What if Nintendo bought another game company?

[DarthEnderX]

If Nintendo were to decide to just straight up purchase another game publisher along with all of it's owned IPs, thus removing any hurdles, real or imagined, to including any of it's characters in Smash, what would you want that company to be?

For me, it's a toss-up between Capcom and Konami.

On the one hand, Nintendo would just get way more out of Capcom. Capcom has a truly ridiculous number of game franchises both classic and modern. One look at the Capcom side of any Capcom Vs. game and you can see how much Smash would have to work with. And as a company, Nintendo gets a couple really popular franchises to itself.

Spoiler: Some of the Smash characters we might get with Capcom

Mega Man/Bass
Zero
Wily
Sigma
Ryu/Ken
Chun Li
Guile
Bison
Arthur
Firebrand
Nathan Spencer
Strider Hiryu
Mike Haggar
Morrigan
Felicia
Talbain
Captain Commando
Batsu
Jill Valentine
Chris Redfield
Wesker
Frank West
Amaterasu
Viewtiful Joe
Phoenix Wright
Dante
Virgil
Monster Hunter

On the other hand, while Konami doesn't get you nearly as many iconic IPs, it still has several, and they're just going to die under the Konami of today. Like, at least with Capcom, they still occasionally dust off old franchises and make something new with them. That's not the case with Konami. If Nintendo gets Konami, they aren't just getting some new Smash characters, they are potentially SAVING those franchises FROM Konami.

Spoiler: Some of the Smash characters we might get with Konami

Solid Snake/Big Boss
Raiden
Simon Belmont/Trevor Belmont
Alucard
Bill Rizer/Lance Bean
Goemon
Bomberman
Bonk
Master Higgins

 

[Al-kīmiyā']

Microsoft.

 

[Khao]

Definitely Capcom. Outside of Nintendo, they probably have the largest and strongest list of unique beloved characters/IPs in the whole gaming industry. The fact they have their own crossover fighter just says a lot, even if "only" half the roster is composed of their own characters.

I've actually dreamed of a "Nintendo VS Capcom" game being created one day, the idea is just too good to pass.

 

[AIM0001]

I just want Nintendo to have the rights to Sonic and maybe Mega Man. That way they can try new things with those IP’s and of course since this is a Smash related thread. You can’t ignore the fact they would get atleast a few reps a piece when it comes to stages and characters in Smash.

 

[smashingDoug]

Namco bandai

We could get digimon vs Pokémon.... or digimon will be killed off cause gamefreak are control freaks and must have it their way

Why do you think shiny mewtwo got cut can’t have shinys in smash for some reason

 

[dezeray112]

Rareware for me. We could've gotten the likes of Banjo Kazooie or even a Killer Instinct character.

 

[smashingDoug]

Rareware for me. We could've gotten the likes of Banjo Kazooie or even a Killer Instinct character.

Conker for smash!

 

[Thermithral]

Blizzard Entertainment. ( Even though it would never happen)

Hearthstone gets ported to the Switch, all the classic Warcraft games get a Switch exclusive remaster, and Murky becomes playable in Smash Bros.

And with Nintendo being the kings of single player experiences, they could force Warcraft 4 or a single player WoW to happen. All around makes me happy.


An honorable mention to Square Enix, because more exclusive Nintendo RPGs is always good in my book.

 

[captainghost07]

Gotta be Sega since they own Atlus and I really want Persona on Switch and Persona characters in Smash.
or
Arc System Works because Noel Vermillion in Smash would be great.

 

[Questionmark222]

Rareware for me. We could've gotten the likes of Banjo Kazooie or even a Killer Instinct character.

Same, and this would also mean getting a sequel to Diddy Kong Racing!

 

[N3ON]

I guess Konami because at least the other companies aren't ****ing up things and letting their IP go to waste quite so spectacularly.

The utopian vision is Nintendo buying Sega or Capcom or something and somehow all their IPs come back to prominence, but that won't be the case. Only the profitable ones will get the focus; Nintendo can't even propagate its own stable of IP effectively. Meanwhile with Konami, they're actively letting profitable IP stagnate and lose value.

Plus Kojima would probably be amenable to returning to Metal Gear if it wasn't Konami at the helm. So yeah, I think Konami would be most beneficial for the fans and the IPs. Though Smash-wise, I guess the stable - excluding characters already present in or heavily rumoured for Smash - is less impressive than alternatives like Capcom or Square.

But ****, real talk, I just want Rare back haha.

 

[Gallowglass]

I would have to say Rare as there are many interesting IP's like Banjo Kazooie, Battletoads, Killer Instincts, Conker, etc... Though I doubt they would make another Bad Fur Day or anything. Not to mention all the help they made with games like Donkey Kong Country and Starfox.

I would also like Nintendo (or somebody in general) to revive Atari. There is a lot of games that they could really bring out and do a lot with.

 

[TMNTSSB4]

The company that makes the most amount of sense for Nintendo to by pay is easily Sega. So much history between the two that it wouldn’t be too much of a shock (besides, Sonic and Bayo are practically honorary Nintendo characters outside of Smash)

 

[ryuu seika]

Gotta be Sega since they own Atlus and I really want Persona on Switch and Persona characters in Smash.

Persona would be good and all but what about fully motion controlled Snowboard Kids? A genuine simulation of cartoony, slapstick, all terrain snowboarding.

 

[AIM0001]

I guess I’d like them to buy Sega. Plus that means more Sonic reps in Smash and possibly better Sonic games. Though Sonic Mania has restored some hope. I wouldn’t mind if Nintendo purchased Mega Man from Capcom as well.

 

[staindgrey]

Wasn't Capcom up for sale a few years ago? Whatever happened to that?

Was it another Sega/Sammy thing where a holding company just bought them out and continued business as usual?

 

[YoshiandToad]

Acitivision/Blizzard and Valve. Can finally get that Team Fortress 2 vs. Overwatch crossover AND get Crash and Spyro in Smash.

Also imagine the hat options for TF2 with Nintendo on board...

 

[MysticKnives]

Nintendo buying Capcom could be really good. It'd make the pipe dream I have of a Nintendo Smash style Power Stone Game become a distant possibility.

 

[FooltheFlames]

I could see them getting Rare back maybe, and perhaps in the far future they could get Sega too? That would be Nintendo's Ultimate trophy, he he~

 

[Sabrewulf238]

Capcom so playable Phoenix Wright and Ace Attorney content would become a near certainty.

Though honestly I'm not sure how I feel about Nintendo having control over what is essentially a visual novel. It's not really their thing.

 

[Homelessvagrant]

While I'd love it if characters like Ristar, Skate, and Nights in smash, if Nintendo bought Sega I think we would mostly just see more Sonic characters.

So I'm going to say Polestar co. Ltd, cause I think Magical Pop'n represention would be cool but not over bearing to the roster.

 

[Yosher]

Capcom so playable Phoenix Wright and Ace Attorney content would become a near certainty.

Though honestly I'm not sure how I feel about Nintendo having control over what is essentially a visual novel. It's not really their thing.

I mean, if Capcom would be bought up, that doesn't mean all of Capcom's current employees would suddenly be fired. These series could still be made by all those old Capcom employees, it would just be pretty much Nintendo exclusive at that point. I think it'd just be a matter of whether Nintendo would still see value in these IPs and all, but I don't think too much would change on that regard honestly. From a consumer's perspective, I think the biggest change we'd see, aside from Nintendo exclusivity, would be Smash Bros implementation of some of Capcom's beloved series, so for us I think it would just be very beneficial most of all.

 

[DarthEnderX]

I mean, if Capcom would be bought up, that doesn't mean all of Capcom's current employees would suddenly be fired. These series could still be made by all those old Capcom employees, it would just be pretty much Nintendo exclusive at that point. I think it'd just be a matter of whether Nintendo would still see value in these IPs and all, but I don't think too much would change on that regard honestly. From a consumer's perspective, I think the biggest change we'd see, aside from Nintendo exclusivity, would be Smash Bros implementation of some of Capcom's beloved series, so for us I think it would just be very beneficial most of all.

This exactly.

I mean, obviously this doesn't apply to Konami, because they don't make games anymore, so you'd just be getting the IPs. But with any other company, you'd not just be getting the IPs, but the studios that make the games in those IPs.

 

[staindgrey]

I mean, if Capcom would be bought up, that doesn't mean all of Capcom's current employees would suddenly be fired. These series could still be made by all those old Capcom employees, it would just be pretty much Nintendo exclusive at that point. I think it'd just be a matter of whether Nintendo would still see value in these IPs and all, but I don't think too much would change on that regard honestly. From a consumer's perspective, I think the biggest change we'd see, aside from Nintendo exclusivity, would be Smash Bros implementation of some of Capcom's beloved series, so for us I think it would just be very beneficial most of all.

I'd take issue with a Capcom acquirement simply because most of Capcom's stuff runs on next-gen consoles.

For Mega Man, Okami, etc. fans, sure, having access to Capcom IPs sounds great. But I'd rather Capcom keep making games like Resident Evil 2, Street Fighter V and Monster Hunter World for next-gen hardware.

 

[ShadowTheHedgehogZ]

EIther Sega or Square Enix so we can have Geno in smash or sega for "better" Sonic games/more Sonic characters in smash

 

[Yosher]

I'd take issue with a Capcom acquirement simply because most of Capcom's stuff runs on next-gen consoles.

For Mega Man, Okami, etc. fans, sure, having access to Capcom IPs sounds great. But I'd rather Capcom keep making games like Resident Evil 2, Street Fighter V and Monster Hunter World for next-gen hardware.

I'd love to have those games on Switch or any other future Nintendo consoles, so we're gonna have to agree to disagree on that one. But then, I'm like a 99% Nintendo player. I have a PS1, 2 and 3, but I barely ever touched them aside from Final Fantasy 9 and a select few other titles. So I'd heartily welcome Nintendo aquiring Capcom and getting their games properly on Nintendo systems. I can definitely understand people owning stronger hardware to be disappointed though if it were to happen.

 

[staindgrey]

I'd love to have those games on Switch or any other future Nintendo consoles, so we're gonna have to agree to disagree on that one. But then, I'm like a 99% Nintendo player. I have a PS1, 2 and 3, but I barely ever touched them aside from Final Fantasy 9 and a select few other titles. So I'd heartily welcome Nintendo aquiring Capcom and getting their games properly on Nintendo systems. I can definitely understand people owning stronger hardware to be disappointed though if it were to happen.

It's really just a matter of what the hardware can do. I don't buy into console wars and brand loyalty; some games are just better when they have better hardware to work with. Monster Hunter World's beautiful and, I believe, better in every way than the previous Monster Hunters, and it wouldn't be able to run on a Switch without the console bursting into flames. While Revelations 2 is a serviceable, fun game on Switch, the graphical detail enhances the horror experience so much in RE7-- a game they tried to release as a cloud-based game for the Switch because it couldn't handle running it natively. Could they cut and change and squeeze Resident Evil 2 onto a Switch? Probably. But it wouldn't be the same game.

Essentially, I dislike when game ideas and execution are held back by hardware limitations. The Switch is a fantastic console, but only for games that work with it. Forcing some of these top-end AAA games onto the Switch would be like watching Infinity War on VHS tape. Sure, you can do it, but obviously you wouldn't if there were any better alternative at all.

Plus, playing SFV on Nintendo's servers. Ehhhhhhhhh........

 

[Yosher]

It's really just a matter of what the hardware can do. I don't buy into console wars and brand loyalty; some games are just better when they have better hardware to work with. Monster Hunter World's beautiful and, I believe, better in every way than the previous Monster Hunters, and it wouldn't be able to run on a Switch without the console bursting into flames. While Revelations 2 is a serviceable, fun game on Switch, the graphical detail enhances the horror experience so much in RE7-- a game they tried to release as a cloud-based game for the Switch because it couldn't handle running it natively. Could they cut and change and squeeze Resident Evil 2 onto a Switch? Probably. But it wouldn't be the same game.

Essentially, I dislike when game ideas and execution are held back by hardware limitations. The Switch is a fantastic console, but only for games that work with it. Forcing some of these top-end AAA games onto the Switch would be like watching Infinity War on VHS tape. Sure, you can do it, but obviously you wouldn't if there were any better alternative at all.

Plus, playing SFV on Nintendo's servers. Ehhhhhhhhh........

Of course some corners would have to be cut to make certain games run on Nintendo hardware. But so long as the games still function well and are enjoyable to play (without the console catching fire when running the game), I personally just really don't care too much. I don't really need super high-end graphics to enjoy a game either. A game just has to look presentable, and fun, and good in the way that the graphics catch what the game is all about, and I don't think you absolutely need next-gen technology for that. It helps to a degree, sure, but it's not like games like Revelations 2 on Switch looked like happy-go-lucky Super Mario when compared to Resident Evil 7 on PS4. Even the original Revelations on the 3DS looked very nice and despite the hardware limitations, it was still an extremely well-made and fun game that looked and played very much like a proper horror game, so much so that I even re-bought it for both the Wii U and the Switch because I loved the game that much.

Again though, I perfectly understand people playing these titles on stronger consoles to be disappointed if the only way to play Capcom games would be on Nintendo's weaker hardware. Just stating my own thoughts on the matter, and everyone has their own views on these things. Don't think you have anything to worry about though as I don't think Nintendo will be buying Capcom anytime soon, if ever at all.~

 

[DarthEnderX]

Eh. I don't really think Monster Hunter World does anything that Breath of the Wild doesn't do. It just does it with slightly better textures and lighting.

 

[Khao]

Eh. I don't really think Monster Hunter World does anything that Breath of the Wild doesn't do. It just does it with slightly better textures and lighting.

they're completely different games though what's this even mean what

 

[KirbyWorshipper2465]

Konami. There needs to be more of their properties saved by Nintendo than just Momotaro.

 

[staindgrey]

Eh. I don't really think Monster Hunter World does anything that Breath of the Wild doesn't do. It just does it with slightly better textures and lighting.

You eat food and run around an open world. Similarities kind of end there.

 

[captainghost07]

Eh. I don't really think Monster Hunter World does anything that Breath of the Wild doesn't do. It just does it with slightly better textures and lighting.

HUH? Clearly never played World or BOTW by the looks of it.

 

[DarthEnderX]

You guys are crazy. Monster Hunting is just fighting Lynels with more menus.

they're completely different games though what's this even mean what

I'm saying MHW could totally be on Switch with slightly worse textures and lighting.

 

[staindgrey]

First, it would need a ton more done to it than texture and lighting downgrades. You're either intentionally being difficult or really don't understand the scope of the game or the inherent hardware differences between the Switch and its competitors. MHW could theoretically fit onto a Switch, yes, if they severely cut the amount of onscreen wildlife and animations to complement the slash in graphics and squeeze everything in. Ever played Dead Rising: Chop 'Til You Drop on the Wii? It'd be like that. (If you haven't, don't play Chop 'Til You Drop. It's the worst.)

Second, these two games are about as similar as Smash Bros. is to Street Fighter. That is to say, same general genre, almost no other similarities.