Working on the likes of Punch-Out, Super Mario Strikers, and the Luigi's Mansion series, Next Level Games has been closely linked with Nintendo for a number of years now. However, today the two companies announced that they'd be cementing their long-standing working relationship, with Nintendo revealing it's locked in to acquire the formerly-independent developer later this year.
The announcement is far from a surprise for seasoned fans of both companies, with Next Level Games exclusively working on Nintendo projects for the last few years. With the studio's last title, Luigi's Mansion 3, being a solid hit for the Nintendo Switch, it makes sense for the pair to finally make their partnership official and for Next Level Games to be brought into the fold.
For those wondering when the purchase will go through, Nintendo has entered an agreement to purchase 100% of the Vancouver-based company's shares, with the deal expected to be finalized on March 1 of this year. The acquisition has already garnered positive reactions from fans, many of whom have a lot of praise for the studio following its work on several beloved Nintendo projects over the years. From the soccer-focused Mario Strikers, which saw the popular plumbers and his wide roster of friends duke it out to see who could dominate the soccer pitch, to 2009's reimagining of the iconic Punch-Out series, Next Level Games definitely has some heavy-hitters under its belt.
However, it was the team's two entries in the Luigi's Mansion series that really made a name for the studio. Developing a sequel to the revered first game in the franchise, Next Level Games struck critical gold with Luigi's Mansion: Dark Moon and continued to refine the series through 2019's Luigi's Mansion 3. It stands to reason that a fourth entry in the series would be the next step for the studio, especially considering the last game was such a success. Whatever Next Level Games winds up developing, it'll be interesting to see just how Nintendo utilizes the studio.
Outside of the new acquisition, Nintendo looks geared up to have an interesting 2021. The Switch is already primed to welcome some significant new titles in the coming months, including No More Heroes 3, Bravely Default 2, and Monster Hunter Rise. Fans are also speculating that they might get some new glimpses at The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild 2 and Bayonetta 3, two games that have been highly-anticipated for a while now. Whatever the company's lineup for this year looks like, it's sure to be an exciting one.
Source: Gematsu