Xenoblade Chronicles 3 creator boosted Splatoon 3 during development
>
Xenoblade Chronicles 3 isn’t the only game Monolith Soft worked on this year, as the JRPG developer also provided support on another big Nintendo release.
Mainly known for JRPGs like Xenoblade Chronicles 3, Monolith Soft also lent its aid to the Nintendo Switch’s latest blockbuster, Splatoon 3. This should come as no surprise for longtime Monolith Soft fans, though, as one look at its development history (opens in new tab) shows the company also helped out on both prior Splatoon entries.
Further study of this list shows that Monolith Soft is a real workhorse for Nintendo. The JRPG stalwart also had a hand in developing Animal Crossing: New Horizons, The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (and its upcoming sequel), as well as one that makes me very happy – Nintendo 3DS cult classic Project X Zone.
Nintendo’s greatest asset?
The ascension of Monolith Soft has been, in my opinion, one of the most fascinating in gaming. Founded in 1999 by former Square Enix developer Tetsuya Takahashi, the developer first cut its teeth on the PS2’s Xenosaga trilogy. It then went on to create the Baten Kaitos JRPG series on Gamecube before being bought out by Nintendo in 2007. Three years later, it launched Xenoblade Chronicles on the Nintendo Wii.
Xenoblade quickly gained a large following in the proceeding years and would eventually become a stable Nintendo IP. No doubt helped along by the inclusion of protagonist Shulk in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U and 3DS, and later Xenoblade Chronicles 2’s Pyra and Mythra as DLC characters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Monolith Soft isn’t showing signs of slowing down, either. It’s a key developer on Breath of the Wild 2, has a new IP in the works, and has hinted at a continuation of the Xenoblade series.
On top of that, we also have the Xenoblade Chronicles 3 expansion pass content to look forward to, with a large story expansion coming in 2023. All in all, it’s a pretty wonderful time to be a Monolith Soft fan.