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What has Retro Studios been doing for 7 years?

E

e&e

Banned
I want to preface by saying that I know they took over the reigns for the next Metroid after development problems. But why have a studio around that hasn’t produced a game for over 7 years now? How many people even work there and how has a conservative company like Nintendo kept the lights on for this company with no results. Sony and Microsoft would’ve shuttered this company by now. I wonder what went down, anyone have inside info?
 
Hawking Radiation

Hawking Radiation

Member
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Sejan

Sejan

Member
I believe that they have done a fair bit of support work for other Nintendo studios. Supposedly when they took over Metroid Prime 4, they had to effectively restart the game from scratch. Potentially, that may have taken them back to the design documents which could have put the, 4-5 years from completion.
 
O

Ozzie666

Member
This is why Nintendo doesn't like Western studios. I wonder how many projects have been cancelled and restarted?
With the exception of the Luigi Mansion guys, they haven't had much luck honestly. Is it leadership? different development philosophies? interference?
or is it multiple projects?
 
Fredrik

Fredrik

Member
I think they did Tropical Freeze on Switch and hopefully they’ve been working on Super Metroid Returns too. Right now I assume they’re waiting for Nintendo’s next console. No way MP4 comes to Switch. I don’t want it on Switch. If I’m waiting this long for a new proper Metroid game then they better not waste it on weak ass hardware.
 
T

Termite

Member
The guys who made Retro, well, Retro - they left and started Bluepoint games, who not surprisingly are one of the most technically proficient developers in the world. Also not surprisingly, without Nintendo's guidance they can't / won't develop their own games, instead sticking to remasters / remakes.

So my guess is Nintendo has been pushing tasks on to Retro that the current crew can't handle, and they've had at least two projects cancelled due to lack of results. Just a guess.

What I don't understand is if Retro was struggling that badly (and make no mistake, they could well go an entire decade without a released game depending on MP4's development time) why not get them to do a 3rd DK game? They knew they could do those, and it's a guaranteed multi-million seller, if not a huge hit like a 2d Mario.
 
skit_data

skit_data

Member
Well, some of them went to make Shadow of the Colossus and later Demons Souls!

I look forward so much to see the new Metroid Prime. I will probably pick up a Switch for that game alone if it is recieved well.
 
NikuNashi

NikuNashi

Member
They have plenty of credit in the bank from me, Metroid Prime 1 was one of my gaming highlights, possibly a near perfect game in every way. It's a testamant to Ninty that they are still open and working as we all know if it was a MS studio it would have been thanks for the memories but bring in the bulldozers by now.
 
Aldric

Aldric

Member
Fredrik said:
It would be like Sony axing Polyphony Digital. They’re among the best in the industry at what they’re doing. They’re just slow.
Click to expand...
There's being slow and there's not being able to get a project off the ground in 7 years. And Retro wasn't even particularly slow when they still made games, they made Metroid Prime 2 Echoes in 2 years for ex.

Their current state is definitely concerning and that also obviously applies to the fate of Metroid Prime 4.
 
S

SpongebobSquaredance

Unconfirmed Member
e&e said:
I looked it up an holy shit! 😱
Click to expand...
Wait until you figure out he does commercials for skincare products as well.
 
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L

lostinblue

Banned
Retro Studios is not as big while not deep into game development as people seem to think.

Every time they have a project in full swing they go on a hiring spree, when that is not the case they clearly downsize and keep only a skeleton team. That's precisely why some talented people tend to leave, waiting for the next wave is not their thing.

I do agree Retro Studios needed to branch to two development teams, and have that extra personnel give a boost on both teams. But that's sometimes not feasible, if one team becomes stuck in prototyping or dev support (what happened to Nintendos second Monolith Soft team, actually)

As for what they're up to, any guess is a guess; but they might do support on things like dev tools, western dev support (like NST does), they are also known for having contributed assets to Mario Mart (albeit MK7 3DS, but there might be uncredited work out there), same as Monolith basically, (where Yasuyuki Honne even did the animated opening for Skyward Sword).

Nintendo is known to outsource stuff like prototypes, those are obviously always uncredited.
 
GeorgPrime

GeorgPrime

Banned
e&e said:
I want to preface by saying that I know they took over the reigns for the next Metroid after development problems. But why have a studio around that hasn’t produced a game for over 7 years now? How many people even work there and how has a conservative company like Nintendo kept the lights on for this company with no results. Sony and Microsoft would’ve shuttered this company by now. I wonder what went down, anyone have inside info?
Click to expand...

For me its always a bad sign when i game company stays quiet for several years.

I healthy company that develops a new game will have something within two years to show or to announce.

It just gives the feeling that they have tried something else, failed, Nintendo pushed them on Metroid Prime again and now they dont even have a full concept for the game and just started doing stuff until they figured out which direction to go.
 
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Barry Burton

Barry Burton

Member
They clearly had a project they were working on after Tropical Freeze that got canceled (my guess is that it was a new IP, but it's Nintendo and Retro so we'll likely never find out). Now they're back on Metroid Prime as the original MP4 development wasn't working out either.

To be honest, I don't think it's a whole lot different than what happened at Sony Santa Monica. They got the chance to do something besides God of War in the form of a new sci-fi IP, it didn't work out and got canceled, and they went back to God of War and made a great game. Hopefully things work out as well with Retro and Metroid Prime 4.
 
worldwithpyramids

worldwithpyramids

Member
I gave up on whatever Retro was doing from release of Tropical Freeze to the announcement that they were taking over for Metroid Prime 4. It’s best not to think about it.
 
Fbh

Fbh

Member
Yeah it's a shame.
After Tropical Freeze I was really looking forward to what they'd do on Switch (I'd been fine with either another DK, Metroid, or something new). But now it seems like we'll probably have a Switch 2 before they release anything.
 
E

eastcoastkody

Member
ppl have been wondering what they were up to for a decade now. They were radio silent for years. Dropped Tropical Freeze. Then went radio silent again.
 
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