Should Nintendo arrange indie/modder collabs for low budget spin offs?

[Twilord]

Should Nintendo arrange indie/modder collabs to produce low-budget but fun spin-offs of their popular IP? Think Captain Toad but with talent like Yacht Club and the Project M team let loose on it!

Here are some ideas I'd like to share, feel free to suggest your own for spin offs you'd like to see.

Galactic Federation: Coverfire - Metroid Military Shooter (Only Samus reference is an implication she'll be the one to answer as SOS response at the end when the squad is killed by a single Metroid.)

Nightmare Awakens: Metaknight's Ascension - 3D Kirby Beat-Em-Up (Has no Kirby appearances. Kinda like 3D World meets Bayonetta.)

Sport of Queens - Fire-Emblem Racing Game (All about Pegasus Knights racing rival Wyrm Riders.)

 

[Draayder]

While I think these could be interesting I think Nintendo's too scared of letting other people have free reign over their IPs, and after they got burned by stuff like the Zelda CDI games and Hotel Mario it's not surprising. They are slowly letting people use them in limited ways or while under heavy supervision, but I think it'd be quite a while before something like this would happen.

Tho I guess if Nintendo were to pick one of those groups up as basically second party it's possible. I do think another racing game isn't going to happen regardless, Nintendo doesn't like competing with itself and Mario Kart is such a money maker for it, I'd wager it's why we haven't even seen a new F-Zero in so long. That might also make them hesitate on another shooter with Splatoon just out as well.

 

[Twilord]

While I think these could be interesting I think Nintendo's too scared of letting other people have free reign over their IPs, and after they got burned by stuff like the Zelda CDI games and Hotel Mario it's not surprising. They are slowly letting people use them in limited ways or while under heavy supervision, but I think it'd be quite a while before something like this would happen.

Tho I guess if Nintendo were to pick one of those groups up as basically second party it's possible. I do think another racing game isn't going to happen regardless, Nintendo doesn't like competing with itself and Mario Kart is such a money maker for it, I'd wager it's why we haven't even seen a new F-Zero in so long. That might also make them hesitate on another shooter with Splatoon just out as well.

You make a good point. But I feel like Pokken, Hyrule Warriors, and Illusionary Revelation indicate a greater willingness to explore those kinds of deals. Additionally, Pokken is likely coming to Wii-U (honestly I feel like denying that is akin to denying Fatal Frame, which I always said was moronic) which means they're open to games that are vastly differently co-habiting in their library even if they happen to be the same genre. Plus they pursued both Hyrule Warriors and Bayonetta which are sorta comparable to the gap between Smash Bros and Pokken.

The big difference of course is working with indies would mean producing more 'snack-ish', titles like Captain Toad and Kirby's Rainbow Curse (two gems, in my opinion) for a cheap price, and probably with more control over them because indies would likely agree to more interaction to both benefit themselves and to get permission to make a game starring... any non-Link Zelda character who isn't Tingle.

 

[Draayder]

Oh yeah don't get me wrong, I'd love to see some more games like Hyrule Warriors or Captain Toad, I'm just not sure how far Nintendo will let their IPs go. I do agree the Pokken could step on Smash's toes just a little, but it's also a pokemon game so it's gonna sell like hotcakes regardless and Smash 4 has already picked up most of the sales it's going to get. Hyrule Warriors and Bayonetta 2 are both more of beat em ups than real fighting games, and Bayonetta's kind of a special case since it hits that older market that Nintendo didn't have a ton aimed at yet.

Valve's pretty well known for picking up talented modding groups and just hiring them to make games, but they're also a bit more of a risk taker than Nintendo. Still, it could work, and it'd probably be pretty cool.

 

[Zoot]

While I think these could be interesting I think Nintendo's too scared of letting other people have free reign over their IPs

There have been plenty of developers who aren't Nintendo who have worked on big IP games, just look at the list of developers down the side of the Mario and Zelda Wikipedia pages. They also hired a bunch of smaller developers to work on the Streetpass Mii Plaza DLC games.

Nintendo is already working with smaller developers, but working with modders just wouldn't make sense. You can't (officially) mod any Nintendo games, and it would be unwise to let any old randoms have a say in how the franchises are run.

 

[noahk777]

I hope so, but, as @Draayder said, it'll probably be awhile before indies can work with it. Full thriple A companys while under strick supervision? Already happening. But indies? Not for awhile.

 

[Twilord]

I hope so, but, as @Draayder said, it'll probably be awhile before indies can work with it. Full thriple A companys while under strick supervision? Already happening. But indies? Not for awhile.

I feel like, in some sense, certain indies would be less of a risk because Nintendo would have all the leverage and they'd be working with groups who'd be overjoyed and likely feel incredibly honored.



On another topic, was messing around with some ideas and made a little form, and filled out a few times, give it a go.



Franchise: Metroid
Centred Around: The Galactic Federation
Genre: Squad based FPS
Title: Galactic Soldiers: Coverfire

Franchise: Xenoblade
Centred Around: Colony Farms/Mines
Genre: Farming Sim
Title: Hopes of Harvest

Franchise: Pikmin
Centred Around: Bulbin
Genre: Stealth / Adventure
Title: Predators Prayer: Nightlife Survival

Franchise: Zelda
Centred Around: Beedle
Genre: Adventure / Economics Sim
Title: Wandering In Wonder

Franchise: Fire Emblem
Centred Around: Pegasus Knights/Wrym Riders
Genre: Racing / RPG
Title: Sport of Lords and Ladies

Franchise: Mario
Centred Around: Kamek
Genre: Metroidvania
Title: Supreme Kamek World

Franchise: Animal Crossing
Centred Around: K.K. Slider
Genre: Rhythm/Fighter
Title: Smalltown Star

Franchise: Kirby
Centred Around: Metaknight
Genre: Beat-Em-Up / RPG
Title: Nightmare Awakens: Metaknight’s Ascension

 

[noahk777]

I feel like, in some sense, certain indies would be less of a risk because Nintendo would have all the leverage and they'd be working with groups who'd be overjoyed and likely feel incredibly honored.



On another topic, was messing around with some ideas and made a little form, and filled out a few times, give it a go.



Franchise: Metroid
Centred Around: The Galactic Federation
Genre: Squad based FPS
Title: Galactic Soldiers: Coverfire

Franchise: Xenoblade
Centred Around: Colony Farms/Mines
Genre: Farming Sim
Title: Hopes of Harvest

Franchise: Pikmin
Centred Around: Bulbin
Genre: Stealth / Adventure
Title: Predators Prayer: Nightlife Survival

Franchise: Zelda
Centred Around: Beedle
Genre: Adventure / Economics Sim
Title: Wandering In Wonder

Franchise: Fire Emblem
Centred Around: Pegasus Knights/Wrym Riders
Genre: Racing / RPG
Title: Sport of Lords and Ladies

Franchise: Mario
Centred Around: Kamek
Genre: Metroidvania
Title: Supreme Kamek World

Franchise: Animal Crossing
Centred Around: K.K. Slider
Genre: Rhythm/Fighter
Title: Smalltown Star

Franchise: Kirby
Centred Around: Metaknight
Genre: Beat-Em-Up / RPG
Title: Nightmare Awakens: Metaknight’s Ascension

Those are some really good ideas, but I don't think Nintendo will get indies to make them, unfortunetly. Though, just asking, soon I'm gonna be making a ton 10 of spin-offs Nintendo should make, can I add 1 or 2 of those to the list? (Specificly I think the Metroid: Galactic Federation is a really good idea.)

 

[Twilord]

Those are some really good ideas, but I don't think Nintendo will get indies to make them, unfortunetly. Though, just asking, soon I'm gonna be making a ton 10 of spin-offs Nintendo should make, can I add 1 or 2 of those to the list? (Specificly I think the Metroid: Galactic Federation is a really good idea.)

Go ahead. I hope you'll show me your project when its up.

 

[<π.]

Hahaha, neat idea. Nintendo does give out their IPs to studios they deem worthy all the time. Retro, Rare, etc. But they also become very involved in their projects and I'd gamble that they cancel more than they release.

 

[noahk777]

Hahaha, neat idea. Nintendo does give out their IPs to studios they deem worthy all the time. Retro, Rare, etc. But they also become very involved in their projects and I'd gamble that they cancel more than they release.

But with both Rare and Retro Nintendo owned a majority share in them, technicly making them part of Nintendo. (Rare not any more, obviously.)

They do license to others. (Recently Namco and Toei Kecmo have gotten a lot on Nintendo love.) but probably not indies or modders any time soon. It sucks, but its true.

 

[<π.]

Both rare and retro were small companies with a few employees that impressed Nintendo and were then brought into the fold.

It'd be cool if it happen a different way, but I don't think nintendo trust these smaller "unproven" companies enough to give them an IP without full ownership.

 

[Twilord]

But with both Rare and Retro Nintendo owned a majority share in them, technicly making them part of Nintendo. (Rare not any more, obviously.)

They do license to others. (Recently Namco and Toei Kecmo have gotten a lot on Nintendo love.) but probably not indies or modders any time soon. It sucks, but its true.

I doubt they wouldn't trust Yacht Club, Curve Studios or Knapnok Games to make something with a secondary/tertiary character/group, especially if they agreed to oversight that I'm sure a lot of indies would actually welcome in their development of their skills in their craft.

 

[DonkaFjord]

Indies are more likely then modders getting that chance since that's a grey area currently legal wise and Nintendo's stance seems to be don't acknowledge it, don't let anyone discuss it on Miiverse, but (for the most part) don't issue Cease & Desists which is a pretty neutral stance on it. Video games and the modding community is still fairly new media wise so a lot of laws remain vague for the sake of being open to interpretation.

 

[noahk777]

I doubt they wouldn't trust Yacht Club, Curve Studios or Knapnok Games to make something with a secondary/tertiary character/group, especially if they agreed to oversight that I'm sure a lot of indies would actually welcome in their development of their skills in their craft.

Yacht Club isn't an indie studio anymore, though, so that dosen't count. But yeah, that could happen. Also, whats Curve Studios?

 

[Twilord]

Yacht Club isn't an indie studio anymore, though, so that dosen't count. But yeah, that could happen. Also, whats Curve Studios?

Yacht Club aren't indie anymore? Did someone buy them? O_O


Also I was talking about these guys. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curve_Digital I think I copied the name from their website... Or I just got it flat out wrong.

 

[noahk777]

Yacht Club aren't indie anymore? Did someone buy them? O_O


Also I was talking about these guys. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curve_Digital I think I copied the name from their website... Or I just got it flat out wrong.

Nobody bought Yacht Club, but they aren't independent becauseShovel Knight has crossovers with BattleToads, God of War, Streetpass, and soon he will be in 13AM Games' Runbow.

As for Curve Studios, Yeah, I just remembered who they were lilke an hour later, lol. Thanks anyway.

Anyway, I would love Yacht Club to make som eNintendo games. Maybe a revival of the 2D Metroids could work for them.

 

[Twilord]

Nobody bought Yacht Club, but they aren't independent becauseShovel Knight has crossovers with BattleToads, God of War, Streetpass, and soon he will be in 13AM Games' Runbow.

As for Curve Studios, Yeah, I just remembered who they were lilke an hour later, lol. Thanks anyway.

Anyway, I would love Yacht Club to make som eNintendo games. Maybe a revival of the 2D Metroids could work for them.

Discussing Yacht Club is kinda kinda gonna blur things because of the fact a number of studios we don't traditionally associate with the indie scene alot aren't strictly tied to developers but I'm gonna argue that the fact they've collaborated doesn't make them 'not indie', as they're still a smaller studio who've never formally been published in physical format nor have a parent company.

To be honest, I don't doubt they could make a fun Metroid but I'd kinda rather see them do a spin off that they could put more of their own flavor on. To be honest I was thinking about them when I thought about a Metroidvania staring Kamek from Mario.

 

[Twilord]

Those are some really good ideas, but I don't think Nintendo will get indies to make them, unfortunetly. Though, just asking, soon I'm gonna be making a ton 10 of spin-offs Nintendo should make, can I add 1 or 2 of those to the list? (Specificly I think the Metroid: Galactic Federation is a really good idea.)

Ummmmm.... well, they ran with it...

 

[noahk777]

Ummmmm.... well, they ran with it...

Oh my god, they actually did take that!