Arab News

LONDON: Nintendo announced on Thursday that the video gaming company signed an agreement to “acquire 100 percent of outstanding shares of Dynamo Pictures,” a Tokyo-based CG production studio.

In the statement, Nintendo said it is acquiring Dynamo with the intention “to strengthen the planning and production structure of visual content in the Nintendo group” and focus on developing “visual content utilizing Nintendo IP.”

The company expects to close the deal on Oct. 3 and will rename the production studio Nintendo Pictures under the new acquisition.

Dynamo Pictures was founded in 2011 and has a rich portfolio of projects including the animated “Pikmin” short movies — created in collaboration with Nintendo — as well as “Ghost in the Shell,” “Death Stranding,” “Monster Hunter: World,” “Final Fantasy XIII-2,” “Persona 5,” “Yuri on Ice,” “Earwig and the Witch” and more.

The acquisition comes as Nintendo prepares for the release of the widely anticipated animated movie based on the Super Mario Bros. franchise, which is expected to hit cinemas in April 2023.

The film, which will be produced by Illumination (Universal Pictures), stars Chris Pratt, Seth Rogan, and Anya Taylor-Joy and will be the first Mario movie in 30 years.

Nintendo’s acquisition of Dynamo Pictures also comes as other video game companies shift their interest towards the film and TV industry.

Earlier this year, Sony released a film based on the “Uncharted” games and is already in development on an HBO series based on the video game series “The Last of Us.”

In 2021 Riot Games debuted on Netflix with the animated series “Arcane,” a spinoff of the popular online game “League of Legends.”

Sega has also ventured into film and animation, with multiple “Sonic the Hedgehog” productions released or currently in development.

Experts believe that by purchasing the video production studio, Nintendo is acquiring the freedom to produce its own content and is likely preparing for a future where film and TV shows based on its gaming titles will be produced in-house.