Nintendo has officially acquired Monolith Soft, the renowned developer responsible for the Xenoblade Chronicles series and a key support studio for games like Zelda: Breath of the Wild. With nearly 25 years in the industry, Monolith Soft has made a name for itself with its robust RPGs, particularly the Xenoblade Chronicles franchise. The studio has also provided support for a variety of Nintendo titles, including Breath of the Wild, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and the Splatoon series. The recent acquisition by Nintendo, as reported by Automaton, solidifies the longstanding partnership between the two companies.
Nintendo has held 96% of Monolith Soft’s shares since 2011, with the remaining 4% symbolically owned by the company’s founders. However, according to Monolith Soft’s website, Nintendo now owns the studio entirely. This acquisition is not expected to have a significant impact on the operations of either company, given Monolith Soft’s exclusive focus on Nintendo platforms since 2006. Fans can anticipate the continuation of the successful partnership between Nintendo and Monolith Soft in the foreseeable future.
While details about Monolith Soft’s upcoming projects remain scarce, fans can look forward to the release of Xenoblade Chronicles X on the Nintendo Switch in March next year. This highly anticipated title marks a long-awaited arrival for fans of the series on the platform. As the gaming industry gears up for the launch of the next Nintendo console, the Switch 2, it is likely that Xenoblade Chronicles X will be one of the final major releases for the current generation.
