Topic: Kensuke Tanabe Wants More Developers Like Retro Studios

[NWR_MattB]

The Nintendo producer wishes to develop relationships with other studios of the same caliber as Retro Studios. 

http://www.nintendoworldreport.com/news/25999

Nintendo's Kensuke Tanabe revealed that Nintendo is on the lookout for more developers at the same level as Retro Studios in a recent interview with Edge.

When questioned on the importance for Nintendo to have strong relationships with its external developers, Tanabe responded by saying:

"I absolutely believe so. I work with other development partners, such as [Punch Out!! developer] Next Level Games in Vancouver and Monster Studios [of Pilotwings Resort] in Minneapolis. And they, much like Retro, really get our development philosophies. I want to find as many people as we can, as many great companies as we can to get involved with. I’m really looking for developers with a sense of craftsmanship."

Tanabe admits that he was impressed by the development of Donkey Kong Country Returns and Metroid Prime. He also states that Retro Studios goes against the philosophy that most US developers are “running a business for business’ sake.”

[BlackNMild2k1]

I was just reading this and thinking about how we were just talking about something like this in another thread.

Not about how more devs bneed to be more like Retro, but how Retro shoudl expand and how Nintendo needs more US & EURO dev teams to crank out more games to fill these gaps in releases that 3rd parties aren't taking advantage of.

[Mop it up]

I'd like more developers like Retro Studios too, the Metroid Prime series and Donkey Kong Country Returns are all excellent games.

[Kytim89]

Here are some potential targets for Nintendo to take over fully and the game they could develop for te Wii:
 
Next Level Games: Super Mario American Football and Wii Sports Winter Edition

Wayforward:

High Voltage Software: Nintendo could fund the enhancement of the quantum engine and lease it off to third parties (?).

Silicone Knights (full take over): Eternal Darkness 2

Monster Studios
 
 

[TGM]

In my wildest dreams Nintendo and WayForward partner to create awesome 2D Metroid games while Retro handles the 3D Metroid games... but other than WayForward, and maybe High Voltage (though SEGA practically owns them now), I can't think of any more US and European developers who would fit with Nintendo's philosophy. 5th Cell is too independent.

[NWR_insanolord]

After playing and loving Excitebots and Pilotwings Resort, I'm excited for the next Nintendo-Monster Studios collaboration. With a little guidance, and more confidence from Nintendo, they could turn into an excellent partner for Nintendo.

[Kytim89]

After playing and loving Excitebots and Pilotwings Resort, I'm excited for the next Nintendo-Monster Studios collaboration. With a little guidance, and more confidence from Nintendo, they could turn into an excellent partner for Nintendo.

Super Mario American Football and Super Mario Pro Wrestling?

[Ian Sane]

The sad truth is it is rare to find Western devs that are on par with the best Japanese devs.  It has gotten better this gen as a lot of PC devs have moved to consoles and for Western games the PC was always the best place to go.  Retro is an exception in that they are on par with Nintendo's Japanese teams.  Rare used to be that way as well.  I've often said that Nintendo never replaced Rare but I guess they did with Retro.  The only problem is Retro is not as productive having only released four games in two generations.

This is the sort of dev Nintendo should try to aquire.  It's good to hear someone from Nintendo saying that because I feel they don't always seem to have a real care for that sort of thing.  Since Rare left there has been a handful of "well we just got whoever" kind of partnerships.

[Stogi]

Wow, Nintendo actually coming out and saying this is sure to spur a lot of rumblings within the industry.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Gotta snatch up new studios to develop for 3DS & Wii2

[Enner]

...
 The only problem is Retro is not as productive having only released four games in two generations.
...

Retro is one of the smaller-sized "big/AAA game" developers, if I recall correctly. Given that such games usually spend 2-3 years in development and it has been around 11 years since Retro started work on Metroid Prime, I think Retro's productivity is within the average.

[Kytim89]

I still shutter at the thought of what a power house would have been if Retro, Rare and Silicone Knights had paired together to develope for Nintendo. There is still a chance of a new powerhouse emerging with Retro Studios at the lead, but Nintendo needs to aquire atleast two more wester developers.
 
The fact of the matter is that the gaming industry is westernizing and it would be in Nintendo's best interest to put Retro at the front lines of developing their own games for the Wii 2 and 3DS in the future. To solify their new relationship with third parties, Nintendo should allow Retro Studios to collaborate with other western developers to get a foot hold in our market.

[JasonMaivia]

The Wii is one of my least favorite Nintendo consoles, and in no doubt, makes me feel that Nintendo's net console will be disappointing in some way, compared to Sony's and Microsoft's offerings on their consoles (including third party support).
It seems that most of the third party game companies that matter to the long-time gamer did not want anything to do with Nintendo 64, Gamecube, or the Wii.


It's easy to see that Nintendo's next home console will suffer the same way, and I don't think I'll want another console like that again.


To combat this, Nintendo NEEDS more development studios.

[shinyray01]

May not be a popular idea but, I hope Nintendo buys N-Space.
Geist 2