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Nintendo of America president on Mother 3, Metroid: 'Talk to me in a year and see what's happened'

Fils-Aime and his peers are well aware of demand for more Earthbound and Metroid titles.

David Craddock

January 13, 2017 2:48 PM

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During an interview with GameSpot, Nintendo of America boss Reggie Fils-Aime acknowledged that fans of Mother 3 (aka Earthbound) and Metroid have been waiting long and not-so-patiently for new installments, and offered a faint glimmer of hope.

"I have nothing to announce... here," Fils-Aime said. "But we are aware that there are some key IP that consumers just can't wait for the next true installment in that franchise's legacy. Suffice it to say, we're aware of it, and talk to me in a year and let's look back and see what's happened."

Fils-Aime reiterated what he's said in the past: that Nintendo executives "have a good understanding of what our consumers want. And believe me, we take that to heart as we work to create content."

To be fair, Fils-Aime has made similar comments in the past. In 2015, shortly after bringing back Mother 1, he explained to writers at Earthbound Central that "Mother/Earthbound series is quite niche. And so for us it’s constantly thinking about the investment and then return for a game like that. There is quite a bit of localization to be done and we just need to make sure that volumetrically there’s enough volume to offset that investment."

He did admit that Nintendo was happy with the reception to Mother 1. On top of that, his answer to GameSpot seems much more receptive, especially his indication that there might be something to discuss in a year or so.

Reggie Fils-Aime spoke to GameSpot on other topics, including why Nintendo's Switch—which will launch for $299.99 on March 3—does not bundle in a game. 

David Craddock

Long Reads Editor

David L. Craddock writes fiction, nonfiction, and grocery lists. He is the author of the Stay Awhile and Listen series, and the Gairden Chronicles series of fantasy novels for young adults. Outside of writing, he enjoys playing Mario, Zelda, and Dark Souls games, and will be happy to discuss at length the myriad reasons why Dark Souls 2 is the best in the series. Follow him online at davidlcraddock.com and @davidlcraddock.