Bandai Namco Going All In On Nintendo NX, Developing Multiple Games For It, Including Super Smash Bros. As Launch Title

This news comes to us from Serkan Toto, a well known analyst who works with all major Japanese publishers and developers; he also used to be a reporter before, so he has some well entrenched and established contacts.

But yeah, sounds like Bandai Namco is just the latest third party to come on board with the NX- the Japanese companies seem to be pretty big fans of the thing, at least.

And of course, having a Smash game at launch is going to be killer, even if it's just a Smash 4 port with consolidated content from the Wii U and 3DS versions, and all DLC included.

I wonder if that means the NX will be VR and the new Ace Combat game is coming to it?

wow that was quick! I wonder if it will be a port or a new game. it makes sense that they would want to pump up the nx as much as possible though

Oh man

Ace Combat 7 is VR enabled, but not VR exclusive. It can come to the NX without the NX being VR.

I've had my fill of any and all games with the word "Mario" and "Zelda" in the title. If that's supposed to continue to draw me in until the end of time, then they need a new marketing director. I want something new, fresh and exciting. Rehashing the same old shit just isn't going to fly.

Thinks Smash is a Mario title.

:::points and laughs:::

Edit: A Smash and Zelda launch could be huge.

I already have funds set aside for it.

So, the good news is:

• Super Smash Bros. doesn't have the words 'Mario' or 'Zelda' in the title;
• It's just one of the games apparently coming to the NX;
• Namco is a third party, which means their other games- such as Tekken 7, Ni no Kuni 2, and Tales of Berseria- now became fair game for appearances on the NX

All of this, plus Nintendo themselves have made several new IPs. If you want Nintendo to make new IPs, have you given any of their new stuff a try? They've put out The Last Story, Xenoblade Chronicles, Pandora's Secret, The Wonderful 101, and Splatoon, just off the top of my head, in the last five years, and they are all some great games.

Mario and Zelda will continue to stick around, because they're incredibly popular- but to pretend as though that's all Nintendo does (when there isn't a single Zelda title on the Wii U, and by all accounts, no 'real' Mario game either) is pretty short sighted and ignorant.

@charizard1605: Wouldn't it be exciting if NX was VR, though?

Well, it's a good thing the words "Mario" or "Zelda" are not in the title. Guess it's a day one purchase for you.

Char don't lie to the man. We all know Zelda will be a cross platform launch title.

I guess I was too literal for the likes of you. Let me rephrase it for the simpletons: anything that has already been done to death. Clear enough?

It would be, but considering how disinterested Nintendo seems to be on the idea, I don't know if it will be, not yet.

Sure, but that has nothing to do with Smash, Bandai Namco, or anything that was said in the the thread.

@ranbla: Dragon Quest might come to NX also, i think youd enjoy it.

Well, the good thing then is:

• It's just one of the games apparently coming to the NX;
• Namco is a third party, which means their other games- such as Tekken 7, Ni no Kuni 2, and Tales of Berseria- now became fair game for appearances on the NX

All of this, plus Nintendo themselves have made several new IPs. If you want Nintendo to make new IPs, have you given any of their new stuff a try? They've put out The Last Story, Xenoblade Chronicles, Pandora's Secret, The Wonderful 101, and Splatoon, just off the top of my head, in the last five years, and they are all some great games.

Mario and Zelda will continue to stick around, because they're incredibly popular- but to pretend as though that's all Nintendo does (when there isn't a single Zelda title on the Wii U, and by all accounts, no 'real' Mario game either) is pretty short sighted and ignorant.

True true my good man.

If anything this could be more of a blow to Sony if the NX receives consistent and dedicated Japanese support (thinking Squenix and DQ X and XI). Though honestly there's nothing derailing the PS4 freight train.

I'm pretty sure at this point that the NX will be a Japanese Xbox, so to speak.

Bandai Namco

Great! A strong 3rd Party!

Smash Bros 4

Oh shit, more of the same. We don't need another sequel.

I have all the character and stage DLC, but not the costumes or anything. Even so, if we got a Smash 4 port to NX with consolidated content from both the Wii U and 3DS games in one package, meaning I could play all of the fantastic stages from the 3DS game on my TV?

I'm stupid enough to buy that again.

It's gonna be a Smash 4 port.

I find it amazing that the concept of 'one of the games' is lost on you all.

The key words here are 'one of the.' They imply that Smash is one of the, but not only, games coming to the NX from Namco. In fact, the same link very specifically says ''developing several NX games.' Several, as in more than one. As in there is more to their support than just Smash.

I also find it amazing that a new entry in a series that has had four games in 17 years is 'more of the same.' Meanwhile, Uncharted 4 or Gears of War 4 are grounds for celebration. Or that if these third parties had announced their support for the NX, which mostly comprises of sequels, that would be fine, but Nintendo doing a sequel is suddenly the end of the world.

The double standards continue to amaze me.

Which is good enough for me, personally. Just consolidate the 3DS and Wii U versions, and have ALL the DLC.

Me as well, Zass. Me as well.

Depends on how viable it's "gimmick" is though. If the price is right, and the hook for the console catches wildfire (like the Wii did), then perhaps more Western companies will be inclined to bring their games to NX. I think that coupled with a more powerful system could be a great combo if it isn't 3rd party shovelware.

@charizard1605: meh, at the end of the day it's still a Nintendo console, ports on it don't mean anything to me until it gets games I care about.

I think western support for Nintendo consoles will be capped at Gamecube levels- in that, they will get versions of most major western multiplats, but no extra content, no exclusives, and no specialized third party games, like GTA or Fallout.

I'll believe it when I see it.

Guys, leave me out of your quote chain already.

@Shewgenja: Sorry.

Yeah, it'll have the games this time. Otherwise, I have no explanation for what Nintendo's teams have been doing for the last year and a half.

@charizard1605: Question: Bandai Namco making SSB? Were they already involved with the whole process with previous games or is this something new?

They developed Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and Super Smash Bros. for 3DS.

@charizard1605: Ah, so it makes sense then. Nevermind then :P

Wonder when Ninty will start the Hype Train...

Lets see them deliver the sauce.

I don't care about Tales or Naruto. They need better support than Namco to impress me.

Well I do appreciate the launch support, and I dont blame nintendo for cashing in on the remaster trend...

But I feel like a lot of the recent Nintendo Directs have been mainly Smash and Smash DLC focused... I am a bit worn on the series, and would prefer to see a different flagship title at launch. Hopefully there will be more major franchises at launch.

Smash as a launch title could do wonders for this system. That, and the fact that Zelda is also probably going to be a launch title, could make for an excellent launch for the system itself.

Smash isn't a Mario title, nor is it a Zelda title.

There've only been four Smash games in the history of the series, so the "same old shit" argument doesn't fly either.

The fact remains that Smash (and Mario and Zelda, since you mentioned them) remain hugely popular franchises that have consistently given the industry some great games, so I don't see how more of those good games is a problem. Especially considering the NX will be a completely new system, and these games will be launch titles. People are now moaning about having Zelda and Smash as launch titles? Seriously now?

And it's not like Nintendo don't make new IPs. There've been several new IPs developed by Nintendo in the past few years. That you conveniently choose to ignore them is on you, not them.

Square Enix is on board, so is Level 5, and Spike Chunsoft.

RIght now, it seems Japan is on board fully with this thing- the question of western third party support remains. However, my prediction is that the NX will be the Japanese equivalent of the Xbox- which isn't something I would particularly mind, either.

I also doubt Tales will even make another appearance on Nintendo, considering Hideo Baba would rather work with Sony (there's a reason even the PS ports of originally Nintendo Tales games like Symphonia HD and Graces are a chosen priority).

@Shewgenja: please no VR. Nintendo please.

This could be really telling about NX.

If Smash 4 is coming to NX, then that would indicate that there is no BC for NX. Unless this is a sequel or a new game. Otherwise this is a damning statement about the state of BC for NX.

Considering Smash Bros has only had 4 games since 1999 and other games like Gears of War, Uncharted, Halo, Call of Duty, Battlefield, Souls series, etc have had numerous sequels/remakes since 2003, I would say Smash Bros is more than welcome and isn't hurting the launch of being a "re-hash".

I love this idea. For starters they can just pull all the existing characters and stages from Wii U and 3DS and include them, it's a great idea when you think of how poorly the Wii U sold, so for many people it'll be like an entirely new game.

However, what if that's not the end. Sakurai said Cloud, Bayonetta and Generic FE character #74 would be the final DLC characters for Smash on 3DS and Wii U, but they have those lists of characters that people voted for in the ballot. Smash NX could potentially mean the return of Ice Climber and Wolf, and maybe even the inclusion of new characters such as King K. Rool or Inkling. This would be a great way to keep Smash fresh, without forcing Sakurai to work full time on a sequel, when we all know he doesn't really want to. He might be willing to work on the occasional DLC character and stage.

Hmmm I dunno I doubt level 5 will put Nini Kuni 2 on NX Char

Level 5 expressed interest in bringing their games to the NX.

On the real, if Nintendo delivers on some kind of cloud-based gaming before MS does, I will shit kittens and laugh to death.

A console specifically targeted at a single home territory? You make it sound as though it would be the WonderSwan.

No, I meant in terms of third party support, not intended demographics. As in, see how Xbox gets primarily western third party support, with some token major Japanese support, and none of the specialized stuff? NX is like that, it gets primarily Japanese third party support, with some token western third party games (like, Gamecube level).

I would be okay with that, too.

Me too. I primarily still play Japanese games, so I would be covered, and the PS4 would cover me on the western oriented games that I do like.