Editing Retro Studios (section)

===2010–present: ''Donkey Kong Country'' series, ''Metroid Prime 4: Beyond'', and other projects===
{{Further-text|Development of [[Donkey Kong Country Returns#Development|Donkey Kong Country Returns]], [[Mario Kart 7#Development|Mario Kart 7]], [[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze#Development and release|Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze]], and [[Metroid Prime 4: Beyond]].}}

In April 2008, Retro saw the departure of three key developers, designer Mark Pacini, art director Todd Keller, and principal technology engineer Jack Mathews,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/52373/key-metroid-prime-staff-leave |title=Key Metroid Prime Staff Leave Retro Studios |first=Chris |last=Faylor |date=April 23, 2008 |website=[[Shacknews]] |access-date=April 2, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120921000316/http://www.shacknews.com/article/52373/key-metroid-prime-staff-leave |archive-date=September 21, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> who went on to form their own company, [[Armature Studio]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.1up.com/news/ex-metroid-prime-devs-form-armature |title=Ex-Metroid Prime Devs Form Armature Studio |first=Dustin |last=Quillen |date=September 15, 2008 |website=[[1Up.com]] |access-date=April 2, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120730212013/http://www.1up.com/news/ex-metroid-prime-devs-form-armature |archive-date=July 30, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/metroid-prime-vets-form-armature/1100-6197858/ |title=Metroid Prime vets form Armature |first=Brendan |last=Sinclair |date=September 17, 2008 |website=[[GameSpot]] |access-date=October 27, 2019 |archive-date=October 30, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191030143619/https://www.gamespot.com/articles/metroid-prime-vets-form-armature/1100-6197858/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Around the same time, Shigeru Miyamoto asked fellow producer Kensuke Tanabe to recommend a studio that could develop a new ''[[Donkey Kong]]'' game, and Tanabe recommended Retro. Kelbaugh had worked on the ''[[Donkey Kong Country]]'' series during his years at Nintendo of America, and had interest in continuing with the franchise. Retro accepted the task, and thus started development of ''[[Donkey Kong Country Returns]]''.<ref name="tanaberetroIGN">{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2010/06/17/e3-2010-kensuke-tanabe-and-the-metroid-palm-tree |title=E3 2010: Kensuke Tanabe and the Metroid Palm Tree |first=Craig |last=Harris |date=June 17, 2010 |website=[[IGN]] |access-date=June 18, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120521085336/http://wii.ign.com/articles/109/1099190p1.html |archive-date=May 21, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="iwataasksE3">{{cite web |url=http://e3.nintendo.com/iwata-asks/#/?v=iwataasks_tanabe |title=Iwata Asks: DKCR |date=June 16, 2010 |website=[[Nintendo]] |access-date=June 16, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110307081952/http://e3.nintendo.com/iwata-asks/#/?v=iwataasks_tanabe |archive-date=March 7, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Similar to ''[[New Super Mario Bros.]]'', the game was developed with the intention to invoke nostalgic feelings in the player with its art style and sound, while trying to provide them with new gameplay experiences.<ref name="iwataasksE3" /> ''Returns'' employs fully polygonal 3D graphics with three times the amount of [[Texture mapping|textures]] and [[Polygon (computer graphics)|polygons]] that ''Corruption'' offered,<ref name="tanaberetroIGN" /> and over the course of six months, two thirds of the game's tools and engine had to be rewritten by the programmers.<ref name="tanaberetroIGN" /> Development accelerated at the outset of 2010, and the project was just "beginning to cohere as a game" around the time of [[E3 2010|E3]], when it was officially announced to the press.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://us.wii.com/iwata_asks/donkey-kong-country-returns/vol1_page2.jsp |title=The Magic Moment |year=2010 |website=[[Nintendo of America]] |access-date=April 2, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110405122909/http://us.wii.com/iwata_asks/donkey-kong-country-returns/vol1_page2.jsp |archive-date=April 5, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref> Although the game was set for release in autumn that year, the team still had 70 levels to create or refine.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/03/04/gdc-10-things-you-didnt-know-about-donkey-kong-country-returns-and-retro-studios |title=GDC: 10 Things You Didn't Know About Donkey Kong Country Returns and Retro Studios |first=Samuel |last=Claiborn |date=March 3, 2011 |website=[[IGN]] |access-date=April 2, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110307121141/http://wii.ign.com/articles/115/1153582p1.html |archive-date=March 7, 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

[[File:Retro Studios exterior.jpg|thumb|upright=1|Retro Studios' former headquarters in [[Austin, Texas]]. The company moved to a new location in 2011.]]

At [[E3 2011]], it was announced during Nintendo's Developer Roundtable that Retro Studios would be involved in the development of ''[[Mario Kart 7]]'' for [[Nintendo 3DS]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://kotaku.com/live-at-nintendos-e3-2011-mystery-developer-q-a-5809704 |title=LIVE At Nintendo's E3 2011 Mystery Developer Q&A |first=Michael |last=McWhertor |date=June 7, 2011 |website=[[Kotaku]] |access-date=June 8, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611042759/http://kotaku.com/5809704 |archive-date=June 11, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> At first, Retro would contribute assets to developing one of the ''Donkey Kong''-themed levels,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2011/06/08/nintendo-voice-chat-wii-u-zelda-and-the-3ds |title=Nintendo Voice Chat: Wii U, Zelda and the 3DS |first=Richard |last=George |website=[[IGN]] |date=June 8, 2011 |access-date=August 22, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110720061443/http://uk.wii.ign.com/articles/117/1174089p1.html |archive-date=July 20, 2011 |url-status=live }}</ref> but the number evolved to the stage design of sixteen tracks in the late stages of development, as the Nintendo EAD crew started working on other projects and the game would not be finished before the December 2011 deadline.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/3ds/mario-kart-7/0/0 |title=Iwata Asks - Mario Kart 7 |website=[[Nintendo]] |access-date=December 14, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160927194716/http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/3ds/mario-kart-7/0/0 |archive-date=September 27, 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2012, it was revealed that Retro Studios had received a [[Wii U]] development kit, and was reportedly working on a Wii U game.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://nintendotoday.com/reggie-retro-is-working-on-fantastic-wii-u-project/ |title=Reggie: Retro is working on fantastic Wii U project |first=Kyo |last=Sasaki |date=September 29, 2012 |website=NintendoToday |access-date=April 19, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130214032740/http://wiiudaily.com/2012/09/reggie-retro-is-working-on-fantastic-wii-u-project/ |archive-date=February 14, 2013 |url-status=live }}</ref> Miyamoto has said he would like to work with Retro Studios in an installment for ''[[The Legend of Zelda]]''; however, he says that the current game Retro Studios was working on is not related to ''Zelda''.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.wired.com/2011/12/miyamoto-interview-transcript/ |title=Q&A: Shigeru Miyamoto Looks Into Nintendo's Future |first=Chris |last=Kohler |date=December 13, 2011 |magazine=[[Wired (magazine)|Wired]] |access-date=December 13, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120107202316/http://www.wired.com/gamelife/2011/12/miyamoto-interview-transcript/all/1 |archive-date=January 7, 2012 |url-status=live }}</ref> At [[Electronic Entertainment Expo 2012|E3 2012]], Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé told IGN in an interview that Retro is currently "hard at work" on an untitled project for the Wii U.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06/06/e3-2012-reggie-discusses-launching-wii-u-retro |title=E3 2012: Reggie Discusses Launching Wii U, Retro |first=Richard |last=George |date=June 6, 2012 |website=[[IGN]] |access-date=June 30, 2012 |archive-date=June 28, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120628151255/http://www.ign.com/articles/2012/06/06/e3-2012-reggie-discusses-launching-wii-u-retro |url-status=live }}</ref>

On February 28, 2014, Kensuke Tanabe announced that Retro Studios was working on a new game, which CEO Michael Kelbaugh declared had been in development for a few months since ''[[Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze]]'' was finished.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2014/02/28/wii-u-is-a-powerhouse-says-donkey-kong-country-developer |title=Wii U is a 'Powerhouse,' Says Donkey Kong Country Developer |first=Steve |last=Watts |date=February 28, 2014 |website=[[IGN]] |access-date=May 2, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180613041035/http://www.ign.com/articles/2014/02/28/wii-u-is-a-powerhouse-says-donkey-kong-country-developer |archive-date=June 13, 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref> In August 2015 however, during an interview about ''[[Metroid Prime: Federation Force]]'', Tanabe said that he was not quite sure about what Retro Studios was working on, leaving the impression that he was no longer involved with their unannounced project.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://nintendoeverything.com/tanabe-on-metroid-prime-ff-amiibo-backlash-timeline-story-retro-studios/ |title=Tanabe on Metroid Prime: FF - amiibo, backlash, timeline, story, Retro Studios |author=Brian |date=August 5, 2015 |website=Nintendo Everything |access-date=August 24, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160826153339/http://nintendoeverything.com/tanabe-on-metroid-prime-ff-amiibo-backlash-timeline-story-retro-studios/ |archive-date=August 26, 2016 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Nintendo announced ''[[Metroid Prime 4: Beyond|Metroid Prime 4]]'' at [[E3 2017]], showing only the logo. Shortly after the announcement, [[Bill Trinen]], Director of Product Marketing at [[Nintendo of America]], confirmed that ''Prime 4'' would not be developed by Retro Studios, the studio that developed the previous ''Metroid Prime'' games, but would be produced by [[Kensuke Tanabe]], the producer of the previous games.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2017/06/metroid_prime_4_confirmed_for_nintendo_switch_but_retro_studios_isnt_involved|title=Metroid Prime 4 Confirmed For Nintendo Switch, But Retro Studios Isn't Involved|last=McFerran|first=Damien|work=[[Nintendo Life]]|date=June 13, 2017|access-date=January 25, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180615052437/http://www.nintendolife.com/news/2017/06/metroid_prime_4_confirmed_for_nintendo_switch_but_retro_studios_isnt_involved|archive-date=June 15, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2017/06/13/metroid-prime-4-is-being-developed-by-a-talented-new-development-team.aspx|title=Metroid Prime 4 Is Being Developed By "A Talented New Development Team"|last=Reeves|first=Ben|magazine=[[Game Informer]]|date=June 13, 2017|access-date=January 25, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181122183935/https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2017/06/13/metroid-prime-4-is-being-developed-by-a-talented-new-development-team.aspx|archive-date=November 22, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2018, ''[[Eurogamer]]'' reported that ''Prime 4'' was being developed by [[Bandai Namco Studios]] in Singapore.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2018-02-08-yes-namco-bandai-is-working-on-metroid-prime-4|title=Yes, Bandai Namco is working on Metroid Prime 4|last=Phillips|first=Tom|date=February 9, 2018|work=[[Eurogamer]]|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181119082756/https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2018-02-08-yes-namco-bandai-is-working-on-metroid-prime-4|archive-date=November 19, 2018|access-date=January 25, 2019}}</ref> However, in a video released on January 25, 2019, [[Nintendo EPD]] general manager Shinya Takahashi announced that ''Metroid Prime 4'' had been delayed, and that development had been restarted with Retro Studios. Takahashi said that development under the previous studio had not met Nintendo's standards.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.gameinformer.com/2019/01/25/nintendo-restarting-the-development-of-metroid-prime-4|title=Nintendo Restarting The Development Of Metroid Prime 4|last=Kato|first=Matthew|magazine=[[Game Informer]]|date=January 25, 2019|access-date=January 25, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190218002520/https://www.gameinformer.com/2019/01/25/nintendo-restarting-the-development-of-metroid-prime-4|archive-date=February 18, 2019|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Nintendo's shares fell by 2.8 percent in the week following the announcement.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-01-28/nintendo-declines-after-delaying-metroid-prime-4-game-for-switch|title=Nintendo Declines After Delaying Metroid Prime 4 Game for Switch|last=Allan|first=Gareth|work=[[Bloomberg News]]|date=January 27, 2019|access-date=January 27, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190201065543/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-01-28/nintendo-declines-after-delaying-metroid-prime-4-game-for-switch|archive-date=February 1, 2019|url-status=live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>