Remember when Nintendo mentioned in its most recent financial report that it would acquire more gaming studios? Well, it didn't take long for it to actually happen.
This morning, Nintendo revealed in a press release that it has entered an agreement to acquire Bandai Namco Studios Singapore from Bandai Namco. So far, the Singapore studio has functioned in a co-development capacity on Taiko no Tatsujin: Rhythm Festival, Soul Calibur VI, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown, and Splatoon 3. Clearly, it is their work on the latter game that caught Nintendo's attention, as clarified in the announcement:
BNSS has contributed to the development of Nintendo titles, including the Splatoon series, and has an ongoing business relationship with Nintendo. Considering this business record, Nintendo has made the decision to acquire shares in BNSS to strengthen the development structure of the Nintendo Group.
Splatoon 3 was released in September 2022 to generally positive reviews. Our own Nathan Birch rated it 7.5 out of 10:
Splatoon 3 may be the series’ best entry yet, featuring some nice gameplay tweaks and new weaponry, an expanded and polished story mode, and more launch content than its predecessors. That said, it’s very much an evolutionary sequel, every bit as iterative as many of the shooter franchises it’s meant to be an alternative to. After a five-year absence, that may not be enough for some. Splatoon 3 is still fun and funky, but Nintendo’s squid shooter series can’t get by on freshness alone forever.
However, fans of the third-person shooter series really enjoyed this entry. The game has sold over 12 million units to date, making it the fastest-selling Splatoon game.
80% of the shares of Bandai Namco Studios Singapore will be acquired on April 1, 2026, while the remaining ones will be purchased later, once the new subsidiary's operations have stabilized. BNSS will henceforth be known as Nintendo Studios Singapore.
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