Mother 4 is "Totally Impossible" Says Series Creator

[Steven Bogos]

Mother 4 is "Totally Impossible" Says Series Creator

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Mother lead designer Shigesato Itoi says that it is impossible for him to create a forth entry in the series.

In the west, Shigesato Itoi is known for his work on the EarthBound video game series. But in Japan, where the series is known as Mother, Itoi's talents stretch far further than game design. He is best known in his home country as a copywriter and a commentator, and has absolutely no desire to put his game designer cap back on for a Mother 4. His reasoning? "Among big-time pop stars, 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."

In an interview with Game Watch Impress [http://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/news/20151121_731822.html], Itoi actually goes on to state that working on a new Mother title is "totally impossible" for him, meaning that if we see another title, it won't have his name on it. "I'm glad that video games are not my profession," he said. "If it was my job, I would've already made [Mother] 4 and 5."

So there you go, if there ever is a Mother 4, Itoi won't have anything to do with it. You can be angry with him for that, but you have to at least admire his integrity: there's not a lot of developers who would shy away from quick cash-in on an established IP.

I guess EarthBound fans will just have to make do with Undertale [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/articles/view/video-games/editorials/reviews/15026-You-Should-Play-Undertale-Our-Review-of-Toby-Fox-s-JRPG-Revival#&gid=gallery_5064&pid=1] for now...

Source: Kotaku [http://game.watch.impress.co.jp/img/gmw/docs/731/822/html/01.jpg.html]

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[RJ 17]

Ya know, he's actually got a pretty good point with the pop-star analogy.

 

[Godzillarich(aka tf2godz)]

I thought you couldn't make it because....

Spoiler

"everyone's pretty much dead at this point after the world blew up and now they're in heaven or something(that ending was really confusing and kind of a downer). I don't know how you can make a fourth one after that.

 

[CrazyGirl17]

Shame, but then again, it's kinda hard to follow up Mother 3's ending... well, good on him for keeping his integrity...

 

[Ultimatecalibur]

Good on him, sucks for us, but it would be nice if studios were allowed to hang up the hat on more series their hearts not in. Oh look were getting another Final Fantasy!! Sweet!

The Final Fantasy series isn't really a good example as the series is primarily an anthology rather than a chronology. Other chronological series are probably better targets.

 

[KoudelkaMorgan]

There already is a Mother 4, and has been for a long time http://www.mother4game.com/

We'll all be dead before they ever finish it though.

 

[Dalisclock]

I really don't want to see another Mother game. I love the series but it's pretty damn good as is. I'd rather it end on the high note that was Mother 3 rather then look at it and say "God, another one of these damn things? This series stopped being good a long time ago" I'm looking at you, Final Fantasy.

Actually, I take it back. FFIX was a wonderful game. It's good that the series ended there instead of becoming some kind of wierd thing that clearly is more interesting in being overblown, CGI-heavy films then anything else.

Also, considering we still haven't gotten Mother 3(legally) outside of Japan, I'd be more interested in seeing that.

 

[BX3]

Is it integrity, though? From what I read it sounds more like he just plain doesn't feel like it and is content with his current occupation... which in and of itself I can't help but appreciate; don't get me wrong.

Even if the Mother series continues (which I don't think it needs to), I'd rather someone else take a crack at it if he's is as unenthusiastic as this read implies. I always feel uncomfortable playing or watching things that put their creators under too much unwanted stress. I honestly don't know how Masahiro Sakurai puts up with half the shit he does.

 

[Aiddon_v1legacy]

Good on him, sucks for us, but it would be nice if studios were allowed to hang up the hat on more series their hearts not in. Oh look were getting another Final Fantasy!! Sweet!

The Final Fantasy series isn't really a good example as the series is primarily an anthology rather than a chronology. Other chronological series are probably better targets.

Yeah, Sakaguchi himself said the series' philosophy was that each entry was supposed to be completely self-contained story, with any connecting elements mostly being superfluous, like why Bahamut keeps showing up (with each entry tending to have a different portrayal of him). As such, the series was able to avoid stagnation for so long due to every story story being unique. Too bad unique doesn't equate to good though as the track record for the past 15-odd years has been spotty at best. Final Fantasy is allowed to keep going, but it REALLY needs to step up its writing and design aspects and quit it with giving every numbered entry a bunch of spin-offs in hoping the Compilation of FFVII with strike again (though even then, the Compilation was a mixed bag).

Anyway, it amazes me how Itoi and Nintendo have to stress every few months that they're not interested doing a new Mother and WHY they're not doing a new one. Itoi was finished with the series and Nintendo respected his wishes, giving the series closure. Ya want a new Mother, then look up the fan game being made.

 

[Lost In The Void]

I don't even care if there is a Mother 4, I'd just like the chance to have Mother 3 on my Wii U Nintendo.

 

[The Enquirer]

You know, I have to respect him for saying he doesn't want to put out a crappy game and get a pay check, he would simply rather make a good game. Ironically enough this just makes me wish he'd develop the game more because you know if he released it, it would be good.

 

[Hairless Mammoth]

It's good that he knows to limit himself as an artist, but is he doing it too soon? Maybe, maybe not. I can think of a few other Nintendo creators that either want to do something else or tried to do too much.

Joke time: Do not worry everyone. Someone at Nintendo will figure out how to put Amiibo into a Mother concept and start milking it for all it's worth.

 

[Hades]

I thought he already said he wouldn't make a new Mother ages ago. ''I'd rather play then make the new Mother'' or something to that effect.

I can respect the decision. I think many people can feel it when a series continues past its intended lifespan, and with Mother the entire tale has been told with little room or reason for a sequel.

 

[vallorn]

It's good that he knows to limit himself as an artist, but is he doing it too soon? Maybe, maybe not. I can think of a few other Nintendo creators that either want to do something else or tried to do too much.

Joke time: Do not worry everyone. Someone at Nintendo will figure out how to put Amiibo into a Mother concept and start milking it for all it's worth.

Does that mean we can have a Giygas Amiibo? I've always wanted a small, plastic figurine that bends the fabric of space and time around itself to shroud the universe in the horror of infinite darkness.

 

[Redlin5_v1legacy]

I'm fine with that decision. I'd just rather have it localized and brought out in a trilogy pack or something. Mother 3 ended on a pretty awesome note and I don't think I'd see things going on from there anyway.

[sub]Much respect to creators who won't bow down to pressure to return to material they've had closure with. Video games are an industry but I'd much rather see them come out with something else totally disturbing in a new IP than play out the fan service that a Mother 4 would be.[/sub]

 

[Steve the Pocket]

'S all right. Undertale is already the best Mother game; he'd have a hell of a time topping that.

(by the way someone really needs to get him to play it)

 

[Lightknight]

Wait... an artist with actual artistic integrity who doesn't want to compromise their work for fast cash?

Wow. Never thought I'd see the day. What about a new series then? If he's this much of a serious artist then why not trust him with something different?