporting Forgotten Land, the chances of anything new from them this year is slim, but they could be helping out with Return to Dreamland.
So there you go, a run down of all the current Nintendo first and second party development studios, including what we know and suspect they are working on. Do you think we are right on our predictions, or are we missing something else? Be sure to let us know
