After yesterday’s reveal of Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, we now know who is developing this remastered title. It has been revealed that Forever Entertainment SA, known for its work on Panzer Dragoon Remake and many other titles, has developed DKCR HD. Nintendo recently has chosen not to disclose the developers of its remastered and outsourced titles for the most part, so this is a welcome surprise. This official news was released by Forever Entertainment SA, confirming that they are indeed the developers of Donkey Kong Country Returns HD.
In 2021, Nintendo signed a financial partnership with Forever Entertainment for “future Switch titles”. It’s likely that this game is a major part of that, with perhaps another on the way.
Donkey Kong Country Returns is a title Nintendo originally released on the Nintendo Wii in 2010, with a 3DS re-release years later. This is the Nintendo Switch’s 2nd Donkey Kong title, now joining the 2018 enhanced port of Donkey Kong Country Tropical Freeze. While Nintendo will likely not release a new DK title for the Switch before it is sunsetted, it seems highly likely that the company is preparing a major new title in the series for the Nintendo Switch successor.
Nintendo initially announced Donkey Kong Country Returns HD during the June 18 Nintendo Direct. The game is set to release exclusively for Nintendo Switch on January 16, 2025.
