Prior to Nintendo EPD, the division that handles all Nintendo development and publishing for the Switch, Switch 2, and Mobile. Nintendo's first party development was split between the EAD division, the legendary group of in-house studios led by Shigeru Miyamoto, and SPD, which while did some internal work, was primarily a group of publishing units that managed and oversaw the development of games made at external companies, including overseeing Nintendo's subsidiaries like Retro Studios.
This structure lasted from the start of the Nintendo DS, all the way up to the end of the Wii U, and both divisions pumped out a lot of titles in that time span.
Notable EAD games and franchises:
Super Mario Galaxy
The Legend of Zelda
Animal Crossing
Wii Sports
Nintendogs
Wii Fit
Big Brain Academy
Mario Kart
Star Fox Command
Flipnote Studio
Splatoon
Nintendo Land
Super Mario Maker
Notable SPD games and franchises:
Pokemon (The Pokemon Co./Game Freak)
Super Smash Bros. (Sakurai/Sora)
Metroid Prime (Retro Studios)
Donkey Kong Country Returns (Retro Studios)
Fire Emblem (Intelligent Systems)
Rhythm Heaven
WarioWare
Brain Age
Xenoblade Chronicles (MonolithSoft)
Sin & Punishment: Star Successor (Treasure)
Mario Strikers (Next Level Games)
Pandora's Tower (Ganbarion)
The Last Story (Mistwalker)
The Wonderful 101 (Platinum Games)
Style Savvy (syn Sophia)
Between this output each, which division did you think did the best?
Last edited by TheMisterManGuy - on 16 November 2025
