What the Heck Is Going on at Retro Studios???

[@ArloStuff]

One small piece of the puzzle I forgot to mention. The character hidden behind the Mario statue in this photo Retro Studios gave to Reggie when he retired. twitter.com/Reggie/status/1118634847994408960?s=20

[@bagofgroceries]

StarTropics. That’s my theory.

[@RobinPochita]

Who is she?

[@organizedopinions8068]

@@RobinPochita I think it's a new IP maybe something even Reggie himself liked. He has been known to favor and hate specific projects he never really cared for anything like the disaster series or even Fire Emblem/Xenoblade but he is a known mario fanatic and loved everything retros ever been a part of and it's Nintendos flagship American studio so he was probably involved with it to some extent. It wouldnt be far off that it recieved his blessing. I hope to god we get a Nintendo just before or directly after the game awards and Retro drops a bombshell like a new IP coming in like 5 or 6 months or even something DK/SF related I'd actually would be so hyped I'd cheer like a kid again.

[@jareddanko7959]

What is that metal hand

[@johnfeet3990]

I feel like the hand might just be one of the Federation Force mech-robot things, the style of the hand kind of lines up. Although all of the art I could find had their right hand being a gun and not a hand so I don't know.

[@Howdoyouchangepf]

Let's hope retro studios doesn't go down the same rabbit hole as alpha dream

[@ZER0O9]

I doubt that, debatable worst case scenario, retro gets dissolved but the employees get station elsewhere in Nintendo.

[@sketcher445]

GAMEBomb123 have you seen what EA does?

[@pokepines2516]

@@sketcher445 Nintendo is not EA. Also Nintendo actually believes cutting employees is bad for employee morale and just don't. Usually money comes out of higher ups to continue paying employees without their salary getting effected, happened during the wiiu era when Nintendo was actually struggling. Rn Nintendo is doing well tho, so yeah...doubt.

[@DocTime56]

@@pokepines2516 it's not about morale, Nintendo is a Japanese company, they usually tend to go to bankruptcy before firing people... American companies won't touch their heart if they need to fire half of their working Force to stay afloat

[@pokepines2516]

@@DocTime56 yeah but they rather go bankrupt cuz they have higher treatment standards and are more respectful. Overall i think it just builds a better working environment. Just look at the difference between a how a classroom teacher is treated in Japan vs North America. The young are thought to be respectful from the very start, whereas here teachers can really sometimes not care. Im sure that discipline translates later on in life.

[@estivo5180]

The DK animated show in the background is gold

[@pumpkinpimp2737]

Oh hey, 69 likes. *nice*

[@ttthttpd]

420 likes, dank

[@MasterOfKnowledge.]

*Bananaaaaaaaaaaaaa slamma!*

[@ttthttpd]

@Z Sybrant You're bad mouthing people for being childish and cracking stupid jokes/memes (aka having fun) on a video of a Muppet talking about video games. You must be a troll or an utterly puritanical idiot.

[@fatseal9999]

ttthttpd you do realize Arlo is only shown as a muppet like puppet at the intro and outro. He goes into way farther detail than most other video game channels.

[@Mrjonnyjonjon123]

Everyone: We need to mature up our videos to avoid COPPA Arlo: HECK!!!

[@spockbaca5475]

This is a placeholder name TAKE HIM TO JAIL

[@Mr_Mimestamp]

*“DARKNESS!”*

[@LOSTLEAD8R]

He really upped the swearing recently. I can't watch these videos at work anymore.

[@Cinnuhminn]

This is a placeholder name It’s so ironic that people on KZbin need to mature up because of COPPA now after they tried to become family-friendly for advertisement and monetization But Arlo should definitely slow down with his H E C K, my goodness

[@Alias_Anybody]

Still no blood in that blue fur.

[@sirpig7141]

They're probably working on the new Kid Icarus game and being forced not to release it until 2037.

[@zachatck64]

Tell that to Chibi-Robo

[@takeoutfromchina3166]

Somebody random: "Wait StarFox has lore?" Me: [Slams a big book on the table] " Millions of years ago Aquas was the planet of a prosperous civilization that took inhabitants on the few remaining islands. Since the planet is only 3 percent land the majority of it's inhabitants lived underwater. Despite the majority of underwater inhabitants being mostly marine-like in nature few were sentient as evidence by some underwater temples discovered by Cornerian researchers. One of these creatures was known as the Bacoon: a giant clam-like being that possessed immense psychic power. This creature was said to have destroyed the civilizations on the surface by manipulating a starfish species into blowing up the vast icy poles flooding the entire planet. To this day Cornerian scientists have been planning on building a underwater city after the planet is deemed safe."

[@valletas]

Me: you are a generic space ship pilot that fights in a generic war against a generic villain The game is amazing

[@Thriving_in_Exile]

Source, plz?

[@yoohoo7222]

Damn, straight!

[@takeoutfromchina3166]

@June Its from the StarFox 64 promotional guidebook. They go over strategy, map details, characters, lore, etc.

[@takeoutfromchina3166]

@@Thriving_in_Exile The PDF source is a little hard to find but if you look up the wiki for the StarFox64 guidebook there's a link that will send you to the contents of the book.

[@newpo2005]

I couldn't focus on what he was saying the Dk show was too immersive

[@XENOBLADEGAMER]

I watch all 2 seasons every day

[@donkeykong4983]

Splatoon God Good

[@Ethan-nl2wg]

Splatoon God I watch all 2 seasons every day while eating coconut cream pies

[@XENOBLADEGAMER]

@@Ethan-nl2wg Hoo boi can't beat that except for the fact that I sing the intro at the top of my lungs and can quote the entire dialogue and if I had a nickle for every time I've said banana slammah, I'd be as rich as DK is hot.

[@Ethan-nl2wg]

Splatoon God damn fine you win this time

[@laggianput]

Coughs Pikmin 4 is "in development" for 6 years

[@rarm5899]

Correction: It’s been “nearly finished” for 6 years

[@pumpkinpimp2737]

It's probably dead.

[@Changanator]

You may be right, retro might have been working on pikmin 4 at some point

[@thekiss2083]

Whatever Miyamoto was talking about all those years ago is not going to happen at this point

[@jaycup1487]

Laggianput 1 its been finished for over 4

[@JonVerrall]

I can say, definitively, that Retro Studios is aware of Arlo, and a bunch of people followed your videos closely while I was working there! (And, at one point, I was trying to figure out how I'd be able to throw a reference to you somewhere...) We're all under NDA, though. All of us. I wouldn't trust much of anything anyone says, because breaking an NDA in this industry is basically a death knell for your career. Love the channel! Good luck!

[@shevrett2658]

Yeah ok

[@aki-lucky8345]

Hmm

[@Fuzunga]

So you left too, eh?

[@donkeykong4983]

Jon Verrall Release me from your shackles!

[@kargaroc386]

fuck totalitarianism

[@Crispeaks]

Arlo: Darkness Me: Ooh, Arlo’s maturing up his videos I see!

[@drowningin]

Rick James: CHARLIE MURPHY! *DARKNESS they never should of give you niggas money!*

[@noahbetts4906]

It's clearly to avoid getting basically demonetized because of COPPA

[@tanookijumpman1139]

@@noahbetts4906 I don't know if you're still here but if you are I have something to tell you about COPPA: it's not as bad as you think it is. The FTC specifically said they won't prosecute all ages content, (think Mario, Zelda, ect.) just stuff specifically created for kids like Barney or Elmo. The machine learning part on KZbin's part is bad - hopefully it will get better - but it's not the end of the world. Type in - not on KZbin - Science 2.0 COPPA to learn how COPPA will be enforced.

[@tanookijumpman1139]

@@noahbetts4906 One more thing: I made my comment not as a criticism towards Arlo but towards misinformation in general. I suspect he might been misinformed or panicked; I don't think he intentionally mislead people. This is pretty obscure information so I get why people wouldn't know about it.

[@shannonclark3628]

Tanooki Jumpman COPPA defines kids as anyone under the age of 13. 12 year olds aren’t going on to youtube to watch Barney or Elmo. It wouldn’t make sense for the FTC to just go after preschool content. Plus Arlo looks like a certain sesame street character, and maybe that’s enough to be considered child directed. We don’t know yet. It seems like the FTC is going to be deciding what is child directed on a case by case basis.

[@MagerBlutooth]

Inb4 Ice Climbers Revengeance: Rise of Nana.

[@Muirbidul]

Are you kidding? I'd kill for another Ice Climbers game! Their whole identity has been formed through Smash (similar to Pit) so they could take examples from Smash for a new Ice Climbers game.

[@iamahorseradish3860]

Loogi 12 uprising was a result of pit being in smash

[@jeremyabbott4537]

RULES OF NATURE!

[@sealeo5772]

Hopefully they let us wobble people in it.

[@omerozel4716]

Arlo: Darkness Me: oh jesus christ arlo turned into a kingdom hearts villain

[@hasannaim8381]

BEEES

[@demise1519]

Oh god they’ve norted Arlo

[@Nyzer_]

@@BushBabyL Lorax

[@The_Wosh]

@@Nyzer_ oh no

[@demise1519]

Nyzer “the trees... they speak to me Sora”

[@TheFrostedfirefly]

Arlo: "You want to hear more about Metroid Prime 4???" Me: YEAHH!!!! Arlo: "You want ANXIETY???????" Me: ....Oh no......

[@sam_barris]

I'm hoping they were working on the Metroid Prime Trilogy: Definitive Edition for Switch and Nintendo has just been holding off on releasing it for whatever reason.

[@JimmySquiky]

That would've been nice !

[@SadSynth]

Retro wouldn't be working on that. Anybody can remaster those games. I'm sure that's still coming. That would be a waste of Retro's time and talent though.

[@CrapMyHat]

If they are going to re-release the trilogy again, I rather they actually added some content to them. Whether it be new areas, new enemies, making MP3 less motion control dependent and more like the previous two etc.

[@KairuHakubi]

Not just anyone can do that since it won't work without massively changing how it aims

[@jumponeverything]

That wouldn't take this long though

[@ianchandler4649]

As long as Metroid Prime 4 doesn’t get cancelled, I’m satisfied.

[@TSPH1992]

Aye

[@wantedwario2621]

yeah its getting cancelled

[@crossfire34]

Based on all of this it probably will.

[@PunchPerfectPlayer]

What if it sucks!

[@KingBoooo]

Tbh the first Prime game went through a lot of development issues as well and it turned out amazing, let's hope the same happens to 4.

[@BraxtonKovary]

Inb4 the Nintendo Direct debunks this whole video in a month.

[@chrover-drawings3955]

Hope thats the case

[@donaldglover8212]

They may even show something at the game awards in 2 weeks

[@BraxtonKovary]

@@donaldglover8212 thank you, Childish Gambino

[@galaxymew5138]

Wait, there's a Direct this month or is it just for the Game Awards?

[@AncelDeLambert]

We can only hope, of course

[@RatedB1]

Is everything we love just a writhing mess of snakes, eels and tentacles hidden with a colorful branded sheet tossed over the top?

[@Shy_Monkeys]

Kinky

[@ravenpotter3]

Dojo32161 that’s what I was going to say!

[@HeilRay]

L e w d

[@Lionlovesunity]

I think so. 95% of it anyway.

[@Play_Dreams]

That's business

[@DanSweeto]

I really hope there is a new ambitious Star Fox game on the horizon, something like Star Fox Assault. Mostly, I just hope that Retro will come out of all of this okay D:

[@Vvonter]

Just if it has better shooting and pace than Assault. Shooting in a Star Fox game is as important as Mario's jump feel. And Assault didn't had it. The music production and multiplayer though, those were very good.

[@DanSweeto]

​@@Vvonter yeah definitely, but in the overall direction it was taking the series it comes out on top imo!

[@Austinator0630]

It's funny you mentioned Star Fox because Retro Studios were working on a Star Fox game after they completed Tropical Freeze.

[@ChristopherMoom]

If Retro ends up becoming AlphaDream 2 I'm gonna be incredibly sad

[@hypnobagels8634]

AlphaDream 2: Electric Boogaloo

[@caseys2698]

Hypno Bagels :(

[@bowser1166]

They are developing Metroid Prime 4 at the moment, so I guess not.

[@Nic5Cyprus]

Too soon man

[@SpaceKingScot]

Retro studios is fully owned by Nintendo, that won’t happen. Alpha dream wasn’t, they were a partner. Partners can go out, but fully owned studios won’t just vanish like that.

[@sabarusv9956]

Arlo: weather is pretty good My house is flooded :/

[@JustinDoesntLookAt]

Genie: alright you got three wishes what u want? Me: make me invisible Genie: k Me: Now teleport me to Austin Texas Genie: lol why Me: you know why

[@gagne6928]

@Jared Jones his e ak

[@JB-tl8rj]

Inside Gaming

[@EmperorZ19]

@Jared Jones Retro Studios is in Austin, IIRC

[@neog8029]

Genie would probably be like, "Invisible? K." and poofs you out of existence.

[@QrazyQuarian]

@@neog8029 So you're THAT kind of DM when a player uses a Wish spell.

[@Nintendrone42]

I have to admit I'm worried for Retro's future, since there's clearly something going wrong that Nintendo's usual method of giving some cash and simply waiting for the game won't fix. I wonder if Retro is slowly reverting to its early days of chaos and juggling multiple projects only to cancel them all, where Miyamoto and some suits had to come over and give Retro a needed kick in the ass.

[@QrazyQuarian]

I don't think so. Metroid was what was keeping them all together. They had a strong development team, but even more they had people from Nintendo come in and give them guidance when they had hit a wall. Nintendo isn't the type to just say, "Get it done," and then sit on their hands waiting for a miracle. It was clear that Nintendo wasn't happy with the results of whatever studio had MP4 first, as they cut ties altogether. Retro has source material and a close relationship with Nintendo on this very ip. It also isn't like Nintendo to just say, "Hey, you did a good job; here's some money, now make a miracle." Like Arlo has said before: you have to work hard to get a gig with Nintendo. You have to be the best and the brightest. Nintendo isn't a company that will rest on the laurels of past glories. Retro *earned* the rights back to their shining achievement, especially when you consider that they had left Nintendo on what can only be assumed are bad terms. The fact that they were chosen probably doesn't have as much to do with the fact that they have had past experience as it does with the fact that they made a really good elevator pitch and had a plan for it all, just around the same time the other company got their balls shoved in their own mouths over the progress they had made on the title. Video game companies are unique in some way. They have dynasties that last much shorter than other companies in different fields. If someone makes a product, usually people will buy it, and other companies can compete with their own versions of basically the same thing. Video game developers come and go with the wind. They usually stay for one or two projects, then move on to another company. You also have a unique situation where projects from one developer are going to be vastly different from any other developer. Yes, certain aspects tend to catch on; for instance Halo revolutionized the FPS genre, and everyone and their *dog* has used their methods to bring FPS titles onto consoles when it was never thought possible before. But generally, you will never get two of the same game. This is important because it shows that the video game world is constantly changing. Because of this, companies have to constantly deliver unique, new gameplay that catches the eye of the gamer as they continually progress into the next era of gaming. It's just the nature of the gaming industry, and because of its nature, companies rise and fall. A lot of them make great games, and then fall off the face of the Earth. Some companies hang on in their sudden irrelevance, and this seems to be the case with Retro. Nintendo has obviously had them on life support for a long time. After all, they revolutionized Donkey Kong and Metroid on more than one occasion. To remove them from Nintendo's presence is silly. But they definitely have to earn their stripes continually as all game developers do--like I said, you can't rest on your laurels in a field where dynasties rise and fall with every title release. What I'm getting at here is that Retro probably is in good standings right now to work on the most-anticipated game since Breath of the Wild. It wasn't handed to them, and they have held on for dear life just to get to this moment where they can step up from the darkness and obscurity of "the good old days" that we have left behind. Retro is the ace in Nintendo's pocket, because they continually earn it. Inner turmoil is always a fear at some point in a company's life, but that's what shareholders are for. If they need to, they'll spend the money to restructure it as needed.

[@NotsoHardcore1]

If there's a new Half Life then there's is always hope.

[@enderking1525]

Speaking of which, who's hyped?

[@DANCERcow]

Is it a new half life though? Because it ain't half life 3

[@XadePsyconic]

@@DANCERcow As a longtime HL fan, it doesn't need to be HL3 - - IT'S HALF-LIFE, BABY!!

[@jackgarcia5926]

@@enderking1525 looks awesome, but no way I am buying a VR headset for a single game, even if it's up to valve's old standards.

[@felipe_drawmania1604]

@@DANCERcow Apparently Is set between the events of 1 and 2.

[@Protendo]

If Retro wasn’t doing anything for the past 5 years, I can guarantee that they’ll be *Nobody’s Hero.*

[@CameronBFunny]

An absolute zero...

[@shenoykp]

They wont be on japan's CERO

[@BaBooTubeVideos]

now its stuck in my head. how dare you.

[@paulakroy2635]

Professor Pro no more heroes

[@deoxysn310]

*Things you missed to mention in the video* - People quit from Retro Studio after Prime 3 because they didn't want to work on Donkey Kong. They knew Prime wouldn't happen and moved on to other FPS-titles elsewere. - Retro Studios have cancelled a Kid Icarus revival before they made DKCR. That was Because of too much focus on story, and the Pit model used in Brawl was apperently something Retro Studio made. - In early 2019, strong rumors says that Star Fox: Grand Prix was fake all along. - They did help with development of Mario Kart 7. - They probably worked on multiple projects, which started late 2013. Those projects was probably rejected by Nintendo early on (like with the Kid Icarus thing) and after Tropical Freeze released, they finally got something greenlighted and worked on that. - Nintendo probably wanted them to make two projects at once. One of which was probably a Switch 2017 titles. Based in rumors of course. This project was cancelled and the team took över develoment of Metroid Prime 4 - Tropical Freeze originally had a Holiday 2013 release but was delayed to February 2014. - Retro Studios made the Tropocal Freeze Switch Port. - Nintendo would *never* have give over Metroid Prime 4 to Retro Studios if they knew they was a unsure developer - Retro Studios has hired the art director of Halo 4 to the Metroid Prime 4 team - Metroid Prime 4 *probably* isn't in full development yet because of Kensuke Tanabe wanting to finish Luigi's Mansion 3 first. - They probably want to release one of their games because of the picture Reggie got from them had a cencured character. - That character looked like Mario with armor, which is fr om this unannounced project. - SPECULATION: Could be the reason why Nintendo trademarks Eternal Darknesd all the times. - Nintendo have not revealed any new 2020 games as of now (except for Xenoblade D.E). Retro Studios game could still be alive and be around the corner.

[@jackgarcia5926]

It's worth mentioning that retro studios has been trying to get an original IP off the ground since _before_ the first prime entry even released. Sadly, the game got canned because prime took up too much resources. According to other Nintendo subsidiaries like Monolith soft, it's extremely hard for Nintendo to give green light to original projects. Retro studios track record seems to back this reputation up. It is worth mentioning that the same Monolith soft has been working on a new ip since around 2016, could this be because of Nintendo's shifting focus post-Wii U? If so, maybe Retro likewise finally got their big break...just maybe. As for 2020 Nintendo games, the Botw sequel is apparently planned for it, probably the response to the new systems scheduled for that year, and I doubt it will be the only heavy weight title of the year, pretty sure another Mario is inevitable.

[@deoxysn310]

@@jackgarcia5926 Yeah. The thing is that Monolith Soft is japanese meanwhile Retro Studios is american, Making Monolith Soft somewhat easier to make new IP, but who knows. I also thinks Nintendo Switch 2020 is full of games. Maybe not Botw 2, but the next 3D Mario för sure.

[@taomasterwaka6287]

do you have any more info on that kid icarus game? cause that sounds interesting, way more so than uprising.

[@deoxysn310]

@@taomasterwaka6287 I think Did You Know Gaming has covered It in one of their "cancelled video game episodes" ot something like that

[@taomasterwaka6287]

@@deoxysn310 Wait are you sure that was retro? Unseen 64 has a video on a cancelled kid icarus reboot on wii but that was being worked on by factor 5

[@patriotslover1014]

Arlo maturing his channel to stay COPPA friendly: *Darkness* Also Arlo: *Heck*

[@DarthMeteos]

I seriously thought Arlo said "dat ass" at the Switch intro. Had to rewind to hear it as darkness. Accursed accent!

[@autumnwolf4375]

Eyyyy

[@manuelredgrave8348]

Blessed*

[@TinyLordCthulhu]

I heard that too I was so confused but also died from laughter

[@googleguy-ft8xh]

He’s really tryna fight that COPPA huh

[@SubwayZ]

i think you have hearing issues

[@Phaios95]

*Arlo:* Hello hello you perfect and wonderful people Me: *blushes“

[@SojournToAlkaiser89]

I wanted to like but it has 69 likes so I'll comment that I feel exactly the same

[@overcooked2808]

that background was unexpected but appreciated

[@epicberrymode3575]

I really want a new Donkey Kong Country. Retro: You impatient little...

[@AngryMiddleAgedMan]

@Mr. Flash yes it will 😉😉

[@The_Yosh]

I want a King K. Rool game

[@pixelproductions150]

I want an hd donkey Kong country

[@dukemon6163]

Try Yooka Laylee and the Impossible Lair. It does a good job being a DK game while we wait for the new official one.

[@mix3k818]

Ech, last Bubsy game that actually encompasses its style correctly was on the Atari Jaguar, so... ...yeah, it may happen, but with the current issues at Retro, who said the final product will be good?

[@gunned_]

I swear if they were working on a 3d Donkey Kong game or Just any type of new DK Game and cancelled it i'll be so sad

[@retrohero2762]

@Joel Johnson Paper Mario is made by Intelligent Systems

[@anthonynycholas4230]

I swear, if their sendoff is another DK game Retro would have fallen flat on their faces by not having the 4th Prime being released

[@martinhowser4094]

Amazing how good metroid prime still looks, considering it’s age

[@TriplePixel]

Ikr? I just finished the trilogy and while I'd appreciate it in HD, its still gorgeous on the wii

[@SuperMarioMinecrafter321]

Prime 1 looks super good for 2002.

[@Matanumi]

gamecube era was truly powerful...many games aged quite well in graphics...just not so much in.gameplay mechanics

[@Arcon1ous]

Retro did a lot of hidden cheating with Metroid prime to get it that way, so much so that people trying to emulate Metroid Prime are still trying to figure out how to do it on much more powerful hardware than the gamecube actually had. The gamecube had very consistent hardware, without any of the hardware refreshes or things like that have happened in the consoles since then, so Retro had all of the shaders precompiled and ready to go for the game, and packed in as many as they could get to run in it. This with another couple work arounds since they know their hardware will always be consistent allowed them to really push things way further than you normally can in game development, since most of these graphics programs have to be specifically tailored to the hardware they run on, so are mostly compiled via software as the games are calling for it. Hell, the people trying to emulate Metroid Prime have had to do serious development and new technologies to get it to work properly, That shows some extremely good optimization and some very good coding out of retro.

[@SuperMarioMinecrafter321]

The Gamecube era was really when 3D games started to look really good.

[@bandicootsauce4569]

Guys, I've figured it out: They're making a dark and gritty reboot of Ice Climber.

[@BestiaIustitia]

It’s a beat em up but it takes place in the mountains

[@wrosebrock]

Why didn't it get a sequel?

[@QrazyQuarian]

The game we all have wanted.

[@mudshrooze]

Retro really has done a great job with the dkc games and I'm looking forward to them doing a third and the triumphant return of King K Rool and the Kremlings

[@turtleanton6539]

Yuup

[@NOOBMASTER-hy6uo]

Hopefully more Animal Buddies come back as well as bringing back DK Coins Battle Crowns and Golden Bananas as well as having actual mini games hosted by Swanky Kong as well as Bring Back Checkpoint Barrels, TNT barrels as well as adding Lanky Kong Kiddy Kong Chunky Kong and Tiny Kong as Playable Characters

[@thepretentiousplayer4017]

I hope if they make a new DK it will at least be better than jungle beat

[@metashade4218]

This seriously has me worried for Metroid Prime 4...

[@xxProjectJxx]

You're right to be worried. Retro hasn't shown anything in years. That alone had me worried ever since they were put in charge of Prime 4. The fact that Nintendo put Retro in charge is a big show of confidence on Nintendo's part. Let's hope it's not misplaced.

[@joshua9832]

Me too.

[@DrShemp-sv6gf]

I kind of am too, but at the same time, retro has always put a lot of work into their games. The donkey Kong games especially show that. If anyone can pull it off, they can

[@user-jh9hh5jk4h]

Would Nintendo let them die though?

[@blurredlights5235]

Retro Studios is a production company comprised of highly skilled shitlords and somewhat competent chimpanzees. They bumble-fuck about until Ninten-daddy tells them what to do, and then the wizard finally emerges from the ventilation shafts, pukes up a masterpiece, then slithers back inside.

[@zackcorinski2081]

Me: I don’t need it Me again: I still Don’t need it Arlo Uploads Me: I NEEEEEEEED IT

[@caseys2698]

Zack Corinski Better version: I don’t need it I still don’t need it... ... *Arlo uploads* I NEEEEEEEEEED ITTTTT!!!!!1¡!! (I got rid of the “Me:” part that gets old in KZbin comments. It’s an annoying trend. Not trying to hate on you, just saying the joke would still be funny without relying on the tired “Me:” or “Absolutely No One:” format.)

[@santiagoramirez9601]

Casey S ok boomer

[@tmcttf8087]

@@caseys2698 Trends such as that need to die.

[@manuelredgrave8348]

@@tmcttf8087 nah

[@tmcttf8087]

@@manuelredgrave8348 Yeah.

[@TheNukaColaMan10]

Perfect day? PERFECT DAY?! I WAS FROZEN TODAY! THATS NOT A JOKE, IM LITERALLY FROZEN INSIDE MY HOUSE BECAUSE THE ICE IS SO BAD, MY FRONT DOOR IS STUCK AND I HAVE CALLED THE POLICE ALSO GREAT VIDEO ARLO.

[@wanderingslacker]

Damn dude, stay safe.

[@potassiumnitrate420]

Damn. That's a mood.

[@turtleanton6539]

Cool

[@dolphinboi-playmonsterranc9668]

You sound very optimistic

[@potassiumnitrate420]

@@dolphinboi-playmonsterranc9668 that's his mood

[@kboi1170]

Nintendo: We delayed Metroid because it wasn't up to our standards. Also Nintendo: Let's go ahead and release Pokemon Sw/Sh.

[@KingTuckerVII]

Pokemon is the one Nintendo IP that they have the least central control over as they only own 1/3rd of it. Its actually why we'll never get a "breath of the wild" level pokemon.

[@adiazrue5776]

Man I WISH Nintendo internal team make Pokemon

[@jackgarcia5926]

Pokemon is trash, but sells regardless of quality, Metroid has _never_ sold well, it's function is basically that of a peacock, it's there to drum up brand prestige. If you have a shitty Metroid title, you get neither sales or prestige.

[@coolguy02536]

@@jackgarcia5926 It's not advertised at all and clearly not mass produced, so it'll never be held accountable for not selling, especially with the bulk of Nintendo's deplorable fanbase being incapable of appreciating it. It focused on quality significantly more than quantity, in stark contrast to Mario and Pokemon as of late.

[@ImplyDoods]

@@coolguy02536 you commented 2 times

[@slenderfoxx3797]

3:50 Lol Arlo please don't stop dragging sticker star and colour splash in any video you can. It's become a running gag (which I use as well). It's perfect please continue it😆

[@ambidex1250]

Arlo: Makes content that anyone can enjoy Coppa: Wait, that’s illegal

[@loserboypro]

Arlo: Weather’s Perfect Me in 18 inches of snow

[@kovacs6953]

New England boys rise up

[@8BitFun]

Excellent video, Arlo. We need more of this investigative journalism in the video game world.

[@psychokinrazalon]

Hyle Russell from The Kongversation has more info on this in his podcast. Basically, according to his source, Tanabe left Retro in 2014. Retro then couldn’t get their shit together without him for four years. Then Nintendo brought them back together with Metroid Prime 4 where they’ll, hopefully, be able to work together again.

[@xander5190]

“Banjo kazooie will be in smash” He isn’t the most reputable source in the world -Arlo Well that didn’t turn out how you expected now did it

[@srirachamp6787]

Arlo: releases a 25 minutes video about the ups and downs of a game company with amazing research KZbin: THAT'S A MUPPET! IT'S FOR KIDS!

[@dorugoramon0518]

Which is kind of ironic considering the Muppets were supposed to be "adult"

[@ForeverLaxx]

@@dorugoramon0518 Yup. Jim Henson basically went to his grave fighting to get muppets out from under the weight that is "child friendly only". It's a disease that poisons animation in America as well.

[@ToastyOs]

"It was meant to be a racing game based on Star Fox", written shortly after the rumor comes out, tacked on at the end of a job review, with the heading 'Advice to Management', immediately strikes me as unbelievable. Seriously it looks like a kid wrote it. Exhibit B: "in a development cycle" Exhibit C: "for reasons" Exhibit D: redundancy of cons 2 and 3

[@michaelalbertelli3819]

22:25 I want to read more LMAO "Retro were hoping to enter preproduction within the next 38 years"

[@one121100]

Genuinely spooked There was a blackout just as Arlo said “Darkness” at the intro

[@psychokinrazalon]

8:15 Fire Emblem & Xenoblade: “Are we jokes to you?”

[@jackgarcia5926]

By Nintendo I just assume actual in-house teams, in which case he would be mostly correct. Intelligent systems and Monolith soft are subsidiaries.

[@psychokinrazalon]

Jack Garcia Retro is a subsidiary too, yet Arlo’s explicitly giving them credit for something Intsys and Monolith already do on a regular basis without acknowledging them.

[@kylecampbell565]

arlo ignores RPGS despite having a lot what he wants in a game. Makes it hard for me to take his opinions seriously at times

[@ghirahimlefabuleux8984]

@@jackgarcia5926 Retro is too... It's sadly not too unexpected for Arlo to ignore Nintendo franchises that he doesn't know for his arguments despite them having exactly what he is saying is missing in the other franchises.

[@Katie-hb8iq]

Watching this 2 years later, and we still don't know what Retro Studios was working on between 2014 and January 2019. Not a clue. Seems like Nintendo lost a lot of money during that period. The only credit is 2018's re-released of DKTF for the Switch, which I am guessing didn't need 5 years.

[@enecofan888]

Probably the game that seems to be referenced in Reggie's pic. However, everything was probably cancelled as soon as the got the task to make MP4. I'm really concerned about whether this game is in the hands of the right studio, considering that almost nothing seems to work there. We haven't heard about it in ages.

[@PhantomUma2]

It seems that Nintendo have been shortening the time between reveal and release so if they are working on something else I believe it’s very likely that it will be seen next year.

[@HenrikoMagnifico]

New 3D Donkey Kong Adventure game!

[@forrestannis909]

Something like Donkey Kong 64, but with the playable characters from Donkey Kong Country 3 & Donkey Kong 64. I'd like for all those Kongs to be playable.

[@_strayfer_]

Well now I’m terrified about Metroid Prime 4... again...

[@TriplePixel]

The galaxy needs hope....

[@nileriver216]

@ Mac Main When in doubt, punch it out.😉

[@DumStrung]

@@TriplePixel The last Metroid is in captivity, The galaxy is at peace...

[@mauken-dyn6685]

Do keep in mind, Retro employees, after hearing of Prime 4's development by the mixed studios, created a demo for Prime 4, which they showed Nintendo, who were impressed by it. Plus with all this talent hiring (like Halo artist), I think we don't need to be worried about Metroid Prime 4. Considering Nintendo stopped the original project and had it restarted, they won't let a bad game come out of it.

[@bitbandit1678]

My friend works at a big game studio in Austin and some of his coworkers used to work at retro studios. He says they say it was hard working there under Nintendo.

[@bitbandit1678]

He works at blue point btw. He says they had been snagging quite a few veterans of Retro Studios.

[@HydefHyde]

@@bitbandit1678 ask your friend what bluepoint is currently working on!

[@taomasterwaka6287]

I feel like that's a given considering the vast differences between the japanese game development industry and the american game development industry

[@lintoneil2704]

"Later that year, Ubisoft would announce that Starfox would be a guest character in their open-world sci-fi game Starlink: Battle for Atlus." I don't know who 'Starfox' is but I love Fox McCloud

[@troylake4128]

I dunno man, I think fitting Funky Kong into a Switch cartridge would have definitely taken a lot of time and money, not to mention power.

[@turtleanton6539]

Ha

[@Bramblestar9339]

Worldbuilding and lore. That’s why I loved Skyward Sword so much.

[@IonSquared]

Hey, always pleasant to spot a fellow Skyward Sword fan in the wild! In a post-BotW world, it's still my favorite Zelda.

[@Bramblestar9339]

IonSquared Same my friend. It’s my favorite.

[@golisopodgaming2201]

My uncle's, cousin's, stepmom's grandson works at retro and told me metriod prime 4 and star fox grand prix are both scrapped, they are working on a star fox dating simulator, trust me this is creditable

[@Gnidel]

It's for the better.

[@trashbomb]

Oh hell yes.

[@bbsj86]

Look I think we all know the OTP is Grippy Toad and Panther.

[@polobaluyut6816]

@@horseeatsdogfood5721 woosh

[@horseeatsdogfood5721]

Oh man, what a shame. I would of loved to see those!

[@SpanishSebas]

I believe Star Fox Grand Prix was real. Nintendo thought that Star Fox Zero would be a massive success and they wanted to push the brand even further with a spin off. But due to the failure of Star Fox Zero (and the Wii U in general), Nintendo decided to cancel it. Retro Studios morale drops to the floor and that would explain the comments of various former employees on the internet. They try to find a new project to work on, but they struggle. Until they hear that Nintendo is not pleased with how Metroid Prime 4 is going and they say: "Hey, guys, that's our thing. Let's show Nintendo some sick prototype and maybe they'll give the project to us". And the rest is history...

[@maskofthedragon]

I called that MP4 was never going to come out when all they showed was a logo, Now it's time to double my bet!

[@YEs69th420]

The game had only just started development when they revealed it, they just needed some games to show the Switch was gonna have a good library.

[@coastersplus]

@@YEs69th420 Now it's just that and SMT V that haven't happened, right?

[@YEs69th420]

@@coastersplus And Bayo 3, but we know Platinum wanted to focus on Astral Chain for the time being. I guess Pikmin 4 too if we want to believe Miyamoto was hallucinating.

[@Matanumi]

I think prime 4 will happen...but it won't be called prime 4 and it'll be a different game when its done

[@kylecampbell565]

3:45 I disagree highly. Donkey Kong Country Returns alone outsold the ENTIRE Metroid Prime Trilogy from a business perspective making another Metroid game would’ve been stupid.

[@taomasterwaka6287]

Yeah but then Tropical freeze came about and was a complete failure. DKCR's success had more to do with it being on the system with the largest casual install base than anything else.

[@kylecampbell565]

tao master Waka well Metroid has always sold very poorly in Japan. 1 million+ units is a modest success for a side scroller a new HD Metroid game would’ve probably needed at least double to break even

[@taomasterwaka6287]

@@kylecampbell565 you say that like donkey kong games are some huge seller in japan, they're not, they really only sell well in the west

[@kylecampbell565]

tao master Waka to quote the geek critique in his tropical freeze video “at best a new Metroid would’ve appealed to a different group of the same size. Once the Wii U got its reputation as a kiddy underpowered console it was impossible to shake that stigma”

[@taomasterwaka6287]

oh don't get me wrong i'm not saying that metroid would have saved the wii u, i'm just saying that donkey kong country as a whole holds more worth as a franchise because one game sold super well is misleading

[@1red2blue4]

To muddy the waters even more, Retro continued this hiring spree into late summer 2019, which I actually applied for. I, of course, got a prebuilt message telling me my qualifications didn't match, BUT compare that to my application to Nintendo of America in spring 2019. I received a personalized message from human resources telling me that my qualifications match; I need only follow up in a few areas. I unfortunately did not have the resources to follow-up, but at least Nintendo itself (which is significantly larger than Retro) personalizes their hiring and Retro doesn't. That says something about their hiring process. All these positions are still actively being looked for, including the one from 6 months ago, which leads me to believe that either: -Retro was told to hire but doesn't want to. -Their HR department is limited. -They are being incredulously picky about their hires. The third is the best-case scenario, because it likely means they're being incredibly selective to avoid their previous problems.

[@anthonybelvedere1389]

U missed the fact that they were hiring game testers and debuggers for a current game last year, with no game in sight!! I think they r the ultimate trolls. All the steak and prime rib iimages on Twitter, also they said a reveal was imminent!! Honestly I think we’re gonna have to wait for Reggies book to get the whole story

[@supernintendoid9708]

For a moment I thought the title was “What the heck is going on at Arlo Studios???” And thought “well if anyone should know it’d be you Arlo”

[@FletcherReedsRandomness]

I appreciate the use of the Donkey Kong Country cartoon in the background.

[@sleepiv1]

Definitely one of your best videos, Arlo Really dug deep to get this info, answered some burning questions, made some new ones, and you strung it all together in a very engaging manner I think I've watched it 3 times since release

[@misterzygarde6431]

I’m more surprised that Armature Studio (Composed of many former Retro Studios employees) wasn’t hired to help with Metroid Prime 4 Edit: typo

[@quibquiberton4184]

Do you have a source for that? I tried looking myself.

[@conk_creat_4479]

That didn't happen. They're only working with Retro for the game. Not sure where you saw that, but it's complete BS.

[@og2-tonefromlongbeachl.a590]

Nathan McMurray So ex-Retro devs at Armature are helping with Prime 4? If so than that’s great news

[@conk_creat_4479]

OG 2-Tone From Longbeach L.A Thats the opposite of what I said. Armature has nothing to do with the game, only current Retro devs

[@misterzygarde6431]

Nathan McMurray it was a typo

[@kylewright9625]

You didn't mention the rumors of the trilogy port, which they would have worked on. Also there was that rumor I saw on reddit about a "musical rpg" or something. That could be the character in Reggie's art.

[@AT7outof10]

There's also that character that was in Reggie's goodbye art Retro made. Still waiting to know who that is.

[@Mal-go5dl]

I totally forgot about that. Seems like something we won't get an answer for anytime soon

[@AnonYMouse-ky4sg]

A company is not a person (suck it, Supreme Court), it’s made up of people. It’s the collective work of the people that make a great game, but management and lead roles are the ones most responsible. If these leading roles have left the company, Retro is no long Retro. If enough of them have stayed, or new people can adequately step up to the plate, Retro can be salvaged. Only time will tell, but one thing is for sure. You can’t reference the old games a company has done while not keeping in mind the people that were mostly responsible for those games.

[@ShapeshiftingPotato]

It's sad to see how desperate we were to hear new news on retro at the time this video came out and even almost 2 years later we still have nothing new, hopefully we get something soon

[@kingg2981]

One thing I always wished is for retro to expand upon f-zero as I feel it is one of gaming's most underrated series

[@JacksonWitsell]

Thankfully we have Yooka-Laylee and the Impossible Lair to fill that DKC void for now

[@turtleanton6539]

Thx god

[@Matanumi]

which apparently is a WAY btter take on DKC then the first Y-L was on B&K

[@JacksonWitsell]

@@Matanumi it is! I really enjoy it

[@LordRobotnik]

I recall a rumor going around circa 2018 -2019 that Retro was awarded the right to work on a new Wario Land game after a pitch they did with Nintendo but that info just all fizzled out. There was one thing someone posted on 4chan back in early 2018, 2017 that correctly predicted that game studios were working on Link's Awakening DX (apparently they have been working on that since the WiiU I believe from what the rumor said) and an 'untitled Wario Ware collection that has both new and old games' which turned out to be Wario Ware Gold, but also listed was a new unnamed Wario Land title for the Switch which we haven't seen pop up yet on any reveal.

[@Matanumi]

actually links awakening crew (grezzo) started on the 3DS

[@TheYank2763]

*sees Arlo* Me: INSTANT CLICK

[@amongallothers]

A fantastic and informative review of the status of Retro Studios at this point. Arlo, you create amazing content. I've let go of a lot of subscriptions this year, but you sir will not be one of them. Whatever happens during this rough patch on KZbin, I'm on your side.

[@Zonks28]

According to filings, Retro finished Metroid Prime Remastered in 2021 meaning they were working on it when Arlo made this video. Only 3 more years till Prime 4 I guess 🤷‍♂

[@jacobnivert582]

I’m nervous for Nintendo, mostly because of Mariokart Tour and the seemingly lazy work on Sword and Shield (Seriously, look at the legendary’s animations). And now this. Hopefully Botw 2 doesn’t mess up. Also like if you want Pikmin 4 at the game awards.

[@maximus4765]

I will be unimaginably sad if retro doesn't live long enough to make a new dkc with K Rool but nintendo did make that DK quality assurance team so I'm quite worried.

[@ultronquake]

3 years on and still haven't even heard a peep out of Retro, hoping for the best but not expecting much.

[@nuclearbeeberman]

Well researched! I can imagine what happened at retro... But even after so many good people left i trust them because of nintendos quality control... So either the studio gets closed or we will see a really good metroid prime game

[@audoodle9963]

Yes that Kensuke Tanabe *he comes up holding DKC2, Luigi’s Mansion 3, and Metroid Prime* A man is more then his bad paper Mario young Arlo.

[@chris_wizzudz]

Really hope Prime 4 doesn’t get cancelled over this. We’ve been waiting far too long for this game.

[@custom-r]

I agree.

[@niespeludo]

There's 2 things I've got to mention. First of all, Retro Studios HAS ALWAYS been a mess... crunch times, a set of talented Iguana/ACCLAIM ex-employees who somehow managed to deliver not 1 but 3 masterpieces in a row. Second of all, this is OUTSTANDING work Arlo! I've got to give you some credit for this research. Although very sad (Metroid is my favorite Nintendo property along with Zelda and Mario), this was outstanding research.

[@riemerdevreeze1771]

most importantly, Chunky kong's dead :(

[@estivo5180]

F

[@buttface6663]

f

[@Krakenburgvortex79]

And Cranky's dead too. He's IN the fridge!

[@uncleshrek3614]

F

[@ShadowJinjoYu]

E

[@drowningin]

I live in Austin, and work with 2 ex Retro employees, and know 3 others still working there. I haven't heard any horror stories from any of them. Typical job complaints. I would say they have said more positive about their experience. The ones I work with left for better pay, and better hours not working as programmers in the game industry. That is a job for the young and passionate. By your mid 30s-40s you start a family, and want to spend more time with them instead of months of crunch, and a lot of weekends/late nights regardless of which stage of production. I worked as a game programmer from 19 to 29 myself. I make much better money now, and have the great perk of spending every night & weekends with my family. Overtime is no fun on salary jobs especially when you lose passion for making games. I still make indie game projects to test new things I'm learning, and am teaching my son to program at his request.

[@drowningin]

I should also note unless it's a small company, as a programmer or artist you have no say about what is being made. So you could spend 4years at least on a project that means really nothing to you. You might not even be learning anything new which is the worst imo. If anyone is interested in the games industry making an indie studio with some smart people you meet online or college will be MUCH more fulfilling than working for a big studio. There is no better time in history for small/indie teams able to sell their games on PC & License to consoles. In the 90s it was PC shareware or bust if you were a small team. Now 1-5 people can make a game, get it on every platform, and pay the bills. Go that route, and not the big studios. Do your time at a big studio, and get it out of you in your 20s, and move on

[@aliets]

This is a filler comment.

[@ZER0O9]

Thanks! now I'm full

[@bluekirby_64]

This is a filler reply.

[@baconlabs]

Well, it's a sight better than the other kind that also begins with F-I.

[@chickensouplover516]

Ok

[@RexcorJ]

Filler response but with some variety, though nothing worth remembering.

[@XxsuperstudlyxX]

I guess the video game industry isn't so different from factory work when it comes to the rules and practices established by management to either keep good talent... or lose it. I've seen the same thing these rumors floating about Retro in my own work place. Management doesnt value their best employees, we dont even get double time on Sundays. They scheduled ridiculous OT schedules to ship parts out ASAP. A lot of our best operators quit or pointed out because 80 hours a week just isn't an appropriate life style. Then further issues arrise-- mass hire of new employees, with no skill checks. Some catch on quick. Some dont care. Quality dips-- people are overworked and start skipping their checks, bad parts get out, customer gets mad, we (the operators) are tasked with more countermeasures, further bottlenecking our production speed, making it harder to get the numbers we need to have time off. More people quit, and are replaced with considerably less skilled employees. Quality doesnt improve, rates are not met and the overtime hell continues. Unlike a factory though that will always make profit on weekly production, a game company cannot profit unless a game is released and sells well, and if those expectations are not met they will lose funding from their parent company, the publisher. It sounds like Retro Studios went through what we went through but worse. My company is starting to get better and we're on 8 hour days usually 5 days a week. I hope Retro's management is treating them well, that the new assets are learning the ropes and they will once again rise to what they once were. It's more than just about us getting a good game. Those are hard working people doing their best to make something both us and them can be proud of. I really wish them the best, not just as developers, but as people

[@BoxBloxes]

We need another DKC game :C

[@anthonynycholas4230]

Hell, no. The New DKC games were a complete disappointment to every Metroid Prime fan who were salivating for the 4th title.

[@BoxBloxes]

@@anthonynycholas4230 lol metroid fan

[@CazMeister]

One other Retro-related thing that's popped up enough times to seem plausible: A Metroid Prime Trilogy port to the Switch. There have been various smaller gaming stores that have listed pre-orders for a "Metroid Prime Trilogy Collection" for the Nintendo Switch on their website, with many of them having previously listed the likes of The Witcher 3 for the Switch. In fact, a fairly well known leaker recently stated that the trilogy is going to be revealed during The Game "Awards" and former Game Informer senior editor Imran Khan said it's been finished for a while. Whether the port is being developed by Retro Studios or was outsourced to, say, Grezzo, is unknown but it's come up quite a number of times that i'm surprised it didn't get mentioned in the video.

[@classymarowak7001]

Don't do this to me.. Don't destroy the last glimmering piece of hope Metroid fans have...

[@storiedworlds6261]

How’d I miss this video when it was first posted? Oh, it was Thanksgiving weekend. Anyway, thanks for the awesome video, Arlo.

[@mushroomdude123]

Dang, now I really want a new Star Fox game. A good one.

[@undercoverduck]

I really admire the amount of research you put into your videos. It's like I'm reading the New York Times except it's about video games and I'm not reading an article but listening to a little blue monster

[@creeshcaesar9919]

Friend of Retro Employee here. Can’t say too much but all he could tell me is progress is going well. Keep your eyes peeled

[@chris7921]

Yes for Metroid, but what was they doing for half a decade before they took on Metroid?!

[@AngryMiddleAgedMan]

Ok 👍👍

[@creeshcaesar9919]

Goonie Dono Cant answer

[@RQeeb-os1jb]

Dad that works at Nintendo here. Metroid is canceled and Retro Studios is working on Color Splash 2.

[@VerbenaHA]

You did some intense digging to get your sources, Arlo, I appreciate that. A lot of the charm for this channel comes from the genuine personality behind it- I can tell you're worried about Retro. It's a shame a big company that's made such good games could be stumbling. It's frustrating that much of this mystery is guesswork. I noticed the script frequently goes back and forth between conjecture and "I don't know." I believe it could be streamlined by sticking to the hypotheses, but that's up to you.

[@MohinderPictures409]

What do gaming companies even do when they are not working on a new project?

[@FrancisYorkMorganFBI]

Odd jobs for other companies.

[@hubguy]

8:47 I wholeheartedly agree with you on stories making games more immersive and potentially making Nintendo games much better. Super Mario Galaxy is my favorite Nintendo game ever and one of my favorites of all time. 2 has better gameplay solely cause of Yoshi but the first is better to me because of Yoshiaki Koizumi deciding to implement some lore for Rosalina and Galaxy having a deeper ending than all others. It feels like it has a story to tell and was fortunately able to tell some bits of it unlike Galaxy 2 that was the same Mario story as all others but in space. I wouldn’t love Galaxy as much as I do and Rosalina wouldn’t be my favorite character without that little storybook Koizumi wrote and took the risk of including against Miyamoto’s wishes to keep Mario simple, and in the end it paid off and made for a deeper game. Not too deep but certainly deeper than most things Mario pumped out over its span

[@jennifergriel861]

I don’t know how likely it is, but I would love it if they were working on a new 3D DK game ala DK64.

[@TurboPikachu]

I prefer 3D platformers myself as well; I really wish Rare would revive their cancelled Dinosaur Planet IP that Miyamoto strong-armed Starfox into. Even if such a game would be an Xbox exclusive (on account of Rare having been a Microsoft 1st-party for nearly 20 years), I’d still be giddy over seeing that IP resurface As for Retro, I just need Metroid Prime 4 and whatever else they come up with~

[@jimmyjamwhambam]

Love your videos! very surprised some bigger company hasn't snapped you up as a presenter/reporter yet! keep up the good work :)