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Nintendo buying animation studio it will rename Nintendo Pictures

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Nintendo has announced it will purchase Dynamo Pictures, the Tokyo-based visual production company behind a series of animated Pikmin short films.

The acquisition was detailed today, alongside plans to rebrand the company Nintendo Pictures Co Ltd.

Once fully part of Nintendo, the studio will "focus on development of visual content utilising Nintendo IP", documentation of the deal stated.

One of Dynamo Pictures' Pikmin short films.Watch on YouTube

"Dynamo Pictures is a company that plans and produces visual content," Nintendo wrote. "Nintendo has decided to acquire 100 percent of the outstanding shares (excluding treasury shares) of Dynamo Pictures and make it a wholly owned subsidiary to strengthen the planning and production structure of visual content in the Nintendo group.

"The acquisition is expected to close on 3rd October 2022, pending satisfaction of all relevant terms and customary closing conditions."

Originally founded in 2011, the production company has a string of video game and anime credits to its name, including motion capture and animation work on episodes of Yuri!!! On Ice, plus Persona 5, Final Fantasy 13-2 and Metroid: Other M.

It's unusual for Nintendo to acquire other companies, though has made two other purchases in the past year or so. In February, it snapped up long-time development partner SRD. At the start of 2021, it also reached into its wallet for Vancouver-based Next Level Games.

The deal is separate to the work ongoing at Minions animation studio Illumination, which is producing a Super Mario Bros. movie starring Chris Pratt, which is now due in 2023.

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