Nintendo System Development

Nintendo System Development Division,[a] commonly abbreviated as Nintendo SDD and formerly known as Nintendo Network Business & Development (NBD), Nintendo Network Service Development (NSD), and Nintendo Special Planning & Development (SPD), was a Japanese division located in the Nintendo Research Institute in Kyoto, Japan, until it moved to the Nintendo Development Center, also in Kyoto. The division consisted of a single development team that focused on software and peripheral development. SDD was composed of two development departments with different duties: the Network Development & Operations Department, which handled Nintendo Network service programming, in cooperation with Nintendo Network Service Database, and the Environment Development Department, which developed Software Development Kits (SDKs), among other technologies.[2]

Nintendo System Development Division
Native name
任天堂企画開発本部
Nintendō Kikaku Kaihatsu Honbu
Formerly
  • Nintendo Network Business & Development
  • Nintendo Network Service Development
  • Nintendo Special Planning & Development
Company typeDivision
IndustryVideo games
Founded1997; 27 years ago (1997) (as Nintendo Special Planning & Development)
DefunctSeptember 16, 2015 (2015-09-16)
FateMerged with Nintendo Integrated Research & Development
SuccessorNintendo Platform Technology Development
HeadquartersKyoto, Japan
Key people
Masaru Shimomura
(General Manager)
ProductsNintendo Network services
Various video game titles and peripherals
Number of employees
≈30[1]
ParentNintendo
DivisionsNetwork Development & Operations
Environment Development

On September 16, 2015, SDD merged with Nintendo Integrated Research & Development (IRD), becoming the Nintendo Platform Technology Development.[3][4]

History

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The Nintendo Special Planning & Development team originated from former Nintendo R&D2 staff, and was mainly responsible for ports and in-house development for low profile hardware, such as the Pokémon Mini and the Super Famicom Satellaview service. Most of the software developed by this group has remained domestic having hardly ever seen release outside Japan. The original general manager, Satoshi Yamato, produced all of the software which included in-house software for the Game Boy Advance, and the e-Reader.[5] The group also created mechanical devices and peripherals like the Pokéwalker and Pokémotion. The last general manager, Masaru Shimomura described the Mechanical Design Group as a small creative unit that has a hardware and a software team working jointly together to create innovative products.[6]

In 2008, Nintendo SPD was renamed to Nintendo Network Service Development. In 2011, the Nintendo NSD development team was consolidated into a division and was renamed to Nintendo Network Business & Development, appointing Masaru Shimomura as manager. Following the change, the Nintendo Network Business department was created. The department contained two different groups: the former Mechanical Design Group, which was responsible for developing software titles and peripherals, as well the new Network Planning Group, which was responsible for developing Nintendo Network services.

In 2013, the division renamed to Nintendo System Development Division. Nintendo consolidated the Network Planning Group into a department named Network Development & Operations Department which was responsible for handling Nintendo Network service programming in cooperation with Nintendo Network Service Database, and created the Environment Development Department', which developed Software Development Kits (SDKs), among experimental technologies. With the change, the Mechanical Design Group was dissolved.

On September 16, 2015, SDD merged with Nintendo Integrated Research & Development (IRD), becoming the Nintendo Platform Technology Development.[3][4]

Network Operations & Development Department

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Department Manager: Kiyoshi Mizuki

The Network Operations & Development Department was responsible for developing Nintendo Network services, in cooperation with the Nintendo Network Service Database. The department had two subgroups: the Network Software Development Group and the Application Group.

List of software and online infrastructures developed by Nintendo SDD Network Operations & Development Department
Title Type(s) Platform(s) Year Producer(s) Director(s)
Wii Shop Channel Online distribution Wii 2006 Masaru Shimomura Kiyoshi Mizuki
Nintendo Channel Online distribution Wii 2006 Masaru Shimomura Kiyoshi Mizuki
Nintendo DSi Shop Online distribution Nintendo DSi 2008 Masaru Shimomura
Nintendo Zone Network interface Nintendo DS
Nintendo DSi
2009 Masaru Shimomura
Friend List Friends list Nintendo 3DS 2011 Masaru Shimomura Kiyoshi Mizuki
StreetPass Network interface Nintendo 3DS 2011 Masaru Shimomura
Nintendo eShop[7] Online distribution Nintendo 3DS 2011 Masaru Shimomura Kazuto Nakaya
Nintendo Video Video player Nintendo 3DS 2011 Masaru Shimomura
Nintendo Zone Network interface Nintendo 3DS 2011 Masaru Shimomura Fumihiko Tamiya
Swapnote[8]
Nintendo Letter Box PAL
Messaging Nintendo 3DS 2011 Kiyoshi Mizuki
Masaru Shimomura
Daiji Imai
WaraWara Plaza[co-developed 1] Operating system (Miiverse) Wii U 2012 Kiyoshi Mizuki
Katsuya Eguchi (Nintendo EAD)
Kouichi Kawamoto (Nintendo SPD)
Hisashi Nogami (Nintendo EAD)
Miiverse[co-developed 2][9] Social network Wii U 2012 Kiyoshi Mizuki
Junya Kondo (Hatena)
Yusuke Beppu (Nintendo NSD)
Hideto Yuzawa
Yoshiomi Kurisu (Hatena)
Nintendo Network ID Wii U 2012
Wii U Chat[co-developed 3] Online chat Wii U 2012 Fumihiko Tamiya
Nintendo eShop Online distribution Wii U 2012 Kiyoshi Mizuki Kazuto Nakaya
Miiverse[co-developed 2] Social network Web browser 2013 Kiyoshi Mizuki
Junya Kondo (Hatena)
Yusuke Beppu (Nintendo NSD)
Hideto Yuzawa
Yoshiomi Kurisu (Hatena)
StreetPass Relay[10] Network interface Nintendo 3DS 2013 Kiyoshi Mizuki Masatoshi Yamazaki
Miiverse[co-developed 2] Social network Nintendo 3DS 2013 Kiyoshi Mizuki
Junya Kondo (Hatena)
Yusuke Beppu (Nintendo NSD)
Hideto Yuzawa
Yoshiomi Kurisu (Hatena)
Notes
  1. ^ Co-developed by Nintendo Entertainment Analysis & Development (EAD) and Nintendo Software Planning & Development (SPD).
  2. ^ a b c Co-developed by Hatena, Nintendo Network Service Database (NSD) and Denyusha.
  3. ^ Co-developed by Nintendo European Research & Development (NERD), Nintendo Technology Development (NTD) and Vidyo.

Environment Development Department

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The Environment Development Department was responsible for developing online communication infrastructures and middleware tools.

List of online infrastructures developed by Nintendo SDD Environment Development Department
Title Genre(s) Platform(s) Year Producer(s) Director(s)
WiiConnect24 Wii 2006
Wii system software Wii 2006
Nintendo DSi Browser Nintendo DSi 2009
Download Play Nintendo 3DS 2011
Nintendo eShop Nintendo 3DS 2011
Mario Kart 7 Nintendo 3DS 2011
Kid Icarus: Uprising Nintendo 3DS 2012
Nintendo Land Wii U 2012
StreetPass Relay Nintendo 3DS 2013
Tomodachi Life Nintendo 3DS 2013
Mario Kart 8 Wii U 2014

Mechanical Design Group

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Manager/Producer:

The Mechanical Design Group was responsible for developing software titles and peripherals for Nintendo video game consoles, until it was dissolved in 2013.

Title Year Platform(s) Director Producer
Satellaview 1995 Hardware Masaru Shimomura Satoshi Yamato
BS Super Mario USA Power Challenge 1996 Satellaview Toshiaki Suzuki Satoshi Yamato
BS Marvelous Time Athletics 1996 Satellaview Eiji Aonuma Satoshi Yamato
BS Marvelous Camp Arnold 1996 Satellaview Yoshinori Tsuchiyama Satoshi Yamato
Nintendo Power (cartridge) 1996 SNES
GB
BS F-Zero Grand Prix 1997 Satellaview Toshiaki Suzuki Satoshi Yamato
Excitebike: Super Mario Cup Battle 1997 Satellaview Yoshinori Tsuchiyama Satoshi Yamato
Pokémon Pikachu 1998 Hardware
Pokémon Pikachu 2 GS 1999 Hardware
Poket Hello Kitty 1999 Hardware
Mobile Adapter GB 2001 Hardware Masaru Shimomura Satoshi Yamato
Pokémon Party Mini 2001 Pokémon Mini Shinya Kawada Satoshi Yamato
Pokémon Pinball Mini 2001 Pokémon Mini Yoshikazu Mori Satoshi Yamato
Sakura Momoko no Ukiuki Carnival 2002 GBA Toru Osawa Satoshi Yamato
Pokémon Race Mini 2002 Pokémon Mini Shinya Kawada Satoshi Yamato
Pokémon Shock Tetris 2002 Pokémon Mini Shinya Kawada Satoshi Yamato
Pokémotion 2003 Hardware Shinya Kawada Satoshi Yamato
Mario Party-e 2002 e-Reader Toru Osawa Satoshi Yamato
Game Boy Advance Wireless Adapter 2004 GBA
Slide Adventure MAGKID 2007 NDS Kazunobu Shimizu Shinya Kawada
Personal Trainer: Walking 2008 NDS Naoya Morimura Shinya Kawada
Cooking Guide: Can't Decide What to Eat? 2008 NDS Hirotaka Watanabe Yoshinori Tsuchiyama
Pokéwalker 2009 Hardware Masaru Shimomura Junichi Masuda
Hitoshi Yamagami

Discography Credits[11]

Notes

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  1. ^ Japanese: 任天堂企画開発本部, Hepburn: Nintendō Shisutemu Kaihatsu Honbu

References

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  1. ^ 任天堂の新開発棟が始動 ゲーム機、ソフト生む拠点. Kyoto NP (in Japanese). Kyoto NP. Archived from the original on 18 June 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  2. ^ "任天堂、現状の開発組織体制は4本部+QOL事業開発本部…大企業病にならない本部同士の連携が重要". GameBusiness.jp (in Japanese). Retrieved 2019-01-15.
  3. ^ a b Kohler, Chris. "Nintendo Consolidates Its Game Development Teams". Wired. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  4. ^ a b Rad, Chloi; Otero, Jose. "Nintendo Reveals Restructuring Plans". IGN. Retrieved 15 September 2015.
  5. ^ N-Sider.com. Satoshi Yamato Profile
  6. ^ NOM Magazine. Iwata Asks: Personal Trainer: Walking
  7. ^ Nintendo. Iwata Asks: Nintendo 3DS: Nintendo eShop
  8. ^ Nintendo. Iwata Asks: Nintendo 3DS: Swapnote
  9. ^ Nintendo. Iwata Asks: Wii U: Miiverse
  10. ^ Nintendo. Iwata Asks: Nintendo 3DS: StreetPass Relay Points
  11. ^ N-Sider.com. N-Sider Database