Important points
- Nintendo has completely acquired Monolith Soft, the developer of Xenoblade Chronicles, and now owns 2,400 shares of the company.
- Nintendo originally purchased 80% of Monolith Soft from Bandai Namco in 2007, then increased its stake to more than 96% four years later.
- The company purchased the remaining 80 shares held by Monolith Soft co-founders between February and November 2024.
Nintendo Monolith Soft has been completely acquired. Not many changes are expected following this move. This is because the studio has been a subsidiary of Nintendo for the most part.
Monolith Soft—not to be confused with afraid and Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor Developer Monolith Productions—is a Japanese studio that specializes in role-playing games. The number of employees will be 264 in 2023. The company is most famous for: Senosaca and xenoblade chronicles The group was founded by former SquareSoft designer Tetsuya Takahashi in 1999 and operated as Namco and later Namco Bandai (now known as Bandai Namco) for eight years. Nintendo then acquired a stake in the company in 1999. 2007
related
Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition should be just the tip of the iceberg.
Xenoblade Chronicles
It appears that the Switch maker has increased its stake in Monolith Soft to the point of full ownership. That's according to Monolith Soft's official website, which was recently updated to reveal that Nintendo now holds a total of 2,400 shares in the company, as first reported by Automation West before this change. Co-founders Tetsuya Takahashi and Hirohide Sugiura each own 30 shares, while co-founder Yasuyuki Hanne owns 20 shares, so their combined stake in the studio was approximately 3.33% back in 2018. 2007 Nintendo began acquiring 80% of Monolith Soft, but increased its stake to 96.66% in 2011.
Nintendo acquires Monolith Soft without much fanfare.
It's currently unclear when Nintendo bought the remaining 80 shares from Monolith Soft's co-founder. A review of Game Rant's web cache data shows that xenoblade chronicles The developer initially listed Nintendo as the sole owner sometime between October 1 and November 21, 2024. However, the acquisition may have been finalized months earlier. Nintendo is still listed as a partial owner. Monolith Soft's section in the company's latest annual brochure published in February 2024
Timeline of Nintendo's Stake in Monolith Soft
|
year |
share |
ownership percentage |
|---|---|---|
|
2007 |
1,920 |
80% |
|
2011 |
2,320 |
96% |
|
2024 |
2,400 |
100% |
This is because Monolith Soft has been a Nintendo subsidiary for 17 of its 25 years of existence. This turn of events is unlikely to have a material impact on the Company's day-to-day operations. The studio is working. Xenoblade Chronicles X: Complete EditionIt's a remaster of the 2015 Wii U JRPG, which is set to release as a Switch exclusive on March 20, 2025.
Aside from its original titles, Monolith Soft has always been active in backing big-budget Nintendo projects. For example, the Tokyo branch received credit for its contribution. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward SwordMeanwhile, Kyoto Studio also assisted in its development. Pikmin 2– Splatoon 3and Animal Crossing: New Horizons– Monolith Soft Tokyo 2nd Production Team can be found in the credits. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the KingdomAmong other first-party Nintendo games
Source: Automation West, Monolith Soft (cache)
Monolith Soft
- Head office
- Tokyo, Japan
