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[Aldric]

One of the most bizarre Nintendo related topics often discussed online is the fabled new IP by Monolith Soft that some people seem to think is some sort of unsubstantiated rumor based on fanfiction derived from fancy artwork. This is kind of baffling to me because even if it hasn't been officially announced this game being real seems far more likely than the countless rumored titles "insiders" supposedly heard about from their sources, and we know this thanks to publically available concrete information. Let's look at it.

In July 2017 a few months after revealing Xenoblade 2 Monolith post a recruitment ad on their website. It's specifically asking for a few things: people who are familiar with action games, medieval fantasy settings, online games, and popular trends outside Japan.

https://web.archive.org/web/20170710184652/http://www.monolithsoft.co.jp/recruit/recruit_01.html

A month later an entire page is created with more job offers featuring the infamous concept art pieces accompanied with this very specific sentence:

"An ambitious new project aimed at a global audience and different from Monolith Soft's brand image".

https://web.archive.org/web/20170830073618/https://www.monolithsoft.co.jp/recruit/special/

These words would stay on the page until a year later where they'd be replaced by another line saying that they were looking for people with experience in action games.

The interesting thing is this page is still up on their website alongside another rectruitment ad for Zelda, since Monolith have been co-developing mainline Zelda games alongside Aonuma's team since Skyward Sword in 2007 or so:

https://www.monolithsoft.co.jp/recruit/production/action.html

https://www.monolithsoft.co.jp/recruit/production/zelda.html

These recruitment drives mean that the studio went from 150 employees in 2017 to 272 today:

https://mundogamer.community/articl...developer-monolith-soft-now-has-272-employees

Finally, there's been recent findings showing that whatever this game is they're still working on it and it therefore hasn't been cancelled:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/azamoyski/

So there you have it. Monolith Soft have been working since at least mid 2017 on a new action game IP in a medieval fantasy setting and it's apparently not a small side project but something they want to turn into a worldwide success. Personally I'm more hyped about this project than for the majority of games that have already been announced because the idea of Monolith using their top tier environmental design to craft a fantasy world with less menuing and automation than in Xenoblade games sounds like a dream to me. Imagine vistas like these but you're riding a dragon instead of a mech:

Heck, they can put mechs in it anyway and call them golems or whatever, Vision of Escaflowne style. Anyway I hope this thread convinced some doubters that the project is real and hopefully it's revealed soon, ideally for the Switch 2.

 

[Punished Miku]

I just want anything but Xenoblade.

 

[Danjin44]

I like anything Monolith Soft makes so I don’t mind see them do medieval fantasy genre.

 

[Aldric]

I just want anything but Xenoblade.

Don't get me wrong I love Xenoblade and they'll obviously continue making these games since it's Takahashi's lifelong work but ideally I'd prefer this new IP's core gameplay to be more "immediate" so to speak without the layers of systems and UI manipulation of Xenoblade (but I still hope the combat and traversal are deep and not overly simplistic).

 

[Woopah]

Hopefully a launch title for Switch 2, Monolith Soft could make a great new IP that utilises the new hardware I bet.

 

[dacuk]

Where is my damn remaster of Disaster: Day of Crisis?!

 

[Gobjuduck]

I just want anything but Xenoblade.

Xenoblade is fantastic. Why not?

3 marks the end of chronicles, and they plan on making a whole new type of game that is smaller.

 

[Gaiff]

Nice, another medieval fantasy RPG. We don't have enough of those.

 

[Aldric]

Nice, another medieval fantasy RPG. We don't have enough of those.

That's like saying Nintendo shouldn't have made Splatoon because we have enough multiplayer shooters.

 

[DKPOWPOW]

Where is my damn remaster of Disaster: Day of Crisis?!

Yeah. I am still pissed I never got to play it since they canceled the North American release. Utter bullshit.

 

[Gaiff]

That's like saying Nintendo shouldn't have made Splatoon because we have enough multiplayer shooters.

Nah, Splatoon is unique. Medieval JRPG #139743 isn't.

 

[Aldric]

Nah, Splatoon is unique. Medieval JRPG #139743 isn't.

How about you wait for the game to be revealed officially before deciding it's a generic medieval rpg.

 

[Gaiff]

How about you wait for the game to be revealed officially before deciding it's a generic medieval rpg.

What was the last medieval JRPG that wasn't generic? The setting alone has been reused so much that it's damn near impossible to even be original with it. With how many different places and time periods there are, I'm baffled that Japanese RPG developers are still largely stuck in the medieval period and have been for over 30 years.

 

[Aldric]

What was the last medieval JRPG that wasn't generic? The setting alone has been reused so much that it's damn near impossible to even be original with it. With how many different places and time periods there are, I'm baffled that Japanese RPG developers are still largely stuck in the medieval period and have been for over 30 years.

I trust Monolith's artists and level designers, I'm sure they'd be able to craft a unique looking world even in a more classical theme than what they're used to. Like this concept art for ex, it's unrelated to the game (was part of an internal competition held between recently hired artists) but it still gives you a glimpse of what they could come up with.

Mechanically I'm sure they have a hook too because Nintendo don't generally greenlight new IPs without a new core gameplay mechanic (Splatoon, Arms, Astral Chain etc).

 

[Hudo]

Sorry to bump this but maybe their medieval fantasy game could be a "launch window" title for Switch 2?

 

[GigaBowser]

yes action turn based crud

 

[Aldric]

Sorry to bump this but maybe their medieval fantasy game could be a "launch window" title for Switch 2?

That's what I was thinking.

This plus Metroid Prime 4 definitive edition on Switch 2 and a new 3D Mario would be a very solid launch lineup.

 

[Banjo64]

Nintendo have some pretty cool third party fire power with Monolith, Grezzo, Mercury Steam and Retro.

 

[Woopah]

Nintendo have some pretty cool third party fire power with Monolith, Grezzo, Mercury Steam and Retro.

As long as its published by Nintendo, its a first party game.

Having said that, Nintendo owns MonolithSoft and Retro, but not Grezzo or MercuryStream.

They do seem to be expanding their list of external collaborators lately, which is going to be a smart move given the increasing development times.

 

[Hudo]

As long as its published by Nintendo, its a first party game.

Having said that, Nintendo owns MonolithSoft and Retro, but not Grezzo or MercuryStream.

They do seem to be expanding their list of external collaborators lately, which is going to be a smart move given the increasing development times.

I can see Nintendo buying Grezzo next, though. Grezzo are essentially second-party already.

 

[UltimaKilo]

I can see Nintendo buying Grezzo next, though. Grezzo are essentially second-party already.

Yeah, there’s really no point in buying the whole company, but going full 2nd party might be a cheaper way to do it.

The best and cheapest studio for them to grab up would be Mistwalker. A remake of The Last Story and adding Sakaguchi as an advisor across other Nintendo studios would be big.

Shit, can you imagine Sakaguchi and Mitsuda reuniting to work with Camelot on a Golden Sun reboot?

 

[Hudo]

Shit, can you imagine Sakaguchi and Mitsuda reuniting to work with Camelot on a Golden Sun reboot?

That would be quite something.

 

[Woopah]

I can see Nintendo buying Grezzo next, though. Grezzo are essentially second-party already.

I only see that happening when the current ownership wants to sell (like with Next Level Games).

Other partners like Intelligent Systems, HAL, Good Feel, Camelot and Game Freak have been working with Nintendo for longer than Grezzo without being acquired.

Yeah, there’s really no point in buying the whole company, but going full 2nd party might be a cheaper way to do it.

The best and cheapest studio for them to grab up would be Mistwalker. A remake of The Last Story and adding Sakaguchi as an advisor across other Nintendo studios would be big.

Shit, can you imagine Sakaguchi and Mitsuda reuniting to work with Camelot on a Golden Sun reboot?

Wouldn't they just partner with Mistwalker like they did with The Last Story, rather than buying them?

 

[wvnative]

I'm operating on the assumption this game was canned.

 

[UltimaKilo]

I only see that happening when the current ownership wants to sell (like with Next Level Games).

Other partners like Intelligent Systems, HAL, Good Feel, Camelot and Game Freak have been working with Nintendo for longer than Grezzo without being acquired.

Wouldn't they just partner with Mistwalker like they did with The Last Story, rather than buying them?

Mistwalker is so small that it wouldn’t cost much to acquire them. I also believe I read somewhere that Sakaguchi was semi-retired, but can’t find anything on Google.

 

[Woopah]

Mistwalker is so small that it wouldn’t cost much to acquire them. I also believe I read somewhere that Sakaguchi was semi-retired, but can’t find anything on Google.

It's small, but even then I don't see it being an asset that offers any long term value to Nintendo.

 

[Astral Dog]

Mistwalker is so small that it wouldn’t cost much to acquire them. I also believe I read somewhere that Sakaguchi was semi-retired, but can’t find anything on Google.

The last i heard is that he is making his last game on mobile, he doesn't seem interested in big projects

A shame since The Last Story was a gem and it would have been cool to see sequels, or at least a remaster to fill up the gaps

 

[MagiusNecros]

I'm operating on the assumption this game was canned.

Or it was just Xenoblade 3 and the art above was just a Concept Art piece like it usually is.

 

[Hudo]

The last i heard is that he is making his last game on mobile, he doesn't seem interested in big projects

A shame since The Last Story was a gem and it would have been cool to see sequels, or at least a remaster to fill up the gaps

I heard that as well. Dude seems to be done with big games, which is understandable.

 

[nial]

Sorry to bump this but maybe their medieval fantasy game could be a "launch window" title for Switch 2?

Only 3 years after XB3? That's not how it goes these days.

 

[BennyBlanco]

I wish they would make another DBZ game. Their DS game rules.

 

[Dr. Wilkinson]

I know this is wild but just hear me out, guys:

What if… they’re making this game for Nintendo’s next system? I know I know. Gtfo, etc

 

[Dr. Wilkinson]

Only 3 years after XB3? That's not how it goes these days.

Monolith has multiple studios and work on different projects simultaneously. Have been for most of the Switch era. They have multiple projects in the works, at various stages of development

 

[Dr. Wilkinson]

I'm operating on the assumption this game was canned.

More than likely it’s changed concept since its initial conception and is at some stage of development but who knows when it’s planned to release. It’s also possible it’s nearly finished or finished but Nintendo is holding it for the next console. Which they do a lot of nowadays.

 

[nial]

Monolith has multiple studios and work on different projects simultaneously.

Isn't the Kyoto one mostly a support studio for bigger Nintendo games? And they also made those big DLCs, so you probably have another team busy on those.
I wouldn't be too hopeful considering that their output this gen has just been XB2 and XB3.

 

[digital_ghost]

Isn't the Kyoto one mostly a support studio for bigger Nintendo games? And they also made those big DLCs, so you probably have another team busy on those.
I wouldn't be too hopeful considering that their output this gen has just been XB2 and XB3.

And they did a remake of XB1 this gen.

Where as the competition is lucky to get 1 game the entire generation per franchise.

 

[Dr. Wilkinson]

Isn't the Kyoto one mostly a support studio for bigger Nintendo games? And they also made those big DLCs, so you probably have another team busy on those.
I wouldn't be too hopeful considering that their output this gen has just been XB2 and XB3.

And XB1 Definitive.

 

[NanaMiku]

Isn't the Kyoto one mostly a support studio for bigger Nintendo games? And they also made those big DLCs, so you probably have another team busy on those.
I wouldn't be too hopeful considering that their output this gen has just been XB2 and XB3.

AFAIK, the one in Kyoto is just an artist studio. They made assets for Splatoon and Animal Crossing.

 

[Astral Dog]

I remember some statement they made that Nintendo was very strict when it came to greenlight Monolith's pitch ideas that weren't Xenoblade related so thats what they are focusing on

this could have been one such rejected idea, but maybe they have been working on some capacity, i would like to see what they can do with an action game for example,and smaller scope than Xenoblade

 

[nial]

And they did a remake of XB1 this gen.

And XB1 Definitive.

Pretty sure it was an enhanced remaster, though I don't really want to discuss about that since I don't remember it that much. That said, it could be very possible that it was handled by their DLC team, 3 years for XB3 DLC is a reasonable time frame.

Where as the competition is lucky to get 1 game the entire generation per franchise.

Eh, not really. And I'm not even calling them incompetent or anything, it's just the standard development time these days.
I'm not expecting their next game until 2026 at the very least.

 

[justiceiro]

Elden ring about to get some real competition.

 

[Dr. Wilkinson]

Pretty sure it was an enhanced remaster, though I don't really want to discuss about that since I don't remember it that much. That said, it could be very possible that it was handled by their DLC team, 3 years for XB3 DLC is a reasonable time frame.

Eh, not really. And I'm not even calling them incompetent or anything, it's just the standard development time these days.
I'm not expecting their next game until 2026 at the very least.

They don't have a "DLC team", they just peel off a majority of the staff from the finished game and smaller team stays on it for a year or so to do all the DLC. The teams scale up and down depending on what product is closest to release and needs to hit a deadline.

XC3 released two years ago, and the DLC was finished over a year ago, so we're a solid 2+ years in now on the development of their next major title, at bare minimum. So their output during the Switch generation has been increasing, not decreasing. 2 ground-up brand new titles, 1 remake/remaster, 2 campaign-length DLC story expansions, and co-development of two AAA Zelda games. They're definitely not more than 12-18 months away from their next big thing, whatever it ends up being.

Personally, in the meantime, I'd love a port/remaster of XCX. While they do this medieval game or XC4 or whatever.