I also know that Nintendo is actively meeting with independent developers to find new partners. Some of that is around publishing indie games, which Nintendo does from time-to-time, but it’s also seeking studios that could work on some of its IP. Nintendo regularly works with third-party teams, including Bandai Namco, Team Ninja, Platinum Games, MercurySteam, WayForward and Grezzo. But the company is looking to add to that roster, and I know of three studios that are deep in conversation around making games based on Nintendo brands.
Actual Source: Christopher Dring at Gameindustry.biz: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/how-can-nintendo-switch-2-surpass-its-predecessor-opinion
Typically quality goes down as more third party studios get involved. If they can keep their quality up somehow, this will be a good thing. But I don’t want annual shovelware Zelda games like COD or how Assassin’s Creed was in the 2010s.
Pokemon has been close to shovelware for a few generations now, though legends Arceus is a shining counterexample that I hope we get more of. It seems like gamefreak had time to make it after handing off the normal remakes of the Sinnoh region to another developer, so if that’s the direction they’re looking in I’m optimistic.
Really that’s what Nintendo proper (not the Pokemon Company) understands. Goods work needs time in the oven.
Its why even their other studios do well.
Legends arceus is a shining counterexample? We must’ve been playing a different game
Arceus explores beyond the sad, rigid format of the main franchise. It forced them to re-evaluate choices made in Scarlet and Violet.
Nintendo has been using third party devs since at least the SNES.
Agreed, and yet GameFreaks quality would skyrocket if they outsourced their development (or got forced by Nintendo to do so). Depends on how the quality is in the first place I guess xD
Not sure what leverage Nintendo would have. Nintendo doesn’t own Pokemon. The Pokemon Company does.
Yeah I know, my intention was to draw a comparison. Nintendo has a generally high quality which probably would go down if they outsourced their development. Other companies, like GameFreak, suck so bad they would most likely benefit.
Recently(ish) the necrodancer Zelda game is a weird and wonderful collaboration. Still have no idea how the got the opportunity for that or how much Nintendo was on them for it but I’m sure many Indies would bend over backwards if they could make something with Wario for example.
Not just Wario, with most of Nintendo’s IPs. Mario + Rabbids was also a great collaboration, so some new ideas from different teams / people could be great.
It would be nice to have Nintendo farm out some of its IP to third party devs. It will mean more games in the major (and especially secondary) series. It will be nice to see a new developers versions of iconic series.
The only risk is that other studios are not going to meet Nintendo’s level of quality, hurting the brand, but past history suggests that that will not occur.
I do hope that third party studios are not just getting a license but also access to design docs, so they can match the feel of other games. For example, Mario platformers have very good physics that many indie games cannot match. It would be great if anyone else making a Mario game can match that same feel.
As you can see, “Nintendo regularly works with third-party teams, including Bandai Namco, Team Ninja, Platinum Games, MercurySteam, WayForward and Grezzo.”, it’s just they are looking for more third parties.
Actually, if you actually look, you will be surprised how many big games are actually made by third party. Latest example, Metroid Dread, one of the most polished game was developed by Mercury System. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is by Bandai Namco and so on.
I don’t see a world where they outsource Mario.
Kirby? Yeah. Metroid? Yeah. Mario feature in a third party game? Already happening.
But no way a fully fledged mainline Mario related game gets outsourced. That little bastard is the only reason I have any Nintendo consoles, he is too valuable.
That would be nice.
If it results in new works on par with the Oracle games, bring it on.
I’d rather have eventual pc ports.
Just emulate it. They’re not got to port anything.
I know many, many people who want that, even if only so that they can have it run 4k 60fps, but I highly doubt Nintendo will allow that. Not anytime soon anyway.
What SEGA does, Nintendon’t.
