Monolith Soft was originally created by founders Hirohide Sugiura, Tetsuya Takahashi and Yasuyuki Honne with investment from Namco (now Bandai Namco) to work on Xenosaga, a Namco-owned spiritual successor to Square’s Xenogears. In 2007, Nintendo bought out 80% of Monolith Soft’s shares from Namco, and then went on to further increase its stake to 96% in 2011.

In your opinion, Nintendo need to buy some studios like Sony and Microsoft for the Switch 2 or just need to expand their studios like they always did (like they did with Monolith in the recent years)? or even both? if you think that Nintendo needs to buy some studios which studio do you think will fit with Nintendo philosophies or even a Personal wish? Comment below if you want to give a opinion :D

I'll put all Nintendo Studios with some descriptions below:

Monolith Soft:

After Nintendo Own the Studio (2007):

Xenoblade Series: Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii and New 3DS XL), Xenoblade Chronicles:Definitive Edition (Switch), Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (Switch), Xenoblade Chronicles 2: Torna – The Golden Country (Switch), Xenoblade Chronicles 3 (Switch), Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed (Switch), Xenoblade Chronicles X (Wii U and Switch).

Others: Disaster: Day of Crisis (Wii), Soma Bringer (DS), Dragon Ball Z: Attack of the Saiyans (DS), Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier (DS), Super Robot Taisen OG Saga: Endless Frontier EXCEED (DS), Project x Zone (3DS), Project x Zone 2 (3DS).

Before Nintendo Own the Studio:

Xenosaga Series: Xenosaga Episode 1 (PS2), Xenosaga Episode II (PS2), Xenosaga Episode III (PS2), Xenosaga Freaks (PS2), Xenosaga I & II (DS), Xenosaga: Pied Piper (Mobile).

Others: Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean (Gamecube), Baten Kaitos Origins (Gamecube), Namco x Capcom (PS2).

Support Development:

After Nintendo Own the Studio: 

The Legend of Zelda Series: The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword (Wii), The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (3DS), The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (Wii U and Switch), The Legend of Zelda Tears of the Kingdom (Switch).

Splatoon Series: Splatoon 1 (Wii U), Splatoon 2 (Switch), Splatoon 3 (Switch).

Animal Crossing Series: Animal Crossing: New Leaf (3DS), Animal Crossing: Happy Home Designer (3DS), Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Switch).

Others: Super Smash Bros: Brawl (Wii) and Pikmin 3 (Wii U)

Before Nintendo Own the Studio:

Dirge of Cerberus: Final Fantasy VII (PS2)

1-UP Studios - old Brownie Studios (2013):

Before Nintendo Own the Studio:

Magical Vacation (GBA), Sword of Mana (GBA), Magical Starsign (DS), Mother 3 (GBA), Heroes of Mana (DS), Blue Dragon Plus (DS), A Kappa's Trail (DSI Ware), Lively Garden (DS).

Support Development:

After Nintendo Own the Studio: 

Super Mario 3D World (Wii U), Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury (Switch), Captain Toad: Treasure Traveler (Wii U, 3DS and Switch), Flipnote Studio 3D (3DS), The Legend of Zelda: Tri Force Heroes (3DS), Super Mario Odyssey (Switch), Ring Fit Adventure (Switch), Animal Crossing: New Horizons (Switch), Super Mario 3D All-Stars (Switch).

IQue (2013):

Localizes and distributes Nintendo consoles and games for the mainland Chinese Market until 2017. IQue still offers consumer support for existing products.

Mario Club (2009):

Quality Assurance on Nintendo games.

NDcube (2000):

Games Developed:

F-Zero: Maximum Velocity (GBA), Ez-Talk Shakyuuhen 1 to 6 (GBA), Card Party (Gamecube), Pool Edge (Gamecube), Tube Slider (Gamecube), Wii Party (Wii), Wii Play Motion (Wii), Mario Party 9 (Wii), Wii Party U (Wii U), Mario Party: Island Tour (3DS), Mario Party 10 (Wii U), Animal Crossing Amiibo Festival (Wii U), Mario Party: Star Rush (3DS), Mario Party: The Top 100 (3DS), Super Mario Party (Switch), Clubhouse Games: 51 Worldwide Classics (Switch), Mario Party Superstars (Switch), Everybody 1-2 Switch! (Switch), Super Mario Party Jumboree (Switch)

Next Level Games (2021):

After Nintendo Own the Studio: 

Mario Strikers: Battle League (Switch)

Before Nintendo Own the Studio:

NHL Hitz Pro (Gamecube), Super Mario Strikers (Gamecube), Mario Strikers Charged (Wii), Spider-Man: Friend or Foe (Wii), Jungle Speed (WiiWare), Punch-Out!! (Wii), Doc Louis's Punch Out!! (WiiWare), Transformers: Cybertron Adventures (Wii), Tom Clancy's Ghost Recon (Wii), Luigi's Mansion 2: Dark Moon (3DS), Metroid Prime: Blast Ball (3DS), Metroid Prime: Federation Force (3DS), Luigi's Mansion 3 (Switch)

Retro Studios (2002)

Games Developed:

Metroid Series: Metroid Prime (Gamecube), Metroid Prime Remastered (Switch), Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (Gamecube), Metroid Prime 3: Corruption (Wii), Metroid Prime Trilogy (Wii), Metroid Prime 4 (in development for Switch)

Donkey Kong Series: Donkey Kong Country Returns (Wii), Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze (Wii U)

Support Development:

Metroid Prime: Hunters (DS), Mario Kart 7 (3DS)

Shiver Entertainment (2024)

Games Developed:

Scribblenauts Showdown (Switch, PS4, Xbox One), Scribblenauts Mega Pack (Switch, PS4, Xbox One), Mortal Kombat 11 (Switch Version), Mortal Kombat 1 (Switch Version), Hogwarts Legacy (Switch Version)

Hal Laboratory (50%)

Smash Bros Franchise, Kirby Franchise, Earthbound (SNES), Pokemon Ranger (DS), Pokemon Snap (N64), etc.

The Pokemon Company (32%)

Pokemon Franchise

Nintendo EPD:

EPD1: External Coop with others studios like Xenoblade, Fire Emblem, etc.

EPD2: External Cooperations

EPD3: The Legend of Zelda

EPD4: Nintendo Labo, Ring Fit Adventure, etc.

EPD5: Animal Crossing, Splatoon and External Coop with Metroid Prime, Paper Mario, Luigi's Mansion, etc.

EPD6: Mario, Luigi's Mansion, etc.

EPD7: WarioWare, Rhythm Paradise, 2D Metroid.

EPD8: 3D Mario 

EPD9: Mario Kart, Arms

EPD10: 2D Mario, Pikmin, etc.

Smart Device Production Group: Mobile Games.

I think its mainly expand internally, but buy some studios if the opportunity is there and the studio in question is important for Nintendo. For example a studio like Grezzo that is capable of delivering solid sales working on Nintendo IP games would be a solid acquisition if the opportunity was there.

But i think Nintendo will mostly focus on expanding the size of Nintendo EPD and their subsidiaries (Retro Studios, Monolith Soft, Next Level games and more) as well as partner studios (HAL, Intelligent Systems, Game Freak and more).

I don't think Nintendo will ever try to buy a major publisher. The biggest type of acquisition i can see Nintendo going for is something the size of Platinum games.

If I'm not wrong, Monolith were the people who created Xenogears for PSX, in Square. Originally thought as the project to be the next FFVII, was refused by the direction in favor or another one (the one we all know), but that team get the permission to develop the game outside the Final Fantasy series.

They quit Square to go to Namco, and Monolith Software was officially founded. They developed the Xenosaga series for PS2, and, if my memory does not fail, the Baten Kaitos series for Gamecube. Around 2012 Nintendo buyed them.

I think expanding what they have is the best approach, but I don't see the downsides of 100% owning a company you already had a near-total stake in.
If HAL ever gets in real bad financial shape, I think that would be a great case for Nintendo to buy them up to get them back on their feet and prevent layoffs.

I mean, if "ever" considering Kirby is HAL's flagship character and has games that sell really well and that's without mentioning the derivative merchandise they make from it(A lot), we ain't that happen soon

As for the the complete acquisition of shares by Nintendo. My only hope is that this won't lead to Monolith Soft trademarks and logo disappearing from their work in the future.

I say do both.

Expand, dont buy unless its a studio that they are deep pockets in.

Technically true but Monolith didn't exist then. They worked at Square Soft. Monolith was formed after leaving SS. Also, Xenogears didn't get full funding so by disc 2 they ran out of money. Monolith was formed after leaving SS and Namco purchased them. Nintendo bought them in 2007. Monolith did a few projects under Namco. Xenosaga. Namco X Capcom. Dirge of Cerberus for Square Enix. Baten Kaitos. Xenosaga 1-2 Remakes for Nintendo DS. Nintendo purchased them in what I believe was the consolation prize of Nintendo attempting to buy Namco. The first game released under the Nintendo ownership was Soma Bringer on DS. Then Disaster Day of Crisis before Xenoblade was originally titled Monando Beginning of the World.

Which they should have done with Rare and then brought in new blood to that studio to keep it going.

Yeah...sadly BK is in limbo.