New 'Donkey Kong' Project Reportedly In The Works

Nintendo did not include "Donkey Kong" in its E3 Direct 2021 showcase, but there's a new leak claiming that the Japanese gaming giant is currently working on a major project for the popular franchise, which is said to go beyond games.

It was industry insider Zippo who shared the latest leak about a new "Donkey Kong" project. In a blog post, the tipster revealed that "Donkey Kong" is Nintendo's next big IP and it includes a multimedia project. The insider also claimed that it is not just a "one-off" deal since, according to their sources, it would be more than just games.

In the past, rumors already came out about a new "Donkey Kong" game being in development for Switch. What sets this new leak apart, however, is its claim that the project would include a brand new animation, a theme park expansion and even merchandise.

This may be a nod to what Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa previously said about the company's interest in expanding its reach. He also noted that the Japanese gaming giant was considering using the animation space for its IPs starting with the "Super Mario" movie, scheduled for 2022.

"I've been told by multiple people that Donkey Kong is the next franchise in line to follow Mario in Nintendo's push for their game franchises to become multimedia juggernauts, Zippo said.

"Donkey and co. aren't just getting a new game, they're getting animation (Before this catches fire, my sources did not specify whether or not this was a movie or a show, just that an animation featuring DK characters was early in the works.) a big theme park expansion, merchandise, etc." Moreover, the insider said, "This new game is not just a one-off, DK is being taken seriously at the big N again, and that should be good news for fans everywhere," the insider said further.

Zippo previously leaked information about "Paper Mario: The Origami King, " "Metroid Dread" and other Nintendo titles, and they were later proven to be accurate.

Unfortunately, the insider did not reveal when fans could expect the "Donkey Kong" project. However, the tipster assured more information on it would be revealed "sooner rather than later."

So far, Nintendo has not said anything about the franchise. This means fans should temper their expectations about the rumored "Donkey Kong" project.