Tag: Monolith Soft
News Monolith Soft Is Expanding Its In-House Xenoblade Game Engine For Future Titles
And it has landed a new R&D division
Monolith Soft, the studio behind the Xenoblade Chronicles series, is expanding its in-house engine for use on future titles thanks to its newly-founded R&D department (thanks, Automaton). That is according to the company’s Chief Creative Officer Tetsuya Takahashi and lead programmer Michihiko Inaba, who,...
News Nintendo's Xenoblade Chronicles Dev Monolith Soft Is Now 25 Years Old
"May your future games be just as amazing and loved"
Update: Nintendo has now published a special anniversary video celebrating 25 years of Monolith Soft. The developer has also opened a special 25th anniversary webpage featuring multiple commemorative wallpapers as well as a special message from Representative Director Hirohide Sugiura: Monolith...
News Xenoblade Chronicles Dev Monolith Soft Is Recruiting For A 'New RPG'
Eight roles are up for grabs
Monolith Soft, the developer behind the wonderful Xenoblade Chronicles franchise, has announced that it is looking to recruit new talent for what it describes as a 'new RPG'. In a post via the studio's official website (thanks, Nintendo Everything), founder, CCO, and executive director Tetsuya Takahashi put a call out...
News Monolith Soft Is Looking For Programmer With "3D Action Game Experience"
Hints at the next project?
Monolith Soft has recently updated its recruitment page, and it appears that the Xenoblade series developer is looking for someone with experience in 3D action games. As spotted by My Nintendo News, the Nintendo subsidiary is looking for an "application programmer" to join the team. Using Google Translate, we can see that...
News Yes, Monolith Soft Really Did Help Out With Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom
The Xenoblade Chronicles dev updates its website
The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom has been a massive undertaking for Nintendo, with the company calling on multiple development teams to help out. As you might recall, one of these developers was the Xenoblade Chronicles team Monolith Soft. Now that Tears of the Kingdom is out, the Japanese...
News Xenoblade Chronicles Dev Monolith Soft Provides Employee Headcount Update
A numbers game
The Japanese developer Monolith Soft has been growing in size year after year. In a previous update - dating back to 2021, the company revealed its employee headcount had jumped from 261 (in December 2020) to 272. As highlighted by Twitter user and gaming enthusiast Stealth, the latest update for 2022 is slightly different - with new...
Gallery Monolith Soft Shows Off Stunning Artwork From Annual "In-House Illustration Contest"
Feast your eyes on these amazing creations
Monolith Soft has just had another successful year with the release of Xenoblade Chronicles 3. It also provided assistance with the development of Splatoon 3. To wrap up 2022, it's held its regular "in-house illustration contest" where graduates can let their creativity run wild. According to a rough...
News Xenoblade Chronicles Studio Monolith Soft Helped Out With Splatoon 3
Returning for the third time
Monolith Soft has become one of Nintendo's top developers working on huge IPs like Xenoblade Chronicles and also assisting as a support team on multiple other projects. If the release of Xenoblade Chronicles 3 wasn't already impressive enough this year, it seems the Japanese studio has provided assistance with Splatoon...
News Monolith Soft's Updated Website Has Some Nintendo Switch Fans Excited
Is an announcement on the way?
We haven't heard much from the Xenoblade Chronicles developer Monolith Soft lately, so what has it been up to? Well, it turns out there's been some activity on its official website. Eagle-eyed Nintendo Switch fans have noticed how the Japanese company's website has been given a "completely new design" - with copyright...
News Xenoblade Chronicles 3 Rumours Intensify
"the game is nearing its final stages of development"
Monolith Soft has been expected to expand on the Xenoblade Chronicles universe for some time now with a third major release and yesterday it was discovered Melia's voice actor Jenna Coleman may have confirmed a new entry during an interview dating back to June. If her own comments weren't...
News Xenoblade Chronicles Developer Monolith Soft Reports Huge Profits, Up By 138.2%
Shulk's return has likely helped
Monolith Soft - best known for the Xenoblade Chronicles series in recent years - has become one of Nintendo's top developers. It's also supported some key projects like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Animal Crossing: New Horizons. Following on from its release of
News Bandai Namco Just Registered Trademarks For The GameCube Exclusive Series Baten Kaitos
Is it time for a comeback?
Before Monolith Soft was developing the epic JRPG Xenoblade Chronicles, it was working with tri-Crescendo on Baten Kaitos. Since the GameCube era - which saw the release of Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean in 2004/05 and Baten Kaitos Origins in 2006, there's been no sign of a return, apart from a cancelled...
News Monolith Soft Announces "Large Expansion" As Work On Zelda: Breath Of The Wild 2 Continues
Nearly 40 job listings are currently open
Monolith Soft's been pretty busy over the past few years, not only leading development on the latest Xenoblade titles, but also offering co-development support on the likes of Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Splatoon 2, and the upcoming sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. We're yet to hear of...
News Xenoblade Chronicles Developer Monolith Soft Now Has 272 Employees
So what's next?
Apart from its recent work on the Mythra and Pyra reveal trailer for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate earlier this year, we've not heard much from Xenoblade Chronicles developer Monolith Soft in recent times. We found out it was hiring for the Legend of Zelda series back in 2019 and there's also been mention of a
News Xenoblade Developer Monolith Soft Wants To Hire The Class Of 2022 For Their Next Game
Quick! Enroll in a Japanese university! There's still time!
We're not really sure what Monolith Soft is working on right now. In fact, the only news we've had recently has been from their hiring process - the studio behind the Xenoblade Chronicles series was hiring for a Legend of Zelda game back in 2019, an unnamed action game in 2018, and
News Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Character Designer Celebrates Third Anniversary With Some New Artwork
Three years and counting
One game that's been back in the spotlight in 2020 is Monolith Soft's stunning open-world RPG Xenoblade Chronicles. Earlier this year, the series celebrated its 10th anniversary and also got a Definition Edition release on the Nintendo Switch. That's not to say the d
News Monolith Soft Celebrates 10 Years Of Xenoblade Chronicles With Some Special Artwork
Here's to another decade!
The original Xenoblade Chronicles for the Nintendo Wii today celebrates its 10th anniversary in Japan. Yep, believe it or not, but the first entry in this open-world RPG series by Tetsuya Takahashi was released on 10th June 2010. It arrived roughly a year later in the west. To mark this anniversary, Monolith Soft's...
News Xenoblade Chronicles Creator Expresses Interest In Smaller-Scale Project
But Monolith Soft would need to be better organised
Monolith Soft might be best known for the Xenoblade Chronicles series, but studio head and series' creator Tetsuya Takahashi recently told Vandal how the Nintendo developer would one day like to explore some "smaller-scale" projects that aren't necessarily associated with the popular open-world RPG...
News Monolith Soft Explains Why Xenoblade Chronicles On Switch Contains A New Epilogue Story
"There were two reasons"
Later this week, Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition arrives on the Nintendo Switch. According to Monolith Soft president Takahashi Tetsuya, returning players can look forward to "about 20 hours" of new content in the epilogue story Future Connected - although his own most recent playthrough took him about "10 to 12...
News Monolith Soft Took Care To Avoid Impacting Its New Game While Working On Xenoblade Remaster
Breath of the Wild 2, or something new?
In a recent interview with Japanese magazine Famitsu, Monolith Soft's President Takahashi Tetsuya has discussed developing new content for the upcoming Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition without having an adverse effect on other projects currently in development. The game, a high-def remaster of 2010's...
Video Getting A Real Feel For Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition
Now it's Reyn time!
After two (sort of) sequels, the original Xenoblade Chronicles is heading to Nintendo Switch under the swanky new guise of Xenoblade Chronicles: Definitive Edition, and we've had a right ruddy good go at it. It's not just a shiny new coat of paint though, there's also a brand new bonus story mission called Future Connected, and...
News Xenoblade Studio Monolith Soft Actually Helped Out With Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Embracing island life
Here's something you probably didn't know, Monolith Soft – the talented company behind the Xenoblade Chronicles series – helped out with Animal Crossing: New Horizons. No, this isn't some late April Fool's joke, it's all according to a new listing on the Japanese developer's website. Unfortunately, there are no extra...
News The Xenoblade Chronicles Developer Monolith Soft Now Has 243 Employees
Some big projects are in development
Monolith Soft has grown in strength and size ever since it was acquired by Nintendo in 2007. In recent years, it helped with the landscape design in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and its definitive edition of the original Xenoblade Chronicles is expected to be released on the Switch at some po
Random Xenoblade Artist Says She'll No Longer Retweet Nintendo Directs To Avoid Fueling Speculation
Hype responsibly
When it comes to rumours, leaks or anything tied to soon-to-air Nintendo Directs, all it takes is a simple social media post from a developer or individual to fuel speculation on the internet – to the point it often spirals out of control and raises hype to another level. Soraya Saga (Kaori Tanaka) – who is married to Monolith...
News Xenoblade Chronicles 2 Has Now Sold More Than 1.7 Million Copies Worldwide
Exceeding expectations
One of the best role-playing games on the Nintendo Switch that also happens to be exclusive is Monolith Soft's Xenoblade Chronicles 2. The title made its debut on the system in December 2017 and is still considered a "must-have" game for seasoned adventurers. In terms of sales, we already heard last September how the sequel...
News Xenoblade Studio Monolith Soft Is Hiring Staff For The Legend Of Zelda Series
The next chapter
In somewhat surprising news, Monolith Soft – the developer behind the Xenoblade series – has revealed it is currently hiring staff for The Legend of Zelda series. The company is seeking technical artists, programmers, planners, designers and management support. Here's the tweet from the official Monolith Soft account, including...
News Monolith Soft Director Would "Love" Xenoblade Chronicles X On Switch, Money Stands In The Way
"Re-creating it would be really difficult"
With Xenoblade Chronicles 2 - and Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna - The Golden Country - all sealed up and completed, the series' fanbase will no doubt be wondering what's on the horizon for the franchise. We know that Monolith Soft has been hiring for a mysterious new RPG project, and we also kno
News Xenoblade Chronicles Developer Monolith Soft Is Hiring For New RPG Project
To join the main team
Monolith Soft, the development studio behind the Xenoblade Chronicles franchise, has been incredibly busy in terms of recruitment just lately. Back in May this year, the studio began actively and urgently recruiting for "experienced staff in action game development", and the team had reportedly grown in size just a few months...
News Monolith Soft Artist Would Like To Make Baten Kaitos 3, Asks Fans To Share Interest Online
"The flames continue to burn in my heart"
With Xenoblade Chronicles 2 - and now the newly released Torna - The Golden Country expansion - all signed, sealed, and delivered, developer Monolith Soft is setting its sights on the horizon, with new game ideas no doubt swirling around the office as we speak. One such idea is for a Baten Kaitos 3, with...
News Xenoblade Developer Monolith Soft Is Recruiting For Experienced Action Game Devs
What are they up to?
Japanese game developer Monolith Soft, the studio behind the Xenoblade Chronicles series, has begun a recruitment drive for "experienced staff in action game development". Translated by JapaneseNintendo, the recruitment post describes itself as being "urgent", with a Technical Artist (including modelling and animation),...
News Xenoblade Studio Monolith Soft Is Helping Make Zelda: Breath Of The Wild
Team of "over 100" mucking in, according to Miyamoto
Shigeru Miyamoto has revealed that Xenoblade Chronicles X studio Monolith Soft is helping to develop The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. According to the veteran designer, "over 100" staff from the firm are chipping in to ensure the forthcoming Wii U and NX title is as good as it pos
Interview Learning More About The 'Ultimate Crossover' RPG, Project X Zone 2, From Its Creators
"I believe this is one of the great crossovers in recent years"
The 3DS family of systems, rather like its DS predecessors, has gradually accumulated a highly impressive library of RPG titles, with that library representing varying styles and approaches. A few of these are hitting the market this year, especially in Europe where some 2015 releases...
Video Xenoblade Chronicles Marches Onto The Wii U eShop
It's Reyn Time... again!
This week Nintendo of Europe unleashed another one of its surprise eShop releases, and it's admittedly quite a puzzling one. Mere months after the New Nintendo 3DS exclusive port was released, Xenoblade Chronicles has made its way as a Wii digital release on the Wii U eShop in Europe. However, that's not to say there isn't...
News Monolith Soft Open To Helping Get Zelda Wii U Ready For Launch
"Monolith Soft is always available and we would love to help"
The talented development team at Monolith Soft is busy polishing off Xenoblade Chronicles X for its Western release on the Wii U in December, but that hasn't stopped them thinking of their next project. In a recent interview with Game Informer, Xenoblade director Tetsuya Takahashi and...
Feature The Final Xenoblade Chronicles X Presentation - Dolls and Online Features
Info on how mech suits will work in the game, along with online mechanics
Well, there you have it. With this latest Japanese Xenoblade Chronicles X presentation, Nintendo and developer Monolith Soft have spilled all the beans they're willing to spill before the game releases in Japan on 29th April. In the past we've seen the planet of Mira detailed,...
Feature A Summary of the Xenoblade Chronicles X Battle Presentation
Full video and details on combat skills, customization and party members
Nintendo and Developer Monolift Soft have made it their goal to show Japanese gamers just about everything Xenoblade Chronicles X has to offer through 30 minute online presentations; it's an admirable endeavour, even if there are no English subtitles. The last video took a look...
News New Details Discovered on Xenoblade Chronicles X’s Exploration System
This'll take a little more than a few hours to explore
The world that players are tasked with exploring in the upcoming Xenoblade Chronicles X is certainly one to be looked forward to. While the setting may not be nearly as original as exploring the surface of the lifeless body of a titan, the alien world of Mira promises to be filled with secrets...
Feature A Summary of the Xenoblade Chronicles X Presentation and What We Learned About Its World
Details on planet Mira, New LA, GamePad usage, plus the full video
To date details around Xenoblade Chronicles X have arrived in snippets, mainly through tweets and interview quotes; up until today Nintendo and developer Monolith Soft have adopted a rather coy approach when releasing information about the game. The last couple of weeks have brought...
News Xenoblade Chronicles X to Feature an Enemy Encyclopedia of 3D Models
So, a Xenoblade Pokédex?
One of the greatest aspects of the gargantuan world of Xenoblade Chronicles was the fantastic beasts that populated it. Many of them like the creatures you might find in a game like Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate, one couldn't help but marvel at their creative design and frightening power. Who could forget that first run through...
News More Details Emerge on Xenoblade Chronicles X and Its Non-Linear World
What a wonderful world
There's been plenty of hype and excitement surrounding Xenoblade Chronicles X. Its predecessor, Xenoblade Chronicles, was critically acclaimed as an excellent RPG on Wii, also bringing new ideas to the JRPG genre. The sequel has a lot to live up to, but as more information emerges it becomes clear that it may just live up to...
News Xenoblade Chronicles X Will Feature An "Outstanding" Voice Cast
Outstanding
While many are no doubt looking forward to Xenoblade Chronicles 3D which will show off the power of the New Nintendo 3DS, it's worth looking further ahead; Xenoblade Chronicles X for the Wii U appears to be shaping up to be something rather special. Not just visually, but also sonically. Producer Shingo Kawabata recently took to Twitter...
News Monolith Soft's X Combat is Shown Off, Based on Xenoblade Chronicles System
Oh my...
While JRPG fans that adored Xenoblade Chronicles on Wii may have been hoping for a release date for Monolith Soft's latest in Nintendo's most recent Direct broadcast, we had to settle for some real-time in-game footage of the combat system. It was exciting to see, as it was the first time that a sustained period of gameplay had been shown...
News Monolith Soft Lists "Urgent" Job Postings, Including Requirements in Network Implementation
Online play in 'X', please
As a subsidiary of Nintendo, Monolith Soft has been involved in a number of supporting roles — including some work on A Link Between Worlds — but is best known in recent years for its outstanding Wii title Xenoblade Chronicles. It's understandable, then, that there's some hype about its Wii U project, codenamed X and...
News Xenoblade Studio Monolith Soft Was Involved With Zelda: A Link Between Worlds
Many hands make light work?
Nintendo working with other studios on its big titles isn't anything new, but it's nevertheless interesting to note that Monolith Soft's name appears in the end credits to The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds. The Xenoblade creator — which is a subsidiary of Nintendo — isn't a stranger to the Zelda franchise...
News Monolith Soft's Working Environment and Development Culture Emerge
No crunching here
It's always fascinating to have an insight into development studios. Rather than being fun-lands in the style of Willy Wonka's Chocolate Factory, they're ultimately rows of desks and, in many respects, look like any other office. Of course what's happening is a lot different, as the biggest studios have dozens — occasionally...
News Monolith Soft Enjoying Its Closer Relationship With Nintendo
Developers at the studio now working as a family
Monolith Soft, the developer behind Xenoblade Chronicles, has built a new studio in Kyoto, Japan so it can be closer to Nintendo. It is now in the process of developing a Wii U game that was briefly teased during a recent Nintendo Direct. Speaking in an internal interview series, translated by
News Monolith Soft's 3DS Title Makes an Intriguing Appearance
Courtesy of a job advert on Facebook
Monolith Soft is, for JRPG fans at least, a name at the top of many Wii U hype lists. The impressive trailer for X, as it's codenamed, reminded many of the sheer scale and epic adventure in Xenoblade Chronicles on Wii, but with greater resources to exploit on the system. This praise won't be news to eager...
News Xenoblade Chronicles Team Recruiting for 3DS Game
Is that a Monolith in your pocket or..?
Xenoblade Chronicles developer Monolith Soft is recruiting for an unannounced 3DS project. The Japanese developer has several positions available, including motion designers, 3D CG designers and motion designers. The title doesn't have a name, but considering the jobs specifically mention monsters, maps and...
News NOA Will Be Watching European Xenoblade Chronicles Sales Closely
Nintendo doesn't want to miss out, does it?
Although Nintendo has no plans to localise sought-after games like the ones at the heart of Operation Rainfall's genesis, that's not to say the situation will necessarily stay the same. For months, fans have been vocal about their desire for Japanese RPGs The Last Story, Xenoblade Chronicles a
News Monolith Soft's New Project is Bound for Wii U
Studio's job listing gets updated
To date, Monolith Soft has had two titles published on Nintendo's current generation of home consoles and the job listing on the studio's website has revealed that its upcoming project is one being developed for the next generation. As translated by Andriasang, the listing appears to be a revised one dating back to...
