Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze Lead has Returned to Retro Studios
The lead designer for Donkey Kong: Tropical Freeze, Stephen Dupree, has returned to Retro Studios after departing in 2017. While he was away, Dupree worked at the Texas Playful Corp studio ,where he helped design the successful platformer New Super Lucky’s Tale. Some of Dupree’s earlier work at Retro included years with the Metroid Prime team, so it’s possible he’ll be part of the Metroid Prime 4 team. The designer had also previously contributed to the Wii reboot of Donkey Kong Country at Retro, as well as Mario Kart 7 for the Nintendo 3DS.
Currently, five of Metroid Prime 3’s original eleven designers who are still at Retro are potentially working on the upcoming Metroid Prime 4 and Stephen Dupree seems like a natural fit for that team given his experience with Metroid Prime. After having to reboot Metroid Prime 4 when development of the project returned to Retro Studios, the studio had to hire some new people for their team, including Kyle Hefley from the Halo franchise. Considering Dupree’s experience with Donkey Kong Country Returns and Tropical Freeze, we could see the studio making another Donkey Kong title in the future.
According to a VGC, around half of the full-time developers who worked on Metroid Prime 3 remain at Retro Studios which is a portion of the studio that Stephen Dupree belongs to now that he’s returned. Apparently, around 50 people that worked full-time on Metroid Prime 3 and around 27 remained at the studio, including four contractors made permanent. Dupree’s experience on the Wii shooter will likely improve the upcoming Nintendo Switch exclusive: Metroid Prime 4.
Would you like to see Stephen Dupree join the Metroid Prime 4 team or would you rather see a new Donkey Kong? What did you think of New Super Lucky’s Tale? Let us know in the comments below!
Source: VGC