Nintendo has finalized an agreement with Bandai Namco to acquire complete ownership of their Singapore-based development studio, with the full transition expected to be completed by spring 2026. This strategic move represents a deepening of the longstanding partnership between Nintendo and Bandai Namco, potentially creating new opportunities for the upcoming Switch 2 platform.

Established in 2013, Bandai Namco's Singapore operations were designed to strengthen game development capabilities across Asian markets, while a parallel Vancouver branch was created to serve Western audiences. The studio's most notable achievement remains the collaborative development of Splatoon 3 with Nintendo EPD, which launched exclusively for Nintendo Switch in September 2022 to remarkable commercial success. Beyond this collaboration, the Singapore team has independently managed development for several prominent titles, including Soul Calibur 6, Ace Combat 7: Skies Unknown, and Taiko no Tatsujin: VR Festival.

Nintendo's acquisition plan involves obtaining 80% of the studio's shares on April 1, 2026, with the remaining 20% scheduled for transfer following a stabilization period. The studio will be rebranded as Nintendo Studios Singapore, and while the financial impact on Nintendo's current fiscal year is projected to be minimal, the strategic implications are substantial. This acquisition gains additional significance considering the conclusion of regular updates for Splatoon 3 was announced over a year ago, potentially signaling new development directions.

This acquisition marks a notable shift in Nintendo's typically conservative approach to studio acquisitions, especially when compared to competitors Sony and Microsoft. Sony maintains over twenty first-party development studios, having expanded its portfolio with acquisitions including Bungie, Firewalk Studios, and Kadokawa Corporation. Microsoft has similarly pursued aggressive expansion, most notably through its monumental $75.4 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, which brought major franchises like Call of Duty, Warcraft, and Diablo under the Xbox umbrella.

Nintendo's recent acquisition history includes the May 2024 purchase of Shiver Entertainment from Embracer Group, known for porting major titles like Hogwarts Legacy and Mortal Kombat 1 to various platforms. Later that year, Nintendo completed its acquisition of Monolith Soft, developer of the Xenoblade Chronicles series, though Nintendo had maintained majority ownership since 2011. Other strategic acquisitions include SRD, a long-time development partner dating back to the NES era, and Next Level Games, responsible for Luigi's Mansion 3 and multiple Mario Strikers titles. Nintendo's 2022 acquisition of Dynamo Pictures expanded its capabilities into animation and motion capture, contributing to projects including Death Stranding 2.

The Bandai Namco Singapore acquisition suggests Nintendo is preparing to strengthen its competitive position against other first-party developers. While the Switch 2 continues to outperform PS5 and Xbox Series X in sales, Nintendo has historical experience with losing key development partners, most notably when Microsoft acquired Rare in 2002 after Nintendo declined a similar offer. The recent success of Donkey Kong Bananza has revived memories of Rare's influential work on the Donkey Kong Country series, and the establishment of Nintendo Studios Singapore may represent a strategic effort to secure valuable intellectual properties like the Splatoon franchise against potential future competition.