Key Takeaways
- Nintendo has acquired full ownership of Xenoblade Chronicles developer Monolith Soft, and now holds all 2,400 of the company’s shares.
- Nintendo originally bought 80% of Monolith Soft shares from Bandai Namco in 2007, then raised that stake to over 96% four years later.
- The company purchased the remaining 80 shares held by Monolith Soft co-founders sometime between February and November 2024.
As a seasoned gamer with a soft spot for the Nintendo Switch and its illustrious library of RPGs, I can’t help but feel a sense of nostalgic excitement upon hearing the news that Nintendo has fully acquired Monolith Soft!
Nintendo now owns Monolith Soft entirely, but since the studio has long been a part of Nintendo’s family of subsidiaries, significant changes may not be imminent.
Monolith Soft, distinct from Monolith Productions who developed games like FEAR and Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor, is a Japanese studio specializing primarily in role-playing games. Employing 264 individuals by 2023, this company is particularly renowned for its Xenosaga and Xenoblade Chronicles series. Co-founded by Tetsuya Takahashi, a former designer at SquareSoft, Monolith Soft initially functioned as a subsidiary of Namco (now Bandai Namco) from 1999 to 2007. However, Nintendo took control of the company in 2007.
Previously, Monolith Soft was jointly owned by Tetsuya Takahashi, Hirohide Sugiura, and Yasuyuki Hanne, with a combined ownership of about 3.33%. However, as per the latest update on Monolith Soft’s official website and first reported by Automation West, Nintendo has now taken full ownership of the company, acquiring all 2,400 shares previously held by Takahashi, Sugiura, and Hanne. This marks a significant increase from Nintendo’s initial 80% stake in 2007, which grew to 96.66% by 2011.
Nintendo Fully Acquired Monolith Soft Without Much Fanfare
It’s not precisely known when Nintendo completed the purchase of the remaining shares from Monolith Soft’s co-founders. Analysis of archived web data by Game Rant suggests that Monolith Soft started identifying Nintendo as its sole owner sometime between October 1 and November 21, 2024. However, it is possible that the acquisition was finalized much earlier. As late as February 2024, Nintendo was still listed as a part-owner of Monolith Soft in their annual company brochure.
Timeline of Nintendo’s Stake in Monolith Soft
| Year | Shares | Ownership Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 1,920 | 80% |
| 2011 | 2,320 | 96% |
| 2024 | 2,400 | 100% |
Because Monolith Soft has been part of Nintendo’s family for nearly two-thirds of its life span, it’s not expected that this recent change will significantly alter their regular workflow. Presently, they are engaged in the development of Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition, a remastered version of their 2015 JRPG for Nintendo Wii U, slated to debut as an exclusive Switch title on March 20, 2025.
Apart from creating their own games, Monolith Soft has often lent its expertise to major Nintendo projects as well. For instance, their Tokyo branch is known for contributing to titles like “The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword,” while the Kyoto studio aided in the development of “Pikmin 2,” “Splatoon 3,” and “Animal Crossing: New Horizons.” Additionally, the Monolith Soft Tokyo 2nd Production Team has been recognized for their work on games like “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild” and “Tears of the Kingdom,” as well as other Nintendo first-party titles.
Sources: Automation West, Monolith Soft (cached)
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2024-12-11 14:44