Xenoblade Studio Assisted Development on Nintendo Switch 2 Launch Title

Monolith Soft has revealed that it worked on Mario Kart World for the Switch 2. While Monolith Soft is well-known for its work on the Xenoblade Chronicles series, the studio has helped Nintendo get some of its most successful games ready for release.

June 5 marked the release date of the Nintendo Switch 2. Following several months of build-up, the console is finally out in the wild, and many gamers are purchasing their own. While the Switch 2 launched with over 20 games, the main highlight for most gamers was Mario Kart World. As the latest installment in the highly successful racing series, Mario Kart World brings tons of content for players to check out. While the game features the classic Grand Prix mode the series is famous for, new features like the Free Roam and Knockout Tour modes look to keep things fresh.

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Following the release of Mario Kart World, fans have learned that Monolith Soft helped bring some of the game’s content to life. In a social media post, the studio revealed that it helped create the “fields and character designs.” Given the numerous characters and courses in the game, the company likely played an important part in the project’s completion based on its history with Nintendo.

Monolith Soft Helped Develop Mario Kart World for Switch 2

In addition to its work on the Xenoblade games, Monolith Soft has supported the development of numerous other Nintendo games. Notably, the studio has worked on the massive open worlds of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Furthermore, Monolith Soft has aided with other Switch releases, such as Splatoon 3, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, and more. It is worth noting that Nintendo is now the sole owner of Monolith Soft as of 2024, and the developer will likely continue to assist Nintendo in the Switch 2 era if Mario Kart World is any indication.

It is easy to see the hard work Monolith Soft and the rest of the development team put into Mario Kart World. The latest game looks to make use of the more powerful hardware to improve the visuals compared to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe on the original Switch. In addition, Mario Kart World features a massive roster filled with classic and bizarre characters, evidencing the work put in by the design team.

It will be interesting to see what the rest of the Switch 2 generation holds for Monolith Soft. In addition to supporting development on other Nintendo IPs, the studio released Xenoblade Chronicles X: Definitive Edition for the original Switch in March. While the game currently does not offer enhancements on Switch 2, rumors suggest a 60fps patch for Xenoblade Chronicles X could come in the future.

Date Founded

October 1, 1999

Headquarters

Tokyo, Japan

Known For

Xenoblade Chronicles, Baten Kaitos