abbreviated Nintendo EPD, is the largest division within the Japanese video game company Nintendo. The division focuses on developing and producing video games, mobile apps, and other related entertainment software for the company. Nintendo EPD was established in September 2015 after merging their Entertainment Analysis & Development and Software Planning & Development divisions.
History
The division was created on September 16, 2015, after the consolidation of two of Nintendo's former software divisions, Entertainment Analysis & Development (EAD) and Software Planning & Development (SPD), as part of a company-wide organizational restructure under Nintendo's newly appointed president, Tatsumi Kimishima.
The division assumed both of its predecessors' roles, focusing on the development of games and software for Nintendo platforms and mobile devices; it also manages and licenses the company's various intellectual properties, alongside producing and supervising development for external studios.
Shinya Takahashi, former general manager of Nintendo SPD, has the same title in EPD, with Yoshiaki Koizumi, Katsuya Eguchi, Eiji Aonuma, and Hisashi Nogami as deputy general managers, and Yoshio Sakamoto and Takashi Tezuka as senior officers. Kensuke Tanabe was previously a senior officer until his departure in 2026. The others had been in such positions since the division's formation, Nogami was promoted in 2017, and Aonuma and Tanabe and were promoted into higher positions within the division in 2019. By 2023, Takahashi and Koizumi were promoted to more senior positions, with Aonuma, and sound designer Koji Kondo named senior officers.
Structure Mainly located in Kyoto, the Nintendo division works similarly to its two predecessors before the merger and is divided into many groups. It has ten production groups responsible for development or production of games, each of them having their own managers, producers and project leads working on specific series and focus, with them using the pool of talents in the division for each project. In the overall division, the general manager, deputy general managers, and senior officers oversee different aspects in those production groups.
The division also houses the Programming Management, Design Management, and Sound Management groups.
There are currently 10 production groups known within Nintendo EPD:
Co-Production Group, previously known as Production Group No. 2 until 2023, produces most of the games developed by external studios and published by Nintendo, such as the Mario Tennis, Kirby, Pokémon, Xenoblade, Fire Emblem and Mario & Luigi series. It consists of staff from a former Production Group No. 1 that was merged into the group in 2020. Production Group No. 3 develops the main The Legend of Zelda series. Production Group No. 4 develops casual and experimental games such as Miitopia, 1-2-Switch, Nintendo Labo, Ring Fit Adventure, Jump Rope Challenge, Game Builder Garage, Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain, Nintendo Switch Sports, Everybody 1-2-Switch! and Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream. It consists of staff from a former Production Group No. 7 that was merged into the group in 2023. The division also co-developed Alarmo with Nintendo TDD. Production Group No. 5, with group manager Aya Kyogoku, develops the Animal Crossing and Splatoon series, and Drag x Drive. Production Group No. 6 oversee and produce games developed by external studios and published by Nintendo, such as the Paper Mario, Metroid Prime and Luigi's Mansion series. Production Group No. 7 developed Miitomo and co-develops 2D Metroid games with MercurySteam and Famicom Detective Club games with MAGES. Production Group No. 8, also known as Nintendo EPD Tokyo, develops the 3D Super Mario games and 3D Donkey Kong games. Production Group No. 9 develops the Mario Kart series and Arms. Production Group No. 10 develops 2D Super Mario games (including Super Mario Maker) and the Pikmin series. Smart Device Production Group, develops smartphone games alongside other EPD groups as well as produce games by external studios.
Games developed + List of video games developed by Nintendo Entertainment Planning & Development Year Title Genre(s) Platform(s) Notes 2015 The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes Action-adventure Nintendo 3DS Co-developed with Grezzo Animal Crossing: Amiibo Festival PartyWii U Co-developed with NDCube 2016 Miitomo Social networking serviceAndroid, iOS Star Fox Zero Shoot 'em upWii U Co-developed with PlatinumGames Star Fox Guard Tower defenseWii U Animal Crossing: New Leaf - Welcome Amiibo Social simulationNintendo 3DS Miitopia Role-playingNintendo 3DS Super Mario Run PlatformerAndroid, iOS 2017 The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild Action-adventure 1-2-SwitchPartyNintendo Switch Mario Kart 8 Deluxe Kart racingNintendo Switch Arms FightingNintendo Switch Splatoon 2 Third-person shooterNintendo Switch Metroid: Samus Returns Metroidvania Nintendo 3DS Co-developed with MercurySteam Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp Social simulationAndroid, iOS Co-developed with NDCube Super Mario Odyssey PlatformerNintendo Switch 2018 Nintendo LaboConstruction setNintendo SwitchCaptain Toad: Treasure Tracker Puzzle-platformer Nintendo Switch Co-developed with Nintendo Software Technology 2019 New Super Mario Bros. U Deluxe Platformer Nintendo Switch Super Mario Maker 2 Platformer Nintendo Switch Dr. Mario WorldPuzzleAndroid, iOS Co-developed with LINE and NHN EntertainmentMario Kart TourKart racingAndroid, iOS Ring Fit AdventureExergameNintendo Switch Dr Kawashima's Brain Training for Nintendo SwitchPuzzleNintendo Switch Co-developed with indieszero 2020 Animal Crossing: New HorizonsLife simulationNintendo Switch Super Mario 3D All-StarsPlatformerNintendo Switch Co-developed with 1-Up Studio, iQue and Nintendo European Research & Development Pikmin 3 DeluxeReal-time strategyNintendo Switch Co-developed with Eighting2021 Bowser's FuryPlatformerNintendo SwitchCo-developed with Nintendo Software Technology Game Builder GarageProgrammingNintendo Switch Metroid Dread MetroidvaniaNintendo Switch Co-developed with MercurySteam Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain PuzzleNintendo Switch Co-developed with indieszero2022 Nintendo Switch SportsSportsNintendo Switch Version 1.5.0 update co-developed with Eighting Splatoon 3Third-person shooterNintendo Switch2023 The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the KingdomAction-adventureNintendo Switch Everybody 1-2-Switch!PartyNintendo SwitchCo-developed with NDcube Pikmin 4Real-time strategyNintendo SwitchCo-developed with Eighting Super Mario Bros. WonderPlatformerNintendo Switch 2024 Nintendo World Championships: NES EditionActionNintendo SwitchCo-developed with indieszero Emio – The Smiling Man: Famicom Detective ClubAdventureNintendo SwitchCo-developed with MAGES The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of WisdomAction-adventureNintendo SwitchCo-developed with Grezzo2025 Mario Kart WorldKart racing Nintendo Switch 2 Welcome TourTech demoCo-developed with Nintendo Cube Donkey Kong BananzaPlatformerNintendo Switch 2 Drag x DriveSportsNintendo Switch 2 Super Mario Galaxy + Super Mario Galaxy 2PlatformerNintendo SwitchCo-developed with Nintendo Software Technology2026Super Mario Bros. Wonder – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Meetup in Bellabel ParkPlatformerNintendo Switch 2Tomodachi Life: Living the DreamLife simulationNintendo Switch Pictonico!PartyAndroid, iOSCo-developed with Intelligent SystemsRhythm Heaven GrooveRhythmNintendo Switch Splatoon RaidersThird-person shooterNintendo Switch 2 Nintendo Switch Sports ResortSportsNintendo Switch 2The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of TimeAction-adventureNintendo Switch 2TBAPikmin 4 – Nintendo Switch 2 Edition + Dandori AcademyReal-time strategyNintendo Switch 2Co-developed with Eighting2027Metroid RavenousMetroidvaniaNintendo Switch 2Co-developed with MercurySteam
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