Bandai Namco Hiring Again for Mystery Nintendo Switch Game

Earlier this year, job listings from Bandai Namco leaked online for an unannounced first-party Nintendo Switch game. It seems the publisher is now looking to bring in more talent for the project, as the company's Japanese website has been updated with more positions available. From everything revealed thus far, it seems that the game in question is a remaster/remake of an existing title. Bandai Namco is also looking for developers with experience in "the HD remastering of 3D backgrounds." Unfortunately, there's little else to go on, at this time!

So far, a good deal of the speculation surrounding this game has centered on Kid Icarus: Uprising. The 2012 Nintendo 3DS game received strong reviews, and was directed by Masahiro Sakurai, best known for his work on Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Last November, Sakurai even noted that he'd love to see the game ported to a home console. While the director considers himself "semi-retired" at the moment, it's worth noting that Bandai Namco Studios developed Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, so Sakurai already has a well-developed relationship there. It's entirely possible that the game Nintendo contracted out to Bandai Namco could be something else entirely, but Kid Icarus: Uprising seems like a safe bet.

So far, Nintendo has announced a handful of first-party games for Switch this year, including Fire Emblem Engage, Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe, Bayonetta Origins: Cereza and the Lost Demon, and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom. That's a pretty decent schedule for the first half of the year, but there has been no information on what to expect in the second half. Based on previous years, we can likely expect to see a Nintendo Direct presentation within the next month or so, giving fans a better idea what else will release. It's possible Bandai Namco's new game will be among those showcased, but for now, fans will just have to wait and see!

Do you think Kid Icarus: Uprising is coming to Nintendo Switch? What are you hoping to see on the system in 2023? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter and on Hive at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!

[H/T: Nintendo Wire]