Recent Nintendo Update Could Be Bad News for Beloved 23-Year-Old Series

Over the years, Nintendo has launched its fair share of beloved franchises. From Star Fox to The Legend of Zelda, there are no shortage of iconic characters that come from Nintendo. But few are more well-known, or more beloved, than Mario. Along with the classic Super Mario platformers, Mario has spawned his own gaming universe with spin-offs like Mario Kart, Mario Party, and more. While Mario might be the titular star of many of these games, plenty of Super Mario side characters have their own spinoff series. But recent news from Nintendo is putting one spinoff series in a questionable position.

From Donkey Kong to Yoshi and beyond, plenty of Mario side-characters have their own gaming series. But few are quite as wild and iconic as Wario’s own WarioWare series. These games star Mario’s villainous foil and, rather than straightforward platforming, they consist of a series of interlinked microgames. From the first game onward, Nintendo employee Goro Abe has been involved as a Game Designer and Director. But Abe recently shared that he’s leaving Nintendo, and that has fans wondering about WarioWare’s future.

WarioWare Director Goro Abe Departs Nintendo After 27 Years

From the start of his career at Nintendo, Goro Abe has been linked with Wario. His first Nintendo programming credit was on the 2001 spinoff Wario Land 4. From there, he has largely been known for his work on the WarioWare series. He served a key role in the Game Design and programming for the franchise’s debut title, WarioWare Inc.: Mega Microgame$! in 2003. Abe also served as Game Director for its GameCube version, WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Game$! that same year.

Since then, there have been 8 additional titles in the WarioWare series. And Abe served as a Director for each and every one, often also working as part of the Game Design team. Most recently, Abe served as the Chief Director for the 2023 release of WarioWare: Move It! Fans of the series have been eagerly awaiting the announcement of a new installment in the beloved, chaotic spinoff series. In fact, many fans were hoping to see one in 2025, following the series’ recent tradition of a new game every 2 years or so. But no such entry emerged. And now Goro Abe, who has been closely linked to the series since its beginnings, has left Nintendo.

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Abe’s departure doesn’t necessarily mean we’ll never get another WarioWare title. After all, the spinoff series remains popular thanks to its unique and fast-paced gameplay. While not among the top sellers for Mario games, WarioWare has a dedicated fanbase, and that could mean Nintendo will carry on with the series. But even if it does, it could look quite a bit different without Abe’s involvement in future games.

For now, a follow-up to 2023’s WarioWare: Move It! has not been announced. With the Switch 2 and its new mouse controls, the potential to lean into the chaotic mini-game format is certainly there. But until Nintendo confirms a new title, we’ll just have to wait and see whether WarioWare will continue without Abe’s involvement, and what it will look like if it does.

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