Nintendo acquires CG animation studio and renames it Nintendo Pictures

Nintendo has reached an agreement to acquire animation company CG Dynamo Pictures to develop visual content using Nintendo IP. The game company buys 100% of the outstanding shares of Dynamo Pictures and renames it Nintendo Pictures Co., Ltd. The deal is expected to close on October 3.

According to a regulatory filing, Nintendo said:

Nintendo has decided to acquire 100% of the outstanding shares (excluding treasury shares) of Dynamo Pictures and make it a wholly owned subsidiary in order to strengthen the Nintendo Group's visual content planning and production structure.

The deal suggests Nintendo is expanding further into the entertainment business. Having a studio gives Nintendo the freedom to produce its own content. While it's unclear if the production company will develop feature films, in-game cutscenes, or short films, it's exciting to think of all the possibilities. Nintendo has franchises such as "Mario", "Kirby", "The Legend of Zelda", "Donkey Kong", "Star Fox" and "Animal Crossing".

The company is already working with Universal's Illumination studio to release an animated film in April 2023 based on the Super Mario Bros. franchise.

This strategy of video game companies developing IP-based film and TV content is not new. Sony, responsible for Playstation, is also ready to develop titles with its large library of video game IPs. Projects already in production include "Twisted Metal", "The Last of Us" and "Ghost of Tsushima". There are ten more in development.

Visual production company Dynamo Pictures, Inc. was established in 2011 and is known for its work on animated shorts "Pikmin" as well as "Ghost in the Shell SAC_2045" Season 2, "Death Stranding" , "Monster Hunter: World", "Final Fantasy XIII-2", "Persona 5", "Yuri on Ice", "Earwig and the Witch", and more.