It's no secret that Next Level Games, though it's an independent company, is currently committed exclusively to Nintendo projects - that was stated in early 2014, and nothing since has suggested any change. We'd like to think it's an ambitious project, too, as little has been heard from the company since Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon arrived way back in March 2013.
It seems that the project may indeed be for Wii U, too - cutscene animator Dan Pratezina started working at the company in November 2014, and posted the following a couple of months ago (hat-tip to GoNintendo for catching this):
After over ten years in film and television, I'm working in a gaming pipeline for the first time at Next Level Games, helping previs & animate in-engine cutscenes. Switching pipelines like this is a terrific brain-scramble, the crew is fantastic, and it's a ton of fun being surrounded by Nintendo IP all day. It's making me want a WiiU. Is that weird? Yes, it is. But here we are.
The reason we're pretty confident that this animator has inadvertently revealed the studio's target platform is that he's since gone and made a stealth edit to the post on his website, as you can see in the amended text below.
After over ten years in film and television, I'm working in a gaming pipeline for the first time at Next Level Games, helping previs & animate in-engine cutscenes. Switching pipelines like this is a terrific brain-scramble, the crew is fantastic, and it's a ton of fun being surrounded by Nintendo IP all day.
Edits like this typically occur when you've been caught revealing something you shouldn't - we'd suggest that's the case based on past experience.
Of course the detail is still a mystery, but Next Level Games has proven - with Luigi's Mansion 2 and excellent titles like Punch-Out!! on Wii - that it can be trusted with treasured Nintendo IPs.
What would you like Next Level Games to be working on for Wii U?
[source gonintendo.com]
Comments 60
@BLPs Maybe but why then would it be edited out after?As Thomas points out this usually happens after something was said that shouldn't have been.
"Brits,always looking for a negative in a positive"
@BLPs
Or you know, he already bought one or he doesn't want to imply he doesn't have a Wii U yet he's working with Nintendo.
@BLPs
Yeah, it's possible he was just saying he wanted one, but it's unlikely. There's only 2 options- either they're working on a 3DS game or a Wii U game. If they were working on a 3DS game, don't you think he would have said "this makes me want a 3DS"? Cause if that was the case, he's have no idea what the Wii U is like, and it would be odd for him to suddenly say he wants a Wii U having not even seen one.
Maybe he was just too embarrassed to admit he wanted a Wii U...?
@A01 That made me lol xD working with nintendo and not owning a Wii U, thats so wrong!
To me it sort of sounded like a tease or slight insult towards the Wii U, like he was implying it's a bad thing to want one. Probably just me misinterpreting it.
Luigi's Mansion 3 Wii U confirmed!
A new Mario soccer game for the Wii U would be awesome!
Why edit it? These guys want to continue to work for Nintendo and everyone agrees they should. They are very talented developers who brought great Nintendo titles in the past, switching to Wii U brings more possibilities on what they can do. Retro Studios and many former Rare employees have/are working on new games on Wii U. BTW don't assume it would be another existing Nintendo IP they are working on, it could be a completely original IP they are licensing to Nintendo like Clockwerk
I really hope, that we don't read more into this then it actuall is, more WiiU games are always good ... if they aren't games like flappy bird or some crap like the letter or meme run ...
Luigi Mansion WiiU please.
New Mario Strikers Plzzzz. !!!!
I was underwhelmed with Dark Moon. I wasn't expecting it to match my love of the first game, but the linear mission structure and the forced slapstick got old. Not a bad game by any means, but I thought it could have been better.
Well if he's working on a Nintendo title, it has at least a 50% chance of being on the Wii U, doesn't it?
For all you know Next Level are working on the Starfox game.
He probably should not have posted this in the first place, due to Non-Disclosure Agreements... but hey, I'm not going to favor enforcing something like that if it means teasing new info...
So he may have inadvertently which one, out of two, platforms they're working on? I'm not understanding this being a big deal.
They didn't make the Mario Baseball series, but I was one of the few who liked those games and I kind of hope Next Level Games tries it and makes a new Wii U game.
Or they could just make a Luigi's Mansion 3...or a Luigi's Mansion HD remake.
I can be patient, because whatever games they're making I know I will enjoy them when they come. (Or game, if its some ambitious project, but after this long I'd imagine they could be working on two games in different stages).
Luigi's mansion is suggested, but could be a IP?
@97alexk I know it makes me feel weird owning a Wii U, something apparently not even Nintendo employees own! It reminds me of when someone asked Reggie if virtual boy games would be coming to the 3DS Virtual Console and his reply was something along the lines of "I don't have any experience with the Virtual Boy" Made me feel closer to Nintendo than the President of NoA since i own a virtual boy... xD
@CAM290 I doubt many would have any experience with the virtual boy...
And probably best for those games to remain where they are.
Too soon for another Luigi's Mansion. Another Strikers would not hurt as Nintendo is lacking sports games.
And he should own a wii u. C'mon, even Shu Yoshida has 2!
@CAM290 Ok, this has been nagging me for a while... is your avatar some kind of "Shy Guy/Gal"?
And for what it's worth, Hiroshi Yamauchi, the previous CEO of Nintendo, was notorious for being REALLY bad at Super Mario Bros when he tried playing it one time, whereupon he abstained from playing NES titles again... as well as abstaining from playing future system's titles, for that matter. He didn't even like video games in general, he just had a knack for figuring out which ones might connect with prospective gamers. He was more of a Go board player.
For all the flak Iwata gets, at least he likes his job for more reasons than just capital...
@MadAdam81 Wario Land VB is good, though. If nothing else, that one should be preserved, or even remade into a modern 3DS title to continue the Wario Land series!
But yeah, for the actual system, I wouldn't want anyone to fracture their neck trying to use the damn thing. I tried it out at a demo booth back when it first came out, and after about 20 minutes, I felt like I was going to need a neck brace if I kept going.
Amiibo based game 😋
Luigi's Mansion 2 HD?
Samus? Is that you?
@Scarhino89 I think Luigi's Mansion HD would make more sense as GC games can't be played on the current Nintendo consoles by legit methods.
Luigi's mansion MMO... You heard it here first!
All I know is that I want him to work on a good real time strategy battle game or a good sports game like one with all kinds of nintendo characters.
Another Strikers game would be my preference.
I want a Luigi's Mansion 3, since 2 was fantastic.
I want a Luigi's mansion for the wii u The gamepad would be great for that game and finally a luigi mansion in HD.
why did they not make zelda majoras mask in HD for wii u....
New Kid Icarus, please!
Screw punchout blehh, Luigi's Mansion is where its at!!
A donkey Kong 3d land or punch out u or wario land 5
My guess is F-Zero since they have a big history with sports games and Nintendo needs to bring it back. I'd love a new Punch-Out!! too though
Oh sure NintendoLife, report on it so he can't hide it from his superiors!
If the guy gets fired, it's on you. I hope you can live with that.
More Luigi's Mansion please! HD LM sounds absolutely breathtaking!
Why is it weird that he wants a Wii U?
Luigis Mansion 2 was really a great tittle and sold well, but I don't think its next level games new project, it could be anything really, both punch out and luigis mansion were unexpected, so its going to be this one, if I was just saying games I want and think would benefit from the gamepad screen, def fire emblem and kid icarus for wii u, but for next level games really could be anything
Luigi's mansion U or A sequel to mario Strikers would be awesome! Can't wait to see what it is!
At first it didn't seem too obvious, but editing it just gave it away.
After how great Luigi's Mansion Dark Moon was I think it is safe to say that they can be trusted with Nintendo's IP's. I would love to see them take on Metroid next!
@Crimzonlogic: In my opinion it would only make sense for it to be weird if he was actually developing for the Wii U (or he ment it in general, being a former developer for Nintendo consoles)
@MetaSmasher: It won't be F-Zero since we know that it'll come with the next home console which will have a dedicated controller for that. How we KNOW that? Well Miyamoto said it himself and we it's common sense that he wouldn't make such a remark without it containing a hint. Just think about what he (or was it Aounuma?) said about him wearing a Majora's Mask t-shirt to all kind of events before the remake was officially announced and how pissed he was that no one had realized this before the official announcement!
@BLPs: No it ain't (less common). As I just stated above, Nintendo recently did that with MM3D.
@A01: "Guy is clearly an idiot." Haha, I need a like-button! Seriously, I really had to laugh upon reading this. And you're right, he added "Still not buying one, though. Sorry Iwata-San." Maybe he wanted to point out that since he's developing for the Wii U, he fails to see why he should buy the console with his own money (and rather would have Nintendo give it to him for free).
@MrGawain: Nope, Miyamoto himself is working on the Starfox game, so clearly it can't be NLG.
I never played Luigi's Mansion until now, but I think I'd prefer a new LM game over Mario Strikers (I'd far more like it if Konami would bring PES to Wii U). But a new IP would be nice as well.
Yes. I would like to see Next Level Games working on a Wii U title. ANYBODY working on a Wii U title is good news. Be it a quality company with the potential to be working on a first party franchise? even better.
Not sure what I'd want from them, perhaps they could revive an old IP that hasn't seen an entry in a while, like they did for Punch-Out!! and Luigi's Mansion.
You know what, I'm going to not say "Luigi's Mansion U." We just got a Luigi's Mansion game. You know what game I think they're working on? Metroid. And we're going to hear about it at E3.
"But Retro does Metroid!" Yes but it's entirely possible there are not one but TWO Metroid games in development right now: a side scrolling one for 3DS and a first person one for the Wii U.
It's just crazy enough to be true.
Is this really even news? Of course Next Level Games is at work on Wii U games. I would imagine most of Nintendo's studios are.
Biggest chances are for Luigi's Mansion for Wii U, gamepad can be perfect for this game.
i like how everyone goes crazy over one comment and a edit of it xD
for all we know he probably thought it sounded weird or mean that he didn't have a wii u so 10 mins later hes like " you know what im just going to edit that just in case"
as for another luigi's mansion game nah i will pass if he is working on something i hope its another IP or something more interesting
Sounds more like it was edited because the comment could be seen as vaguely insulting to the Wii U
@shani
Yes, Miyamoto has made a bare bones Starfox game, but he was looking for a studio to cross the T's and dot the I's- including cutscenes. That could fall to Wayforward.
Please Be Luigi's Mansion 3 on Wii U
Any new retail game is a must for wii u's library!! I'll take Luigis mansion sure! I wonder what monster games been up to?
Would love to see a new excite truck!
No matter how you read it, it's pretty much confirmed they're making a Wii U title. Now the real question is what exactly are they making? Maybe at E3 2015 will get a definitive answer or perhaps in a future Nintendo Direct.
@Crimzonlogic
Because it's the cool thing to not like Nintendo. Lyk srsly how could you forget that?
@FlaygletheBagel
Well if it was just a 3ds title, then, no that would not be an accurate statement.
@sweetiepiejonus Its a Nintendo studio working on a Nintendo platform. No surprise there. And it seems obvious that the platform of choice is going to be the one they've been focusing on selling most lately (Wii U). I'm glad to hear they're hard at work, but there's no substantive information here to get excited about. That's all I was saying.
@FlaygletheBagel
I understand that and my excitement level is slightly below lukewarm about this topic. I was responding to "of course Next Level is at work on Wii U games."
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