Tag: Development
News 'Yooka-Laylee' Creator Playtonic Expands With Second Studio
"We want to broaden our reach, without going too far"
Playtonic Games, the studio behind the Yooka-Laylee series, has opened a second office in the UK town of Leamington Spa. Playtonic – which was founded in 2015 by former Rare staffers – recently gained investment from the Chinese giant Tencent. It has released two games so far,
News Pokémon Studio Staff "Experience Failure And Success" To Make Games That Players "Desire"
"The lack of knowledge and experience sometimes showed through"
Shigeru Omori (left) and Kazumasa Iwao (right) Pokémon studio Game Freak has posted an article on its recruitment website which goes into detail on the creation of Pokémon Sword & Shield, with director Shigeru Omori and planning director Kazumasa Iwao going into detail on how the...
News Two Tribes Makes Its Impressive Game Engine Open Source
Particularly strong for layered 2D visuals
Two Tribes is a name that's likely familiar to eShop enthusiasts, in particular from the 3DS and Wii U era. Well known for its original Toki Tori, which recently had a re-release of the Game Boy Color original through Limited Run games, on the Wii U and 3DS the company developed and published a range of...
News Nintendo Takes More Risks With Prototypes, Says Metroid Prime Developer
"[Nintendo] know that that’s the right way to go"
We're all still waiting for Metroid Prime 4, and yes, that sucks. However, the game's prolonged development is indicative of Nintendo and Japanese companies as a whole, according to former Retro Studios staffer Jack Mathews. Mathews served as the Lead Technical Engineer on the Metroid Prime...
News Japanese RPG Heavyweight Nihon Falcom Is Bringing Switch Development In-House
Ys series will also celebrate its 35th anniversary next year
Japanese veteran Nihon Falcom Corporation – also known simply as 'Falcom' – has stated its intention to start developing Nintendo Switch software in-house, rather than farming it out to external companies. The news was part of Falcom's latest financial results briefing, which also...
News Vicarious Visions Staff Left "Blindsided" By Reported Merger With Embattled Blizzard
All is not well at the Diablo II: Resurrected studio
Vicarious Visions – the studio behind multiple Crash Bandicoot, Tony Hawk, Guitar Hero and Skylanders entries – is to be merged with Blizzard, it is being reported. According to Polygon, which has spoken to various staff at the studio, the decision to abandon the Vicarious Visions name and...
News It Looks Like Sega Is Opening A New Studio In Japan
Sapporo, here we come
Japanese video game veteran Sega has filed a trademark for 'Sega Sapporo Studio', which suggests the company is opening a new base in Hokkaido's capital city. The trademark was filed on October 11th in Japan in both English and Japanese. Sapporo is the largest Japanese city north of Tokyo and the largest city on the northern...
News After 18 Months, Zelda: Ocarina Of Time Fans Are Almost Done Decompiling The Game
A matter of Time
Remember the efforts to reverse-engineer Super Mario 64 a while back, which resulted in unofficial ports to systems like the Dreamcast and PS2? Well, a similar project is underway to decompile The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time’s game code, and it's almost finished. The Zelda Reverse En
Random Want To Develop For Nintendo Switch? Better Make Sure You're Not A Yakuza, Then
We hope you don't plan to use "threat or violence in connection with transactions"
Remember all that fuss between Epic Games and Apple regarding Fortnite on the App Store? Well, the court trial involving these two giants is currently underway, and as part of the legal proceedings, Nintendo has kindly provided its own publisher contract. While much...
Talking Point What Is A Video Game 'Developer' Exactly? Team NL Has A Friendly Chat
With a virtual cup of tea
To kick off this week in the weird world of social media, you may have seen many opinions shared online on the subject of what makes someone a 'developer' in the world of video games. As with almost any topic on the internet, debate got heated — whodathunkit? — and there was disagreement in some quarters as to whether...
News Hideki Kamiya Was "A Shoulder To Lean On" During Astral Chain's Development, Says Director
"I don’t think I’ve ever felt a sense of distress like that before"
Takahisa Taura has worked on plenty of amazing video games, including Madworld, The Wonderful 101 and Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, but Astral Chain was his first time working as a director – and he's been speaking to Famitsu about th
News This New Game Boy Game Is 21 Years In The Making
All it took was a global pandemic to finish it
2020 has changed things for a lot of people. While the video game industry has generally done well out of the fact that everyone has had to remain indoors for most of the year, the coronavirus outbreak has had a massively negative effect on other business sectors, with many companies having to lay off...
News PlatinumGames' Third Piece Of Big News Is A New Tokyo Studio
"At PlatinumGames, everyone’s a creator"
2020 is shaping up to be a big year for Japanese studio PlatinumGames. The company has already successfully crowdfunded a remaster of The Wonderful 101, and yesterday announced Project G.G., a new IP which it aims to publish itself. Those were the first of four
News You Can Now Make Your Own Game Boy JRPGs With GB Studio
No programming knowledge needed!
If, back in the day, you planned your Link's Awakening killer for the Game Boy but never got past the concept phase, it might just be the time to dig up those plans, because thanks to GB Studio and some effort, you can finally make your dream Game Boy game a reality. Released to coincide with Nintendo's...
News Sonic Mania Devs Form New Development Studio, Evening Star
And they're hiring!
Several members of the development team behind Sonic Mania have banded together to form their very own game development studio, Evening Star. The studio has its headquarters based in Los Angeles, with others working across Melbourne and London. It describes itself as a "boutique" studio, with each team member pursuing "a goal to...
News Starlink And Dark Souls Porting Studio Virtuos Shares Switch Development Advice
"Don’t try to force what worked on other platforms"
If there's one name that pops up most frequently when talking about the great quality ports that have been arriving on Switch over the last few months, it's probably Panic Button. The DOOM, Wolfenstein II and Warframe porting masters have received an awful lot of praise in recent times, but...
News Amid Closures And The Decline Of Print Media, Raspberry Pi Is Launching A New Games Mag
Say hello to Wireframe
The world of print video game journalism is in a pretty rough place right now, with companies like Future Publishing shutting down long-running mags as readership dwindles in the face of online competition. However, one company is bucking this trend by launching a new magazine. Wireframe is a fortnightly publication that will...
Random Game Boy Title Terminator 2 Got Into A Pickle Over One Character's Small 'Bangs'
"Her 'bangs' were too small"
If you're a die-hard fan of Arnold Schwarzenegger's Terminator films, or even just classic arcade shooters, you may well have picked up a copy of Terminator 2: Judgement Day on Game Boy. Also released on SNES, this was an official tie-in to the movie of the same name, but the developers faced a rather comical issue...
Comcept to blame
It’s fairly evident the handheld versions of Mighty No. 9 are stuck in video game development hell. Comcept has not provided an update on these iterations of the game since 2017 - essentially leaving backers in the dark. Following up from its investigation earlier this week, Destructoid has since explained how port specialist...
News Mighty No. 9 Developer Comcept Remains Tight-Lipped About Handheld Releases
Playing the waiting game
Mighty No. 9 by Comcept had a rough development cycle, suffering from a series of delays and then a bumpy launch filled with performance problems and middling reviews. It's safe to say, the game didn't live up to expectations. As a result of these issues, the handheld versions appear to be stuck in limbo. The title was...
News Rising Star Games Joins Indie Game Development Supergroup Thunderful
All under one roof
The Thunderful Group, which is already made up of development studios Image & Form and Zoink Games, has announced that it has now acquired publisher Rising Star Games. The Sweden-based group was established in December 2017, by Bergsala Holding (the sole distributor of Nintendo products in the Nordic region),...
News No Plans For More Wolfenstein Switch Ports, But Panic Button Is "Totally" Up For It
"That's a Bethesda discussion"
Wolfenstein II launches on Switch this week, and if it's anything like DOOM, then we're in for a treat. The port will be handled by the same studio that converted both DOOM and Rocket League to Nintendo's console - Panic Button - and given the high praise Wolfenstein has received on other formats, it's hard not to...
Events Birmingham City University To Celebrate The Impact Of Rare And Other Midlands Games Studios
A certain bearded Nintendo Life staffer is going to be there, too
The Midlands might not be the most exciting area in the UK but it has a rich video gaming history; not only is it the birthplace of Rare, one of the most iconic NES, SNES, Game Boy and N64 developers of all time, but it is also home to the likes of Codemasters, US Gold, Core Design,...
News The Creator Of Seaman Worked On A DS Title Called Mario Motors
He also provided the inspiration for StreetPass
Yutaka "Yoot" Saito is one of Japan's most unique game designers, having creating titles such as Seaman and Odama. Over the years he has enjoyed a close relationship with Nintendo, and was on very friendly terms with the late Satoru Iwata. Speaking at Reboot Develop 2018, Saito revealed...
News GameMaker Studio 2 Comes To Nintendo Switch
Well, that explains the Undertale announcement
2D game development engine GameMaker Studio 2 is coming to Switch, it has been revealed. YoYo Games issued a press release with the good news following the announcement that Undertale - which is made using the engine - is coming to Switch. The original GameMaker Studio launched in 1999, and GameMaker...
News Sumo Digital Responsible For Porting PAYDAY 2 To Switch
Any port in a storm?
As you will no doubt have noticed, our PAYDAY 2 review is now live, and we quite liked the co-op crime simulation, if we're honest. What we didn't expect to see was the name Sumo Digital in the game's credits. The UK-based studio is perhaps most famous for its work in the racing genre, but it would seem it has a neat...
News Panic Button Hints That More Nintendo Switch Ports Are In The Pipeline
"We might have some other titles for that platform"
We'd be willing to bet that before the arrival of DOOM and Rocket League, you hadn't heard of the developer Panic Button. This small company has become something of a household name in Nintendo circles thanks to its impressive work in porting these games to Switch, and it is currently hard at work...
News Game Developers Conference Survey Contains Positive Findings For Nintendo Switch
More devs interested in bringing games to the system than Xbox One
Switch is proving to be incredibly popular with developers, as you'll know if you keenly track each week's eShop download update. There's no shortage of new software for Nintendo's system, and the latest annual survey from the Game Developers Conference confirms what is perhaps...
News Image & Form And Zoink! Games Join Forces Under New Company Thunderful
Both will continue to create their own games, though
Swedish studios Image & Form and Zoink! Games have joined forced to create Thunderful, a new entity which will wholly own both companies. They're not going away, however; the two Gothenburg-based studios will "continue to develop games with existing and new IPs under their respective...
News The Creator Of Smartphone Hit Downwell Has Joined Nintendo
We're welling up
Ojiro "Moppin" Fumoto - best known for the award-winning mobile title Downwell - has joined Nintendo. Fumoto made the announcement via his Twitter account, and his profile now features the text "Downwell / Nintendo". While "serious" gamers often look down on smartphone titles, Downwell is one of those rare cases of a mobile game...
News The Story Of Gorogoa, One Of The Switch's Most Intriguing Indie Titles Yet
"You don’t know how long you have to wander"
The Switch certainly isn't short of top-quality indie games at present, and with so many titles hitting the eShop each week it can be hard to decide which ones are worth your time and money. Hopefully you consult our reviews to make your purchasing choices, but in the case of Gorogoa, you might find the...
News Switch Developers Will Soon Be Able To Use IKinema Animation Tools To Make Better Games
Mighty middleware
British game technology company IKinema announced today that it has signed a deal with Nintendo which will allow game studios to use its RunTime animation middleware in game development. RunTime is already commonplace in PC, PS4 and Xbox One development, so this is a welcome addition. By using this middleware developers...
News Splatoon 2 Staffer Jordan Amaro Gives Some Insight On His Approach To Game Design
"What is an interesting situation to play?"
Jordan Amaro might not be as famous in the world of gaming as some of Nintendo's other staffers, but he's had a hand in designing some of the most highly-rated games of recent memory, including Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain, Resident Evil 7 and - most recently of all - Splatoon 2. Amaro has taken...
Video Nintendo Details New Free Content Coming To Splatoon 2
New stage, weapon and Salmon Run location
To kickstart its Gamescom 2017 coverage Nintendo has detailed some upcoming free content coming to Splatoon 2. If you're a fan of Turf War and Ranked Battle then you'll be pleased to learn that Manta Maria joins the roster soon. That's not all, however; the Bubble Blower special weapon – available in...
"Oceanhorn 2 is going to look great on Switch, when the time comes"
Indie developer Cornfox & Bros recently ported its successful smartphone action adventure Oceanhorn to the Nintendo Switch, and while the game wasn't quite up to the standard of the title it seeks to emulate, it sure looks pretty in motion - which bodes well for future...
News Splatoon 2's Credits Herald Something Pretty Significant In Nintendo's History
Remember this name
Splatoon 2 is a remarkable game, as many of you will no doubt be aware. However, it's significant for another reason, too - it's one of the first major internally-developed Nintendo titles on which a westerner is credited for game design. Jordan Amaro might not be a household name right now, but you'll almost certainly have heard...
News Star Fox 2 Developer Has A "Great" Idea For Switch, But Needs A Publisher
Get that man a publishing deal, pronto
Star Fox 2 developer and Q-Games studio head Dylan Cuthbert has announced that he and his team have a "great" idea for a Switch game, but they need a publisher to make it happen. Cuthbert posted his tweet after it was revealed this week that the servers for Q-Games' ambitious PS4 title The Tomorrow Children...
News Oddworld Creator Lorne Lanning "Has No Faith" In Switch
UPDATE: Lanning clarifies "poorly phrased" statement regarding Iwata
Update: Lorne Lanning has taken to Twitter to apologise for his statement: Original Story: We dread to think about how many man-hours have been invested in discussing third party support on Nintendo consoles. Back in the days of the NES, SNES and Game Boy, Nintendo enjoyed...
News Switch Isn't Getting A Plague Tale: Innocence As It Can't Handle The Volume Of Vermin Involved
Best excuse yet
A Plague Tale: Innocence is shaping up to be quite an interesting piece of software, mixing historical elements, gore and lots and lots of rats. Given that the Switch is becoming increasingly popular with small-scale indie developers it's fair to ask if the game is coming to Nintendo's console, but Asobo...
News Mighty No. 9 Dev Comcept Acquired By Level-5, 3DS Version Is Still Coming
"The possibilities are limitless here"
Mighty No. 9 studio Comcept has been acquired by Level-5 - custodians of the Professor Layton and Yo-Kai Watch franchises - to create a new company named Level-5 Comcept. This will be an entirely new studio built upon the foundations of Comcept’s existing staff, which currently consists of about 15...
News The Order: 1886 Studio Ready At Dawn "Interested" In Working On Nintendo Switch
"Lots of interest", according to creative director Ru Weerasuriya
The studio behind the PlayStation 4 exclusive The Order: 1886 is interested in working on the Nintendo Switch, according to its creative director. Ready At Dawn's Ru Weerasuriya told GamesIndustry.biz: Every time a platform comes out, we always feel like there's something really...
News Unreal Engine Adds Full Native Support For Nintendo Switch
Version 4.16 brings "fully-featured native support"
After adding early support for the Nintendo Switch to its Unreal Engine with February's 4.15 update, Epic has pushed out fully-featured native support for the console in version 4.16. To work with Unreal Engine on the Switch, developers must first gain approval from Nintendo. Once this...
News WRC 7 Studio "Looking Into" Nintendo Switch Development
Console represents "a good opportunity to rethink the driving experience"
French studio Kylotonn is hard at work on its latest rally title WRC 7, which is due to arrive on PS4, Xbox One and PC later this year. However, it would seem that many within the company are fans of the Switch, and game director Alain Jarniou has stated that he and his...
News Sega Is Looking To Revive Some Of Its Past Classics
But which ones will be resurrected?
Sega may be one of the gaming world's biggest third-party publishers but it was once a mover and shaker in the world of hardware and the first company to seriously challenge Nintendo for dominance of the living room. During the '80s and '90s the company produced a string of hits, including Streets of Rage, Sega...
News Epic And Nintendo On Their Burgeoning Relationship And Bringing Unreal Engine 4 To Switch
Easy porting, easy optimisation, easy third-party support?
Unreal Engine is one of the most powerful development tools of the modern gaming age and after a period of playing catch-up, Nintendo is finally on a level playing field because Unreal Engine 4 supports the Switch, the company's latest console. Last month Epic Games Japan held a lecture...
News Fan-Made Zelda Title Breath Of The NES Gets Hit With Inevitable Takedown Notice
Development will continue, as planned
When we reported on Breath of the NES, Winter Drake's 8-bit take on The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the indie developer made it clear that if Nintendo did decide to take legal action to prevent distribution of the game then production would co
News Silicon Studio Extends Support For Its YEBIS Post Processing Effects Middleware To Switch
Graphics package used in Dark Souls III and Dragon Ball Xenoverse
Silicon Studio has revealed that its post processing effects middleware graphics package YEBIS now supports the Nintendo Switch. YEBIS - now up to version 3 - allows developers to add glare, depth of field, motion blur and anti-aliasing effects to their games, amongst other things...
News Developer Survey Reveals Worrying Lack Of Interest In Nintendo Switch
Only 3 percent working on software for the console, apparently
After the rather dismal third party showing on the Wii U Nintendo knows that it has to work harder to entice the development community with the Switch, but if a survey taken just before this year's GDC is to be believed, the Japanese company has a long way to go yet. 4,500 developers...
Capcom seems eager to continue support in future,too.
Some reports are doing the rounds from Game Creators Conference 2017 out of Japan, which are interesting if not necessarily ironclad in detail. Twitter user @aizen76 attended a talk held by Masaru Mitsuyoshi from Nintendo and Capcom's Masaru Ijuin - and tweeted some remarks from the presentation...
News Nintendo's Dev Teams Rival Western Counterparts In Terms Of Skill, Claims Miyamoto
They've "mastered state-of-the-art technologies" like Unreal engine
There's been a running argument over the past decade that the Japanese development industry has fallen behind that of the west, with studios in the Far East struggling to make the best use of the latest game engines and software technology. While it's true that the balance of power...
