After years of speculation and frustration from fans, it seems that Nintendo did have plans for a new Donkey Kong game at one point. According to gaming historian Liam Robertson, Nintendo teamed up with Vicarious Visions to develop a new Donkey Kong game that would focus on the mobility of the iconic character.
The project reportedly started after Donkey Kong was featured in Activision Blizzard’s Skylanders Superchargers. Nintendo was impressed with Vicarious Visions’ work and decided to collaborate on a new game. Shigeru Miyamoto, the legendary creator of Donkey Kong, was also said to be involved in the project.
However, the collaboration was short-lived as Activision Blizzard intervened and wanted Vicarious Visions to focus on supporting development for Call of Duty instead. This led to the founders of Vicarious Visions, Karthik and Guha Bala, quitting the studio and starting Velan Studios.
Velan Studios went on to work with Nintendo and released Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit in 2020. It’s a bittersweet revelation for Donkey Kong fans, as they may never get to see the game that could have been.
While the fate of a new Donkey Kong game remains uncertain, this new information sheds light on Nintendo’s elusive plans for the beloved character. Only time will tell if Donkey Kong will get the spotlight he deserves in the future.