It sounds like they're going to be assisting Nintendo even more with this Kyoto studio. I hope Honne is actually working on a game.
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Monolith Soft 3DS concept art revealed
- Thread starter Dwight Schrute
- Start date
It sounds like they're going to be assisting Nintendo even more with this Kyoto studio. I hope Honne is actually working on a game.
StreetsAhead
Member
To me it sounds more like Nintendo is assisting them with their project, than the other way around.
TDLink
Member
They're all part of Nintendo now anyways so it's the same difference.
I hope so. Honne hasn't really worked with Nintendo on his own project since they bought the company, instead he was involved with graphic design in Brawl's Adventure Mode and given Special Thanks in Skyward Sword and Animal Crossing 3DS. Aside from the DBZ game with Namco he's been helping on other projects more than doing his own.
Aquamarine
Member
I for one would love to see Nintendo tap into Honne's creative wells again. Baten Kaitos and Origins were some of my favorite experiences.
I have hope that Kyoto's new 3DS project is just that...especially with the teaser recruitment art in the OP.
The difference now would be instead of helping Nintendo with SSB/Zelda/AC/whatever, Nintendo can help them make their own game.
They've been recruiting for a 3DS game since Feb 2012. Really hope they show it off soon at a Direct.
It's funny that some people were laughing at the buyout.
Aquamarine
Member
Most definitely. I just wish they would invest in some more studios. As Iwata said, Nintendo's core teams were developing Wii games with Gamecube-level assets and whatnot. They're even doing the same with 3DS games. I know buying studios isn't exactly economical for Nintendo, but it would certainly infuse their core development staff with the HD knowhow they desperately need to adapt to this new gen.
TDLink
Member
There are obviously a few more they are courting right now. Next Level Games, Grezzo, Good Feel, and possibly Platinum.
olimpia84
Member
Ha, same here. Hopefully we'll get more details soon.
DarkLegion
Member
Aww man I can't wait to see what they do with the 3D. The Wii wasn't much of a graphical beast but Xenoblade had some amazing scenery.
Aquamarine
Member
I don't think there's (in general) nearly as much of a turnover in Japanese studios as there are in Western studios, but I don't have any data to back that up.
Grezzo is tiny with no HD experiece, Good Feel does highly-detailed 2D stuff and small games, Next Level Games hasn't really done a true "next-gen" title...
The only studio which I could see would directly help Nintendo's core team in this regard is Platinum, honestly. They obviously have some very talented developers. Nintendo is courting them for two games, but a studio acquisition would definitely do a lot more.
StreetsAhead
Member
How would buying an external studio help with that? They're better off hiring people with experience.
Japanese people, in general, tend to stick with one company more than Western people, though that is slowly changing.
Aquamarine
Member
Well as you said...
Buying a studio gives you access to all of that latent talent at once. It's a shot in the arm, so to speak.
StreetsAhead
Member
How does that help the core development staff? Or, are you talking about stuff where Monolith helps with AC/SS and Retro helps with MK?
SatelliteOfLove
Member
3DS: Gen 8 Winner
Unless it's SE or Konami, and then common sense takes control as it has.
Unless it's SE or Konami, and then common sense takes control as it has.
Until the talent leaves, then all they own is a studio name. Unless they're after a specific person invested in a studio there's no reason to buy one. If they want people with HD knowhow then they should be looking at hiring at their existing studios instead, which is what they've been doing.
I guess it has also something to do with worker rights. USA is not really famous for them.
Aquamarine
Member
Exactly. Nintendo needs more of that kind of thing.
Yep, but Miyamoto remarked a couple of days ago that it hasn't been enough so far. He said "We definitely need more people."
StreetsAhead
Member
Well, iirc, their new Kyoto HQ is said to house just under double the amount of developers they were last reported as having (1500 VS 800).
Brownie Brown has been restructured and renamed to work as part of the NCL corporate structure.
Monolith Soft is expanding its new studio and Tokyo has half a dozen positions open.
Retro has been hiring and expanding.
NST *seems* to be gearing up to develop a real game again.
It seems they're starting to make their moves.
Brownie Brown has been restructured and renamed to work as part of the NCL corporate structure.
Monolith Soft is expanding its new studio and Tokyo has half a dozen positions open.
Retro has been hiring and expanding.
NST *seems* to be gearing up to develop a real game again.
It seems they're starting to make their moves.
Ghost_Protocol
Member
I wish Nintendo would let Gamefreak experiment with a brand new IP. Surely they've earned it by now.
Ah ok thanks. I was thinking that might have been his name, but I'm used to seeing his romanized signature.
DXB-KNIGHT
Member
HarmoKnight is technically a new Gamefreak IP, yes it's downloadable only but it's darn good.
StreetsAhead
Member
It's called Harmo Knight. Nintendo don't own Gamefreak.
chertipros
Member
Gamefreak can do what they want. Nintendo doesn't own them
Aquamarine
Member
Brownie Brown has been renamed / restructured!? Oh no! Poor Brownie Brown...
Are they still going to be based in Tokyo / in their old studio? They're not getting absorbed, right?
Game Freak is so deep into Pokemon / Nintendo that I can't imagine a Game Freak without them.
DXB-KNIGHT
Member
I don't want to get hyped over awesome art that might not even end being a game at all 
I want to see the 3DS game their developing ,
I want 3DS direct although we got two last month but I don't mind being spoiled.
I want to see the 3DS game their developing ,
I want 3DS direct although we got two last month but I don't mind being spoiled.
DXB-KNIGHT
Member
They are restructured into a support Studio called 1up.
Aquamarine
Member
So no more original IPs then... such a shame. Magical Vacation / Magical Starsign were great. Even Kappa's Tail was pretty fun.
DXB-KNIGHT
Member
I loved Kappa trial and didn't actually try Magical vacation
But Magical Starsighn and their DS Mana game were nothing but huge headaches that I lost interest immediately,
However their support for Mother3, Mario 3Dland and Fantasy Life proved that they're a competent studio.
StreetsAhead
Member
http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showthread.php?t=511142
Brownie Brown will become 1-UP, Shinichi Kameoka is leaving.
http://www.br2.co.jp/
This Monolith Kyoto expansion could also be a part of what Shikamaru Ninja called 'the 2013 master plan'.
Hero of Legend
Member
So here's a doozey, if there's one dev (anywhere) that Nintendo should buy the most, and of course is one they've worked so closely (but isn't a confirmed 2nd-party like Game Freak or Genius Sonority), who should it be?
You can make a list and put an opinion as to the likely hood and what not.
Good-Feel is certainly one, as well as Camelot (Camelot's status is confusing, they originally "broke away" to make a PC game that got canned, are they now back to being 2nd-party?). Pretty damn sure GF is not 2nd-party, it's like they're exclusive by choice.
Grezzo as well, Grezzo and Brownie Brown would've been a fantastic merger, hopefully Shinichi (co-founder of BB) ends up there after leaving, hell just buy Grezzo and put everyone you can who worked on the Mana series at Grezzo and make a new RPG on the 3DS, BOOM!
Platinum's not that close yet, it'd be a great score, but I'm sure there are some that would fit more perfectly.
Next Level Games is one that would truly benefit, considering they make shit if Nintendo's not involved.
Monster Games is another great pick.
Now Hudson would've been a pick, but Nintendo got them anyway, just under their own existing dev. XD
Arzest would be fantastic especially since Yasuhara is at NST.
It's hard to point at one company and go "yep, no doubt this one".
Hell NO ONE would've thought Nintendo was going to get Monolith, they only published two games (BKO and had Disaster underway), arguably their biggest out of the blue acquisition.
Mobiclip is as out of the blue, but they're a middleware dev.
Any ideas? Who is a match made in heaven with Nintendo?
If we don't count Camelot, Good-Feel and Next Level Games are my most likely picks for how close they've been, Good-Feel probably would be above for their exclusivity and sheer creativity. Grezzo is another close pick, such hard choices. XD Arzest would make me SQUEE the most actually. lol
You can make a list and put an opinion as to the likely hood and what not.
Good-Feel is certainly one, as well as Camelot (Camelot's status is confusing, they originally "broke away" to make a PC game that got canned, are they now back to being 2nd-party?). Pretty damn sure GF is not 2nd-party, it's like they're exclusive by choice.
Grezzo as well, Grezzo and Brownie Brown would've been a fantastic merger, hopefully Shinichi (co-founder of BB) ends up there after leaving, hell just buy Grezzo and put everyone you can who worked on the Mana series at Grezzo and make a new RPG on the 3DS, BOOM!
Platinum's not that close yet, it'd be a great score, but I'm sure there are some that would fit more perfectly.
Next Level Games is one that would truly benefit, considering they make shit if Nintendo's not involved.
Monster Games is another great pick.
Now Hudson would've been a pick, but Nintendo got them anyway, just under their own existing dev. XD
Arzest would be fantastic especially since Yasuhara is at NST.
It's hard to point at one company and go "yep, no doubt this one".
Hell NO ONE would've thought Nintendo was going to get Monolith, they only published two games (BKO and had Disaster underway), arguably their biggest out of the blue acquisition.
Mobiclip is as out of the blue, but they're a middleware dev.
Any ideas? Who is a match made in heaven with Nintendo?
If we don't count Camelot, Good-Feel and Next Level Games are my most likely picks for how close they've been, Good-Feel probably would be above for their exclusivity and sheer creativity. Grezzo is another close pick, such hard choices. XD Arzest would make me SQUEE the most actually. lol
gamergirly
Member
Honestly, if you sold your 3DS for any reason other than financial woes, you should slap yourself. Its going to end up a great handheld system with fun and interesting games
Monolithsoft is reminding me recently of what Squaresoft used to be. Not Square Enix(minus the Enix), Squaresoft lol
Monolithsoft is reminding me recently of what Squaresoft used to be. Not Square Enix(minus the Enix), Squaresoft lol
Aquamarine
Member
Okay then, so it's essentially a company reboot. RIP Brownie Brown.
I guess the most apt criteria for a Nintendo acquisition right now (in my opinion) is a "Studio that can really help the Nintendo the most at the moment." Basically, a developer who could give Nintendo help that they really couldn't supply through third-party contracts.
So I'm going to go ahead and say Platinum Games or From Software on the Japanese side. On the Western side...I wish Nintendo would have picked up Vigil while the opportunity was ripe, but I knew that two Austin-based developers just wasn't going to work out. I'd like to see Nintendo get some AAA top-tier Western developer to really help shake the Wii U into the new gen with new ideas and new philosophies.
Retro Studios are going to be a big help, but I feel like the company definitely needs more than that.
Zenaku
Member
Xenoblade began development early 2007, Monolith was bought mid 2007. It probably played some part in the whole thing, considering Disaster had a troublesome development.
DXB-KNIGHT
Member
Nintendo sour early experience with Retro had a huge effect in them trusting Western Talent, what I think they need somebody who understand how to deal with Western development something like a Western SPD.
lordfroakie
Member
Crytek? I remember this small gem: http://www.computerandvideogames.com/359998/crytek-working-with-nintendo-crysis-3-wii-u-a-possibility/ Another would be Zenimax, they could of easily bought id software and blizzard during N64 era :/
Sour early experience?
Hero of Legend
Member
I know a lot left during and after Prime 1's development, might be related to that.
Retro before the Nintendo purchase was a complete and total disaster. Its incredible that Prime ever came out of that studio.
While this is accurate in terms of leads, it isn't that accurate in terms of "teams". When Monolithsoft was first founded, there were two distinct teams - The people mainly working on Xenosaga games, and the people mainly working on the visual and scenario parts of the Baten Kaitos games. So the pre-Nintendo part is pretty much accurate. The NxC team was formed quite some time after the studio was initially founded, and the director and some of the staff were formly Bandai Namco staff who worked on the Super Robot Wars series.
After Nintendo bought Monolithsoft, the concept of teams weren't defined as clearly anymore. The NxC continued to make games like SRW OG Saga and eventually PxZ, so that's a team which is mostly static. But for Takahashi and Honne, they're just producer-leads. While Soma Bringer had some leads from Xenosaga games, and DBZ also had some guys who Honne worked with on the BK games, Disaster as a bigger console project had staff from both Xenosaga and BK teams. Remember that portable games ultimately need less staff.
Xenoblade was another huge project for the studio, so people on Soma Bringer, DBZ, Disaster all helped to make it. So it should not really be seen as a "Team Takahashi" or "Team Honne" game based on the original definitions pre-Nintendo. After Xenoblade, Takahashi started leading the development of X on WiiU, presumably with the majority of the Xenoblade staff, while Honne was put in charge of overseeing the new Kyoto studio, and he brought with him there a number of graphics staff who he had worked with on previous projects.
As far as I know, the majority of the staff in Kyoto should be graphics staff, and the only positions they have been hiring for the Kyoto studio since it was formed are... graphics staff. No planners, no programmers. It's pretty curious. Meanwhile the Tokyo studio has been hiring aggressively across all disciplines, including an urgent need for network programmers.
Hope this information is helpful!
Edit: Oh and I forgot to mention that the writer-director of Disaster was Keiichi Ono, a veteran Monolithsoft cutscenes director who left Monolithsoft some time ago.
Hero of Legend
Member
Do we know much about Monolith's hirings over the past while? Xenoblade's credits can give us some idea, but I wonder if we know folks who might've migrated to Monolith over the past year or so, regardless of which team.
I mean did they say take in more SE folks? Maybe some key folks from a variety of places? Retro's really the only dev at Nintendo who we get a real clue of who goes there, NST to a lesser extent.
I mean did they say take in more SE folks? Maybe some key folks from a variety of places? Retro's really the only dev at Nintendo who we get a real clue of who goes there, NST to a lesser extent.
StreetsAhead
Member
What about 'motion designer', does that come under graphic? I guess it does.
I could have sworn they hired some planners/programmers last year.
EDIT: As of March 2012 they had 92 staff across the whole company. Once they update in March/April, how much/if they've expanded should become more clear.
Monolithsoft does not traditionally pouch or absorb talent from other studios except in rare cases like the leads which formed the NxC team. In general, like most mid-size developers in Japan, Monolithsoft has annual recruitment drives where they generally target graduates and people who are new to the workforce to expand the company at a steady pace.
Hero of Legend
Member
Ah, I see, good to raise fresh new talent, that's how you expand the industry, you never know who will be the next big thing.
I'm fairly sure they never recruited planners or programmers for the Kyoto studio. The Tokyo one, yes.
http://www.monolithsoft.co.jp/recruit/recruit_02.html
This is the page for the Kyoto studio, and using the Wayback Machine, from 2011 through 2012, they were only hiring for graphic staff and administrative staff. I find that rather interesting.
Given their location, I wonder if they are pulling in some people from Nintendo's internal teams for certain positions. At least on a temporary basis of some kind. Synergy between Nintendo and Monolith, etc.
StreetsAhead
Member
I think what we should be looking out for is whether Monolithsoft shows up in the credits for any of Nintendo's internal games on the 3DS and WiiU coming out in 2013.
There are several possibilities:
- They took enough programming staff with them from the Tokyo studio, but simply never mentioned any of them or featured them in interviews about the Kyoto studio.
- They are working with another studio in collaboration for a game (ie: with tri-Crescendo on Baten Kaitos 3).
- They are not making a game on their own, but are currently assisting Nintendo in creating assets for other games.