It looks like an official sequel to Mother 3 is now completely off the books. Series creator Shigesato Itoi spoke with Japanese gaming outlet Game Watch Impress about the potential of a Mother 4 but the response wasn’t one many fans were too happy to hear.
As translated by Kotaku, Itoi commented “When I made [Mother] 3, I thought I could do it, so I did it.” In regards to creating a fourth entry in the series, Itoi said the project was “totally impossible.” Itoi likened his reasoning for that decision by using an analogy about the career of a pop singer.
Among big-time popstars, if they, you know, put out ten albums, around the fourth album, they can’t make very good songs. The albums sell, but everyone at the concerts wants to hear songs from those first three albums. Everyone.
Contrary to his most famous creation, Itoi is better known in Japan as a copywriter and commentator. “I’m glad that video games are not my profession,” Itoi added. “If it was my job, I would’ve already made 4 and 5.”
Hardcore fans of the series had been making an unofficial successor to the beloved games dubbed Mother 4. The developers were very straightforward in stating they were in no affiliation to Nintendo, HAL Laboratory, or any other of its affiliates. The project was initially announced in 2013 with an expected Q4 2014 release but until the game has yet to be released.
The original Mother 3 was never made available outside of Japan but for those living stateside that wish to play the series can do so via Wii U Virtual Console. Mother 1 and Mother 2 are available on the platform as Earthbound Origins and Earthbound respectively.