Though the company, most known for the Kirby and Mother series, has always been close to Nintendo, it is technically an independent entity. No official statement has been made, but the HAL Laboratory website has been updated to reflect the change of address, as well as a slight increase in staff. Fans don’t know if HAL is sharing actual office space with Nintendo, or simply sharing the building itself, but the relocation is yet another affirmation of the two’s close, but informal, bond.
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Since Nintendo announced the consolidation of its four Tokyo bases into one office building in Tokyo’s Chiyoda ward, sharp fans have noted the quiet arrival of several developers. Most notably, Game Freak (Pokemon) and 1-Up Studio (Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Super Mario Odyssey). Nintendo ETD Tokyo and Nintendo PTD Tokyo - responsible for the development of Nintendo’s games/mobile apps and hardware, respectively - are both also now based out of the same building.
Fans should understand that the shared space doesn’t necessarily mean any particular projects are in the works. That being said, it’s still good reason to be hopeful of upcoming/continued HAL Laboratory and Nintendo collaborations, like Kirby Epic Yarn. It would be an understatement to say that Nintendo frequently teams up with Game Freak and 1-Up, and with HAL’s teams now working just down the hall from these powerhouses, it’s difficult to imagine something extraordinary not happening.
Some fans are also hopeful that this means HAL Laboratory will have some sort of role to play in the upcoming New Pokemon Snap. Despite HAL’s work on the original Pokemon Snap, Nintendo revealed that Bandai Namco would be developing the recently announced Switch sequel - now that HAL’s teams are literally in the building, they might be able to put in their two cents.
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Source: HAL Laboratory, Inc.
