The latter part of the year 2023 is turning out to be a mellow year for Nintendo. The gaming giants started the year strongly with the release of their Super Mario Bros. movie and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom title. However, the studio currently has no big release lined up for the last of 2023, save from Detective Pikachu Returns. 

In the meanwhile, the gaming giant has been expanding offices with the land it purchased next to its main headquarters in Kyoto last year. Now it looks like they are halting the expansion to replan their new development center.

Nintendo halts new Development Center to construct an even bigger one

Last year Nintendo purchased a 10,000 meter-squared land near their Headquarters in Kyoto for $34.7 million. They were planning to build a 12-floor tall office by the end of 2027. But according to Nikkei, the gaming giants are revamping their plan for the building. And the reason for that is Nintendo’s plans to increase employees. 

Nintendo has decided to add multiple new floors to the building with a new deadline set for 2028 or later. They have hired 130 new employees in the 2023 fiscal year. While this number might seem small, it is 50% more hires than they did in the last three years.

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According to Nintendo president Shuntaro Furukawa, “The development resources required per piece of software are increasing. We would like to maintain the level of recruitment of the past few years.” The news of the gaming giant looking to hire more employees also implies good news for gamers.

What do Nintendo’s plans hold for gamers?

With an increased number of employees joining in the future, fans can expect the various Nintendo titles to roll out faster. Furthermore, the development of Nintendo Switch 2 will highly benefit from the increased workforce too. 

In the 2021 management briefing, Furukawa notably said that Nintendo is spending up to $800 million in the future for internal game development activities. Furthermore, the non-game entertainment software assets, such as movies, also received a $400 million budget. 

The recent success of the Super Mario Bros. movie is a prime example of that budget being put to good use. Fans expect the gaming giant will replicate the success on the gaming front with the expansion of the new development center.

What are your thoughts on Nintendo delaying the development to accommodate more employees? Let us know in the comments section below.

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