The more things change, the more they stay the same, and for Nintendo, the company still relies on its legacy IP when it starts to develop new games. While we’ve seen multiple studios and publishers launch new brands over the years, Nintendo has largely stuck to the classics for its new releases, and it often doesn’t see a reason to build a new IP. Why? According to a former developer, gameplay comes first and the “wrapper” is chosen based on which franchise fits the project best.
“New franchises haven’t come out simply because there’s no real need to make them,” former Nintendo software developer Ken Watanabe said to Bloomberg. “When Nintendo wants to do something new, it’s basically about the gameplay mechanics first–about creating a new way to play. As for the skin or the wrapper, they don’t really fuss over it. They just pick whatever fits that new gameplay best.”
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“Nintendo will then find the right franchise that fits with the new gameplay mechanics that it has developed, but in the rare instance that it can’t, the company will consider making a new IP. One of its newest properties–technically–is Splatoon, which first launched in 2015 for the Wii U. While Nintendo attempted to use familiar faces in the third-person shooter game, it simply didn’t work out, and the company decided to create the cast of Inklings to carry the series forward and better communicate the ideas of the game to players.
Looking ahead to the rest of the year and early 2026, Nintendo’s upcoming first-party games are all based on established franchises. Metroid Prime 4: Beyond, Hyrule Warriors: Age of Imprisonment, Kirby Air Riders, and Splatoon Raiders are all on the way, and this year has seen the release of new Mario Kart and Donkey Kong games.
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