Nintendo Software Planning & Development

Nintendo Software Planning and Development (or SPD) is a development division inside Nintendo. SPD was created during a corporate restructuring in 2004 and primarily assists other first party teams and manages overseas production of first party franchises. It is currently headed by Akira Ootani and is split into four separate teams who work concurrently on different projects.

Current Structure of Nintendo SPD

SPD Production Group 1

Manager/Producer: Yoshio Sakamoto
Responsible for co-developing the popular Wario Ware series of games with internal developers Intelligent Systems and the 2D line of Metroid titles on handhelds. Currently developing Card Hero DS with Intelligent Systems.

Games Developed: Metroid Fusion, Metroid Zero Mission, WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Microgame$!
Co-Developed: Card Hero DS, WarioWare, Inc.: Mega Party Game$!, WarioWare: Smooth Moves, WarioWare: Touched!, WarioWare: Twisted!

SPD Production Group 2

Manager/Producer: Hitoshi Yamagami
Responsible primarily for first party puzzle games on Nintendo handhelds. Currently developing Dr. Mario & Bacteria Extermination (tentative title) for Nintendo's WiiWare service.

Games Developed: Mahjong DS and Tetris DS
Games Co-Developed: Planet Puzzle League and Super Princess Peach

SPD Production Group 3

Manager/Producer: Kensuke Tanabe
Responsible for overseeing the development of titles by overseas and second-party teams. Currently overseeing an unknown number of internal and external projects.

Games Co-Developed: Battalion Wars, Battalion Wars 2, Excite Truck, Geist, Metroid Prime 2: Echoes, Metroid Prime 3: Corruption, and Mother 3

SPD Production Group 4

Manager/Producer: Shinya Takakashi
Responsible primarily for the creation of Wii Channels.

Games Developed: DS Letter Training
Miscellaneous Developments: Everybody Votes Channel, Everybody's Nintendo Channel, Mii Contest Channel, and TV Program Guide