Retro Studios - the developer behind titles like Metroid Prime, Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze and Mario Kart 7 - has posted a number of new job listings today. The company is searching for talented individuals who are passionate about "the Nintendo legacy".
You can check out the jobs here if you're interested; current openings include an Art Director, Product Tester, Lead Character Artist, Level 1 and 3 Tools Engineers, Physics Engineer, IT Engineer and more. Some posts actually date back to last year, but plenty more were uploaded today.
Retro Studios has shared a brief write up about life at the company and what it means to be a part of it. You won't be surprised to see that a passion for Nintendo is not only a crucial quality needed in any successful applicants, but also something which drives everything Retro does.
Joining the Retro team means becoming part of a company that is passionate about what it does and what it is a part of – the Nintendo legacy.
As a North American Nintendo-owned developer, we pride ourselves on delivering high quality, customized experiences in our games and in our studio. Our unique style stands out and wows gamers all over the globe with games in the Metroid, Donkey Kong, and Mario Kart franchises. We believe good company culture, passion and creativity are crucial to delivering great games. Retro is committed to maintaining an environment that supports those qualities and our employees and our games are a reflection of these efforts.
Working at Retro means joining the family – locally and globally. It means breakfast & picnics with the team. It means collaboration with our Japanese partners. But for each individual, it means giving back to that family by bringing creativity, consideration and respect to the strong, wonderful IPs of Nintendo.
If you’re passionate about quality, about being a part of a creative culture and about Nintendo, you’re already one step closer to being part of Retro Studios.
Just think, the talented souls who go on to claim these jobs will likely end up assisting with Metroid Prime 4. We're not jealous at all.
[source retrostudios.com]
Comments 32
@Medic_alert It isn't unusual to hire in the middle of development. I can't see how this means they are taking a step back.
I do hope that the work environment is good with Retro Studios. The rumours about a possible shut down weren’t pleasent to read because I love this company for their games.Take the time to deliver an epic mp4!
So absolutely nothing happening on this yet then. This is being built for the Switch Pro just wait and see. Metroid Prime console edition coming up.
Retro is one of the studios I have on my list of places I might want to work at when I grow up. It seems like a great place! Anyway, I wonder what they are working on other than Prime 4? E3 is right around the corner, so hopefully we can get a glimpse at it soon.
Can't wait to hear more about this game, when the time comes that is.
Awesome... But if it's a late release just make it for Nintys next console, do t bring it to a dying/dead system
@Medic_alert Well, that's what I got from your comment. I'm sorry if I misundertood it. And well, those "low level" spots could also mean that they require this people so the most experienced staff don't lose time on small things and move along the development faster.
Sweet! Lemme just quick get an education and I'll be there!
@RickD Your avatar fits with your comment perfectly.
@Medic_alert it's a shame it will take so long but be worth the wait. Nintendo are firing on all cylinders at the minute and there are still a huge amount of GameCube, Wii and Wii U games they could easily remaster for the Switch which would all sell like hotcakes.
"It means breakfast & picnics with the team."
Jesus wept, I hope that's not a daily occurence!
Yeah I just can’t get behind retro. We will see what prime 4 ends up being. For all the hype and status they have I think Nintendo is not giving them freedom. I would like to see them branch out and create their own IP using their own creativity. Sadly that will probably never happen.
@Qwertyninty
"Yeah I just can’t get behind retro. We will see what prime 4 ends up being. For all the hype and status they have I think Nintendo is not giving them freedom."
What makes you think this?? We haven't heard much about Prime 4 at all so far. I don't know how well they'll transition to a Prime game after all these years, but I gotta tell you, DK: Tropical Freeze is one of the most creative and clever platforming games I've played in some time. I don't think you should write them off just yet. There's clearly good talent there, and I don't think Nintendo is gonna stifle it.
Metroid Prime 4 + Switch Pro + VR = my prediction
@MoonKnight7 yeah another Nintendo IP. I guess that’s what they are good at. I feel so many people rank them as some of the best devs out there. I would just personally like to see them make their own thing with their own ideas. Not an already established Nintendo IP. It seems that is all they are used for. Look at games like ARMS and SPLATOON. Nintendo let their Japanese developers do their own thing. I would just like for retro to have that opportunity.... maybe they don’t want it and are comfortable just doing Metroid and DK over and over.
Where’s my DKC Returns 3 with K. Rool, Retro?
@Qwertyninty
New ideas get passed around all the time, but most of them don't make it to actual games. I'm sure they've pitched new IPs, it's just Nintendo didn't bite for whatever reason. Usually the biggest factor is it's an expensive risk. Splatoon is a rare exception in that it exploded with popularity. Usually games end up like Arms where they sell ok, but nothing to write home about, but sometimes they end up like Code Name Steam. That one was a yikes moment — sold horribly, which is too bad cause I actually really liked it.
But don't forget, Retro is owned by Nintendo, so primarily, they're gonna work with already established IPs, 9 times out of 10. I don't think there's anything wrong with that. DK was a fantastic game, and I'm really hoping there's a third one down the line.
@MoonKnight7 yeah I guess the majority of people feel like you. For as great as they supposed to be I personally would like to see more. To each their own.
Retro, please make more Donkey Kong Country games
@ShaiHulud I know, right. That would put me off applying - no way do I want to feel obliged to be 'one of the family'.
@Qwertyninty
Trust me, I'd love to see new IPs too. It is just such a difficult process to get the greenlight, that's all I'm saying.
@MoonKnight7 just seems weird to me a developer as talented as they are supposed to be will have trouble getting a new ip approved. I have a feeling they will be the new rare in the future.
i wonder when the time comes, nintendo shows some gutts and come up with new ips.
they play way to safe imo.
we want projects like botw, mario odyssey
al we have now are rushed franchises, familiar concepts and remakes.
if they want to release remakes, do at least some wii-u/wii classics like mario galaxy, loz:skyward sword, mario 3d world.
a pikmin triology, metroid triology
MP4 is three years away, minimum. That's okay, Nintendo is going to release the Prime Trilogy HD tomorrow, right? RIGHT!?
@Magician
lets hope so.
worse case scenario would be, if we never have a metroid game on the switch.
i dont think the switch will survive 3 years.
not this switch version
@Devlind I’m not sure what you mean - We know they had to start from scratch as Nintendo came out and stated as much? Even if the ground work was done, they aren’t likely to use much of it for a new development studio with likely a new approach.
Either way, there’s no real bad news here.
@CrazyZelda79 We also don't know how much of the development was scrapped. Did they abandon the plot and world entirely? Did they toss out the concept art? Were they able to keep any of the models? Stuff like that is important questions we need to ask as depending on the answer we might see it in 2021 at the earliest or 2025 at the latest. Realistically it is probably going to be a 2023 title depending on how much resources Nintendo is going to give Retro Studios for what has historically been an only okay selling franchise (as far as Nintendo standards go).
But, the question is also how fast Retro can develop the game? They are not known for their speed like Monolith Soft who can crank out a large scale JRPG within 3-4 years of development (which is a very fast turn-a-round as far as those types of games go) and that is between teams helping out with Zelda and cranking out stuff for Namco Bandai on the 3DS. Retro since Prime 3 has not been known for quick releases. As it took them around four years to release DKC:TF with a quick stint working on Mario Kart 7 (a 3DS title). Its quite clear Nintendo trusts them as they gave them the problem development of MP4, but we still have no idea what they have even been working on since DKC:TF which does lead to some concerns about how quickly this project will be released if they saved nothing from the previous development period.
@Qwertyninty I’d like to know what they’ve been doing for the past 5+ years. We heard rumors they were working on a new IP, but never saw anything.
@roboshort I'm curious about that as well. Nintendo is not known to show off projects very far in advance. I mean look at new IPs like Splatoon, Daemon X Machina, Wonderful 101 and Astral Chain. Nintendo likes to keep a lid on things till they are around a year from release. But, even then a 5 year development cycle and we do not even have a name to attached to the project is rather concerning. This is Retro Studios, they do not release bad games.... but still we should still raise an eyebrow in regards to what they are working on and knowing MP4 is in development with them before we even know what project kept them from doing it in the first place.
@CrazyZelda79 I'm with you. Retro Studios is not the studio known for releasing junk so I'm sure whatever they have cooking now impressed Nintendo enough to let them work on MP4 after it was taken away from the other team.
Insert Miyamoto quote about delayed games.
@gcunit Yes, having a voluntary pint with some of your colleagues at the end of the week can be nice, but having obligatory breakfast every day? No thanks.
@roboshort who knows. I just don’t care anymore.
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