Zelda Could Move to Texas Studio

[Karloff]

Zelda Could Move to Texas Studio

Shigeru Miyamoto is upbeat about Retro Studios' work, but says communication with Texas would be a problem.

Shigeru Miyamoto, the game design genius behind some of Nintendo's biggest franchises, has gone on the record as saying that Texas based Retro Studios could make a Zelda game. He added the qualifier "with a good proposal," but that said, Retro's already got Donkey Kong Country Returns and several Metroid games to its credit, thanks to Miyamoto's encouragement; Miyamoto already knows Retro does good work.

There is a catch. Even though Retro Studios is a wholly owned subsidiary of Nintendo, there's still that pesky Pacific Ocean to consider. Nintendo is very reluctant to let its code cross the water. "Even if Retro Studios is qualified," Miyamoto said, "Nintendo would have to be in very close contact with the company that were to create this Zelda and, being outside Japan, the distance and the timezone differences would make the communication more difficult."

It's not as though the distance is an insurmountable barrier, nor is Retro an unknown quantity as far as Nintendo is concerned. Not that long ago, Nintendo spokesman Kensuke Tanabe claimed that Retro meshed so well with its parent that the studio was starting to think like Nintendo. Possibly Miyamoto has unpleasant memories of his relationship with Rare back in the 90s [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/108998-Metroid-Prime-Studio-Thinks-Like-Nintendo], or perhaps he's just playing coy, when he talks about logistical issues; but if the man who made Zelda publicly states Retro can handle his franchise, you have to wonder whether Retro isn't about to get tipped for the honor.

Source: VG24/7 [http://www.vg247.com/2012/10/29/retro-studios-qualified-to-make-zelda-game-says-miyamoto/]


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[juyunseen]

Hmm. Well Retro did a fantastic job with Metroid Prime. Perhaps the lightning could strike twice?

It'd definitely be something different from the regular Zeldas at least. That'd be good.

 

[Fappy]

Retro's made some pretty stellar Nintendo titles in the past. I loved Donkey Kong Country Returns. Here's hoping they get a chance to work on Zelda!

 

[ohnoitsabear]

As awesome as I think a Retro Studios Zelda would be, I would rather have them make their own IP. They've been able to do awesome things with some of Nintedo's other franchises, and I think they could do something more awesome if they were allowed complete freedom. Plus, Nintendo is in need of a new big IP.

 

[Aiddon_v1legacy]

actually that article left out the part where Miyamoto says "don't hold your breath" in the interview:

"But on the other hand, so far the design and script was created within Nintendo and this must continue. Even though Retro Studios is qualified, in the end they would have to be in very close contact with us, and, being outside Japan the distance and timezone differences would make communication more complicated. Retro Studios should be a company that is more focused on developing projects with less dependence on Nintendo; they?re probably not the most appropriate [for Zelda]."

http://gengame.net/2012/10/shigeru-miyamoto-says-not-to-hold-your-breath-for-a-retro-studios-zelda/

Your bubble has been burst

 

[GamemasterAnthony]

Somewhere...Jeff Foxworthy is making a joke about this RIGHT now...

 

[Redhawkmillenium]

You know, the article didn't really need to give a quick background for Shigeru Miyamoto. He's such a well known legend to the gaming industry that I doubt anyone who regularly visits the site doesn't know who he is.

 

[Voltano]

I'm confused by this. Retro already has a history with Nintendo making some great games, even some rumors [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/107615-Rumor-Retro-Studios-Pitched-Puzzle-Heavy-Metroid-Game-After-Prime] of a great Metroid game that could open up the series to new game mechanics. Retro has always been in Texas with these projects - and now their distance from Nintendo is a problem? It seems like this distance hasn't hurt the quality of their products.

 

[Toasty Virus]

You know, the article didn't really need to give a quick background for Shigeru Miyamoto. He's such a well known legend to the gaming industry that I doubt anyone who regularly visits the site doesn't know who he is.

It's entirely possible that someone could not know who he is, so it doesn't hurt to do so.

OT: Chances are that they'd shake the formula up a bit, and no matter how much people complain that Zelda is same thing over and over those same people would lose their fucking rag over it.

 

[Guffe]

They certainly have a nice past with Nintendo titles.
This might be a good thing.

 

[fix-the-spade]

Zelda? Frikking Zelda?

Give them Metroid Prime and Starfox already.

Maybe pay for Criterion to make a new F-Zero game while you're at it Miyamoto.

 

[fix-the-spade]

Retro has always been in Texas with these projects - and now their distance from Nintendo is a problem? It seems like this distance hasn't hurt the quality of their products.

That's the problem though, Retro aren't Japanese, but they made great games. Number one rule of business in Japan, never do anything better than your boss, lest you embarrass him.

Old fashioned, Jingoistic and retarded as that may be, Japan still works to that rule. Retro made Metroid Prime (multi million selling series, critical darling), they did it better than Nintendo, they did it better than Japan's Team Ninja, who Nintendo gave Metroid to after they took it away from Retro.

They made the boss look bad, you might think that's a stupid way to think about it, that making great games long term is surely a great strategy. Unfortunately you are American, in Nintendo there will be a large number of people who hold Metroid Prime against Retro, they will do that forever, they will always stop Retro getting the headline games because last time they made a scene and it was most embarrassing.

Since Prime 3, Retro have made... Donky Kong Country Returns and Mario Kart 7, oh dear, death by franchise sequel it is.

 

[l3o2828]

Could we please call it Legend of Link already?
captcha:Head over heels
For link? yeah...

 

[Voltano]

Retro has always been in Texas with these projects - and now their distance from Nintendo is a problem? It seems like this distance hasn't hurt the quality of their products.

That's the problem though, Retro aren't Japanese, but they made great games. Number one rule of business in Japan, never do anything better than your boss, lest you embarrass him.

Old fashioned, Jingoistic and retarded as that may be, Japan still works to that rule. Retro made Metroid Prime (multi million selling series, critical darling), they did it better than Nintendo, they did it better than Japan's Team Ninja, who Nintendo gave Metroid to after they took it away from Retro.

They made the boss look bad, you might think that's a stupid way to think about it, that making great games long term is surely a great strategy. Unfortunately you are American, in Nintendo there will be a large number of people who hold Metroid Prime against Retro, they will do that forever, they will always stop Retro getting the headline games because last time they made a scene and it was most embarrassing.

Since Prime 3, Retro have made... Donky Kong Country Returns and Mario Kart 7, oh dear, death by franchise sequel it is.

Hrm, I'm not familiar enough with the Japanese culture - especially the business culture - to agree with you there. I will say it makes sense since the Japanese culture is historically an honor-based society, based upon what I know. Though I don't know if this due to ego or not.

If what you claim is true, then why doesn't Retro ditch Nintendo and work with another company? They already have a good portfolio of great Metroid games, and if they are just handed crap sequels from their boss for "doing better than they do" at their job, why not just say "screw your Zelda and we'll make a better female protagonist game"?

 

[Sylveria]

Retro has always been in Texas with these projects - and now their distance from Nintendo is a problem? It seems like this distance hasn't hurt the quality of their products.

That's the problem though, Retro aren't Japanese, but they made great games. Number one rule of business in Japan, never do anything better than your boss, lest you embarrass him.

Old fashioned, Jingoistic and retarded as that may be, Japan still works to that rule. Retro made Metroid Prime (multi million selling series, critical darling), they did it better than Nintendo, they did it better than Japan's Team Ninja, who Nintendo gave Metroid to after they took it away from Retro.

That's a pretty glib interpretation. The Prime series may be good, but you ask the vast majority of Metroid fans which their favorite is and I'd bet dollars to doughnuts they say Super, a game which ends up in the top 10 of best games ever made for anything ever lists all the time. Other M was a mess but it's silly to sit here and say "Oh well Retro would have done it better."

Personally, I'd have a lot of concerns about a western developed Zelda game. Nintendo gave Metroid to a western dev. and it turned in to an FPS for an entire console cycle and that was before console FPSs became so ubiquitous.

Western action game sensibilities are already making companies paint everything with the grim and grit brush with stuff like DMC:Eurotrash coming out. I'd rather not see Zelda get the same treatment. But it is entirely possible in the right hands we may get something good. Hopefully Retro would appreciate and respect the Zelda series instead of showing nothing but contempt for the series they've been given like Ninja Theory did with DMC.

 

[Rad Party God]

Retro Studios... making a Zelda?...
Make it happen Nintendo. Seriously, I don't give a shit how would you manage to comunicate with them (that didn't seem to be a problem with Metroid Prime or Donkey Kong Returns), if Retro would really make a new Zelda, that would make me buy a freaking WiiU.

And who knows, maybe they can surpass even Nintendo itself.

 

[disgruntledgamer]

Not like they could do any worse than Skyward Sword. Worst Zelda game ever.

 

[UNHchabo]

I'll attest to the difficulties of cross-site collaboration, especially with a timezone difference. We work with some developers in India, and it's a pain, because the difference is almost exactly half a day. That means every time you have an e-mail conversation each reply takes a full day. And if you want to talk on the phone, it means that it will be the early morning for one person, and late in the evening for the other person, so chances are neither person is mentally clear.

 

[fix-the-spade]

If what you claim is true, then why doesn't Retro ditch Nintendo and work with another company?

Retro is wholly owned by Nintendo, working with another publisher simply isn't a practical option for them.