Nintendo is having quite the successful console generation with the Nintendo Switch, and with the follow-up to the Switch already on the horizon confirmed by Nintendo's president, it's only natural that they'd seek to maximize their profits and options for more AAA games to come to their current and next consoles, given the hardware differences between other current gen consoles and Nintendo's.

With that, Nintendo has recently made the acquisition of "Shiver Entertainment Inc.", the company behind popular Nintendo Switch ports of AAA games, such as Mortal Kombat 1 and Hogwarts Legacy, which was previously owned by Embracer. Nintendo made the announcement yesterday through their official social media accounts in different languages, with the acquisition notice being available in Japanese and English:

https://x.com/NintendoCoLtd/status/1792694459630780763​

While the quality of said ports is questionable for many players, more so compared to their proper console and PC versions, Nintendo's acquisition of Shiver could only mean more brand-new games from current gen devices into the Switch or its successor. It's well known that Nintendo's hardware isn't always on par with the latest on the market, much less comparable with those from the other consoles, but this could help widen up the amount of available games on their systems despite that hardware disadvantage.

It's also worth mentioning that inside Nintendo's Notice of Acquisition, they specifically mention that "Shiver’s focus will remain the same, continuing commissions that port and develop software for multiple platforms including Nintendo Switch", hinting at the possibility of Nintendo allowing Shiver to continue work on ports for other consoles/PC as well, and not remain exclusive to Nintendo Switch ports, but this still remains to be confirmed.

Source (Japanese)
Source (English)

 

[Latiodile]

wasn't the switch port of MK1 really really bad? this company doesn't seem have the best track record i think lol
i haven't heard much of the switch version of hogwarts legacy so i assume it's alright

 

[Defective1Up]

Nintendo making smart moves to ensure future success??? Is this real life?
They really don't want a Wii U situation.

Also, I wonder if this could mean PC ports of Nintendo games. Super unlikely, but with this purchase they have a team that could do it. Just want to get that speculation going.

 

[SDA]

I do admit though that the ports made by Shiver actually make me SHIVER!

 

[Marc_LFD]

Why this company and not that other one? There was that one company that did lots of impossible ports on Switch.

Panic Button. They did lots of really impressive ports. Though I don't think they've done much recently

PB was the one who did the Doom port? That was awesome.

 

[Ryab]

View attachment 438399​

Nintendo is having quite the successful console generation with the Nintendo Switch, and with the follow-up to the Switch already on the horizon confirmed by Nintendo's president, it's only natural that they'd seek to maximize their profits and options for more AAA games to come to their current and next consoles, given the hardware differences between other current gen consoles and Nintendo's.

With that, Nintendo has recently made the acquisition of "Shiver Entertainment Inc.", the company behind popular Nintendo Switch ports of AAA games, such as Mortal Kombat 1 and Hogwarts Legacy, which was previously owned by Embracer. Nintendo made the announcement yesterday through their official social media accounts in different languages, with the acquisition notice being available in Japanese and English:

https://x.com/NintendoCoLtd/status/1792694459630780763​

While the quality of said ports is questionable for many players, more so compared to their proper console and PC versions, Nintendo's acquisition of Shiver could only mean more brand-new games from current gen devices into the Switch or its successor. It's well known that Nintendo's hardware isn't always on par with the latest on the market, much less comparable with those from the other consoles, but this could help widen up the amount of available games on their systems despite that hardware disadvantage.

It's also worth mentioning that inside Nintendo's Notice of Acquisition, they specifically mention that "Shiver’s focus will remain the same, continuing commissions that port and develop software for multiple platforms including Nintendo Switch", hinting at the possibility of Nintendo allowing Shiver to continue work on ports for other consoles/PC as well, and not remain exclusive to Nintendo Switch ports, but this still remains to be confirmed.

Source (Japanese)
Source (English)

Nintendo is rarely one to make acquisitions

 

[ertaboy356b]

Contrary to popular belief, the Switch port of MK1 is running at 60fps during gameplay so it's not all bad. Even the PS4 didn't get a port of this game.

 

[tech3475]

Why this company and not that other one? There was that one company that did lots of impossible ports on Switch.

Panic Button. They did lots of really impressive ports. Though I don't think they've done much recently

You're presuming they were even willing to sell.

Remember as well that Shiver was owned by Embracer, a company that has been selling/closing/having layoffs at studios allegedly due to a failed financial deal.

Also, I wonder if this could mean PC ports of Nintendo games. Super unlikely, but with this purchase they have a team that could do it. Just want to get that speculation going.

Considering that Shiver has been know to port software to the Switch, I'm extremely doubtful of this unless something else happens e.g. investors, switch 2 fails, etc.

Actually now that I type this, Nintendo did issue DMCA AM2R then shortly after announce their own remake and they recently went on a DMCA blitz and a lawsuit over a Switch emulator....although I still think the chances of this happening as of now is the size of the planck length.

Although I'm curious what kind of DRM they would use, remember they included always online DRM for a mobile game.

 

[Purple_Shyguy]

wasn't the switch port of MK1 really really bad? this company doesn't seem have the best track record i think lol
i haven't heard much of the switch version of hogwarts legacy so i assume it's alright

I think it launched bad but they fixed it up after a few updates.

 

[Jayro]

They must be recruiting for the new graphics department for the next Pokemon games.

Post automatically merged: May 21, 2024

Why this company and not that other one? There was that one company that did lots of impossible ports on Switch.

Panic Button. They did lots of really impressive ports. Though I don't think they've done much recently

I played through the entirety of the Wolfenstein II game on Switch, and that was an amazing port.

 

[ZeroFX]

Mk 1 is such a bad and ugly game, that company managed to worsen it on switch, why not buy saber or another company?

 

[KingVamp]

Well, I haven't actually read/heard any complaints for Hogwarts Legacy and MK11. If they fixed some of the problems of MK1, they are at least putting in the work for these ports. Maybe they just needed more time.

 

[CMDreamer]

[...] despite that hardware disadvantage.​

[...]

I wouldn't call it a disadvantage in any sense at all.

Even less when you start mentioning Nintendo's success on this console generation.

While Microsoft closes dev studios, Nintendo acquires a dev studio, so then such "disadvantage" is not if their profit have allowed them to do what their competition can't.

All this while the biggest copycat console creator keeps copying ideas to create "innovative" products.

 

[NinStar]

I sure hope Nintendo ports Breath of the Wild and Mario Kart 8 to the Nintendo Switch 2, such good games that only a few people had the chance to play.... Oh wait.

 

[urbanman2004]

This was a smart play on Nintendo's part... Very strategic from an "impossible port" angle.

 

[17hitcombooo]

surprised to see this, probably better than getting killed off by embracer group with all of their layoffs going on

 

[Gunstorm]

Nintendo says "If the 3rd dont bring games by himself, i'll port em all" xD

 

[ShadowOne333]

I wouldn't call it a disadvantage in any sense at all.

Even less when you start mentioning Nintendo's success on this console generation.

While Microsoft closes dev studios, Nintendo acquires a dev studio, so then such "disadvantage" is not if their profit have allowed them to do what their competition can't.

All this while the biggest copycat console creator keeps copying ideas to create "innovative" products.

The hardware disadvantage is a fact when compared to even smartphones these days.

It doesn't have anything to do with how Nintendo handles everything else outside hardware, and that same disadvantage is one of the reasons why the acquisition might have been done, so it's important to this specific topic at hand.

 

[Vorde]

I wonder if Nintendo treats their employees worse than their customers?

 

[Bladexdsl]

I wonder if Nintendo treats their employees worse than their customers?

you be the judge

 

[EdwardTheWatzo]

I sure hope Nintendo ports Breath of the Wild and Mario Kart 8 to the Nintendo Switch 2, such good games that only a few people had the chance to play.... Oh wait.

Considering they released Tears of The Kingdom so late into the Switch's lifespan and are continuing to release games like the Thousand Year Door remake, the new switch will probably be backwards compatible.