Nintendo Buys Studio To Kick-Start New ‘Nintendo Pictures’ Company

Nintendo has always been known as one of the most insular companies in gaming. Very seldom do fans get a visual representation of the big N’s famed properties outside the realm of a Nintendo-developed game on a Nintendo console. The company’s latest move appears to be a step outside of its comfort zone.

The Hollywood Reporter notes that Nintendo could be getting ready to step into the realm of film and animation. The outlet noted that filings in Japan revealed that the company has purchased Dynamo Pictures, Inc. It is expected that once the deal closes in October, the company will be renamed Nintendo Pictures Co.

According to Nintendo, the new visual media company will “focus on development of visual content utilizing Nintendo IP.” Dynamo specializes in computer-generated animation for video games and television. They also have an arm of the company that works with motion capture technology.

The acquisition suggests that Nintendo is interested in pushing into the entertainment realm outside of video games. The purchase follows news that an animated Super Mario Bros. movie is in the works with Universal’s Illumination studio. An in-house studio could allow Nintendo to work more flexibly and have more control over future animation projects.

Nintendo has made some limited attempts to license its IPs for visual content in the past. The most infamous is the 1993 live-action disaster that was the Super Mario Bros. movie. While there have been rumors of other Nintendo properties getting the big screen treatment, the upcoming SMB film will be the first one since then.

It will be interesting to see how Nintendo uses the new studio for visual content. The company has always been very protective of its original creations. Now that they have a way to create content and still control it, fans may be in for years of awesome new things.

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