Mother Creator On Third Game's Localisation: "Please Talk To Nintendo About That"

I really hope people aren’t bothering him about this…

At this point I don't understand why people are still begging for it

I've played the fan translation version in 2014 and stopped caring to ask for it since the robot chicken Direct.

I've played it and was amazed by it. If they localize it I'll get day 1. But I'm just done begging.

Honestly Nintendo just needs to come out and say they're either working on it or not. So people can stop complaining.

But play the fan translation version. You won't regret it

At least he gave Nintendo permission to localize it, now it’s up to Nintendo of America to get the ball rolling..🤔

@Shepdawg1 people have been constantly bugging him for years now about it.

He's tired of it

Man at this point I would just love to see a next-gen remake or new mainline of Mother IP before I die.

Obviously don't bother Shigesato Itoi about it. Bother Reggie about it!

IF this plan actually works and we finally have Mother 3 localized, this will be a dream come true for me and many others!

Again, IF this plans works, then we need to do the same thing for Fire Emblem Binding Blade. Japan got it on Switch online, but again we were left with it untranslated and stuck in Japan. Really we need to do this for every Switch online game that Japan gets and we don't, tbh.

I don't even get why people kept asking for the game, the game itself isn't even that great and if you want to play the game the way it originally is just emulate it. The game is already fan translated in English anyways with all pop culture references intact. Waiting for Nintendo to do it ain't gonna work, even if Nintendo do translate and got it localize for a western release, it's not going to be the same game that y'all want. Stuffs are going to be removed, contents are gonna get censored, cut, or altered for the worst.

NOA: Ahhh, Mother 3...

We couldn't even get an unneutered Switch port of Pocket Jockey.

Japanese release: Are you a boy or girl?

English release: Is your "style" blue or pink? They are a jockey!

Mother 3 ain't happening.

It just ain’t gonna happen, we all want it to but it just won’t leave Japan. I’m pretty sure Nintendo knows the demand is there but they probably feel it’s too risky.

I really encourage people to watch Felix & Zion's video they released today (not sure why it's not linked in this article). The people asking for Mother 3 aren't asking for a translation for themselves, they want it localized because they want it accessible for everyone. True Mother fans have already gone through the trouble of playing the translated version a long time ago through whatever means. It's the general masses and casual gamers that will never play it unless it's in an easy to play format. When the general public play a game, that's what drives interest and keeps the spirit of the game alive.

It's kind-of a reverse situation with Xenoblade. I love the series & have played all the entries but I know it's only thanks to the efforts of Operation Rainfall, which allowed the first game to come West and become the phenomenon that it is today. Talk to almost anybody who's completed any Xenoblade game and I'll bet they will tell you it's one of their top 10, if not top game of all time.

Western fans: Hey Doug Bowser, where’s Mother 3?

Bowser: Thank you for your inquiry but Mother 3’s in another country.

@StarryCiel
Thing is you can’t play the translation on switch. To do so would mean downloading a rom of the game of the internet which Nintendo frowns upon. So wouldn’t it just make more sense to have an actual localization to sell instead of threatening lawsuits?

@Don Mario, your Princess is in another Cancel – er, I mean Castle.

Is there a small bit of hope?

I am truly disgusted by all the comments here that say “shut up about it” or “move on already”. If you don’t care, fine. You don’t have to. But that’s not an excuse to mock, taunt and insult those who do.

The fact of the matter is that Japanese is not an easy language for English speakers to learn, and official translations by nature reach a far wider audience than fan translations, in addition to being easier to use and less legally dubious. The people who really want to play it probably already have, and want to share the game with others and play it in an official capacity. The passive-aggressive commenters here almost certainly are not among that group. So why, might I ask, are you here?

TL;DR: Genuine opinions of the game, good or bad, are fine. The fandom-bashing is not.

Lol he’s like, please leave me alone. Some people stalk former game developers like crazy exes. That honestly has to be disheartening to have folks chasing you down for something you did ages ago rather than what you are working on now. (And yes he does mother related things like merchandising but he has moved on from the games themselves. )

Good lord. There's an amazing fan translation right there. Stop whining for this localization altogether but especially to the guy who has no say. I love this series but the superfans are increasingly becoming insufferable.

Talk to Nintendo?

What do you think fans have been doing for the last 20 years?

@nessisonett

"For the love of God just shut up."

😬 ouch, i felt that.

Mother 3 is a great game.

@BandeeOfTheStars

thanks for saying that. I feel almost... reviled by some of the commenters here. i try not to let random people on the internet get to me, but ive been in a years-long casual, friendly videogame-centric conversation here with some of them and this just feels bad. 😟

many have played this game with a english patch through emulation

People talk about the content of the game being controversial to localize, which it is by Western standards, but also the music samples and references many globally popular songs which may also be the problem. You wouldn't think musical references would be an issue but somewhat recent lawsuits have set a bad precedent which probably makes Nintendo lawyers nervous

It would be nice to play this and Phantasy Star Online 2 with English text. The Sega revival could bring more PSO games to Switch and other platforms. I also find it weird that Mother 3 doesn't have an English text option but they're releasing Mother 3 plushies.

It's neat but the plushie sales might be higher if the game is localized.

Wake me up when they remade the games ala links awakening, Why settle for the localizations of a 20 year old game?

Watch Nintendo turn it around and tell people to go talk to Itoi for that.

@BandeeOfTheStars tbf it's not right to harass game developers either, and we've got a fan translation with everything intact. So time to put on our eyepatches, since our doubloons aren't good enough for those landlubbers

@Tempestryke Oh, believe me, I’m not defending the people who harass game developers for what they want. There are bad eggs in all fandoms, unfortunately. But too many people here are acting as if they are personally offended by the fact that people keep asking for Mother 3. It goes both ways. (And it’s rather important to distinguish between harassment and simple requests, too. One is obviously unacceptable, but people here are acting like both are.)

And honestly, I don’t have any problem with Expansion Pack subscribers pirating the game for the translation at this point (since they do have access to the Japanese version), but it’s still not exactly legal and that fact alone will significantly reduce the audience it reaches.

This is such a bad move I can't believe they've done that to be honest.

So basically mother 3 will release in America about the same time Mario comes to Playstation. Gotcha 😉

What a crock of crap Nintendo.

@LexKitteh Iwata confirmed back in the day the copyright thing isn't an issue.

Maybe people would ask Nintendo about it if they were actually accessible like they used to be. They barely even do any interviews with the media anymore.

@BandeeOfTheStars It's not "fandom bashing" to say "hey there's a way to play the game RIGHT NOW, you should do that maybe."

@Sisilly_G none of that matters. It's literally a toy. As evidenced by "boy or girl."

@LadyCharlie thats not the point tho its so that people who are casual gamers get the chance to become fans of the series overall so that more games are made for that fandom. Also, youre making it sound like people are being polite and nice about it telling people you dont know to shut up is pretty screwy if you ask me

@Sisilly_G
What the hell really? That's crazy. But yeah it's absolutely no wonder that in a world where game devs somehow believe choosing between male and female in a game is super controversial that Mother 3 would never get localised with the contents it has.

Edit: By the way I have now checked out the Switch version of Pocket Card Jockey and I guess the removal of gender choice is only a thing in the English versions? Because in the language I played in there, thankfully, was no stupid decision made about removing the option of "boy" or "girl".

@steely_pete only some few developers are like that, luckily. Nintendo and some small insignificant brands like Ubisoft or Activision.

Most of the gaming world just has fun.

They should all take the anime approach. The amount of things "shocking" the west would be huge, but not even the professional insult seekers cry about it, because it falls on deaf ears

Seriously, it's just a game! Why every games site/people keeps mentioning about the controversy of the game's script?! Also, localization and translation are two different things, I remind you! Localization alters scenarist's original script and it's bad! While translation tries to deliver scenarist's original script AND THEIR VISION as much as possible! That's why I hate both localizations and transcreations! They sucks! Also, that's why I stopped playing EarthBound! Its localization sucks!

Could he just give us Nintendo's phone number or email? I will be happy to talk to them.

Just opened in on jap switch online...it even teases you with start being in roman letters.. my duolingo japanese isn't good enogh though.. so i'll do a session with the translated version on the analogue pocket... (i sort of legally can play that now, can't i;))

I get where he's coming from with his comment "Talk to Nintendo about that" but he's also missing the point...

...we have been asking Nintendo for years and years and years. He is in a position where someone at Nintendo might actually listen. So of course he should say something?

In all the time people were asking for it they could probably have learnt Japanese to play it via a Japanese account on Switch lol.

All the theories about why it doesn't get localized never seem to connect that it was a late late gen launch for the GBA and it would be a massive undertaking. And now it's a very old game and it would still be a massive undertaking. Maybe it's not content maybe it's not some legal thing that somehow keeps popping up despite being disproven with Earthbound's VC release.

Maybe just maybe it's the very obvious simple answer of Nintendo is in the business of making money, and Mother 3's localization has never been an appealing investment. This is the company that held back Mother 1's overseas release after it was fully translated and sat on it for decades until it finally had a use to boost some sales and reputation when both were tanking.

If you're out there harassing someone over a video game, I think it's time to find a new hobby. You don't deserve to get what you want if this is your behaviour.

There's MANY games that I wish were translated into English, but won't happen if it doesn't have a fan translation or I learn the language.

I think people need to move on and leave this person alone.

@Axecon Operation Rainfall only helped Xenoblade release in NA. It had nothing to do with it coming west. That was thanks to Nintendo of Europe.

Wow, this comments section got heated. I just thought it was a meme.

Why are there so many users here gaslighting others into thinking they're the problem for wanting a game only released in Japan? Emulation isn't easily accessible to everyone and is illegal. It is Nintendo's right to release a game in a region or not but telling people to quit complaining and just play the game illegally isn't right either.

I'm under the impression Nintendo completed the English translation of it decades ago and are just sitting on it now for the "right moment". They know full well the amount of people who wish to play the translated port authentically but they still refuse to give it up which is what's really messed up.

Want to play the game? Just change the region of your Nintendo account, download the GBA app, and play from it. But I guess the freeloaders who supposedly like this game don't even have a NSO subscription.

@LexKitteh Yes, this is likely the real issue. It's not difficult to rewrite things that are too sensitive for Nintendo of America, but copyright laws for music is a much more difficult issue to get around.

Itoi: “Talk to Nintendo about it.”

Nintendo: “How about a re-release of the original Super Mario Bros. game?”

There is a great fan translation already. Got it on my RG405V. This will never get an official release

I mean, I kinda get why Nintendo doesnt have the appetite. The Mother series, despite its cult status, has always been niche and the only major western release was an immense flop. I don't think it's reasonable to expect anything other than:

1. Sales are still tepid as the most dedicated audience already has it
2. That fanbase goes ballistic over any change from what they expected after the fan translation

I've been a casual observer of the Starmen for almost 20 years, and I can tell you as a business decision I wouldn't touch any of that with a ten foot pole. Coming from someone who would buy it day one.

Translating humor is not an easy thing to do. That's why Japanese horror films, dramas and action films have a cult following but their comedies rarely do.

Also, whoever produces an official translation will then get hounded by fanboys over the choices they made that were different from the unofficial translations.

I'd love this to happen but I'm keeping my hopes in the box.

@Link-Hero you just made my point, too rat to pay $40 a year for a great subscription service. You could also learn Japanases to play the game, yet, because most of the Mother "fanbase' are slimes and bums, they won't learn anything. You're limiting yourself, you know.

@Link-Hero see, yoo petty to pay. NSO is awesome, right now I'm enjoying all those sweet Rare releases. Nintendo did offer free online on Wii U, but, since the other two were cashing in from subscription, why wouldn't they? Besides, people were already complaining about buying Super Mario World for the 4th time, why not give it with the subscription. Also, Steam doesn't have any Nintendo games, so there you go. Like I said, you're limiting yourself, and that ***** fan translate of the game, most likely doesn't give it justice to its humor. Petty indeed.

It is maybe time for some who enjoy Japanese games in general to start to learn Japanese instead of asking for a translation. It is like people collecting Japanese Nintendo related items in a language they don’t comprehend and calling these items obscure because they can not read, that is utterly ridiculous. If you have time to play games, you have time to learn.