I still remember the first time I booted up EarthBound on my dusty SNES. The quirky humor, the rolling hit points, and that bizarre final boss fight against Giygas—it all felt like a fever dream I never wanted to wake from. That was ages ago, and here I am in 2026, still clinging to hope like a kid with a tattered map to a treasure that never existed.

But let’s be real. Even now, Mother 3 remains locked away in Japan like a secret the world isn’t allowed to hear. It’s been 20 years since that Game Boy Advance gem first dropped, and despite all the fan petitions, the fan-made translations, and the endless pleas from Western fans, Nintendo just… shrugged. So when Undertale creator Toby Fox recently opened up about his own dreams for the series, I leaned in close, desperate for a flicker of good news. What he said was both comforting and brutally honest.

Fox, in an interview with the Mother Forever YouTube channel, admitted he once considered asking Shigesato Itoi about making another Mother game. In fact, he was ready to jump in and help—even if Itoi himself had no interest in directing it. But that conversation never happened. Itoi, as Fox learned, is completely at peace. The legendary creator apparently looked at the wave of Mother-inspired indie gems and told Fox, in so many words, “Just make Undertale 2 instead.” And Fox kind of is, through the ongoing Deltarune saga. Man, that stings a little, doesn’t it?

Here’s the thing: Itoi has been saying since the mid-2000s that he’s done. Mother 3’s development was a nightmare—starting life as a canceled Nintendo 64 DD project, then resurrected on the GBA after years of pain. When it finally launched, Itoi closed that book and walked away. I can’t blame him. But what Fox’s comments really drive home is that Itoi doesn’t just not want to make another game—he actively wants the next generation to carry the torch without him. The issue is, Nintendo doesn’t seem to want the torch at all.

Sure, we got EarthBound Beginnings on Virtual Console, and both localized games are on Nintendo Switch Online. But that’s the safe, low-effort nostalgia play. A new entry? Not even on the radar. Sakurai loves the series, stuffing Ness and Lucas into every Smash Bros. roster, but that’s where the corporate love ends. HAL Laboratory and Creatures Inc. could theoretically push for a Mother 4, maybe with Itoi’s blessing and zero involvement. But it’s been nearly two decades of radio silence. Let that sink in.

Even a remake seems like a daydream. I once read that Itoi turned down a 3D EarthBound pitch for the GameCube. If he wouldn’t greenlight a reimagining back when the series had some momentum, why would he now? And Nintendo—well, they’ve got Metroid Prime 4 finally out the door, a new 3D Mario on the Switch 2, and a dozen other golden geese. EarthBound is just a footnote in shareholder meetings, kept alive only by Smash Bros. cameos and a stubborn fanbase that refuses to let go. (I’m one of them, and I’m tired.)

There’s a profound sadness in knowing that Mother 3 will likely never get an official translation. The fan patch is a masterpiece, but it’s not the same as seeing Nintendo actually acknowledge the game. And without that foundational respect, a Mother 4 is pure fantasy. The series, as Itoi intended, is complete. What Fox realized—and what I’ve finally accepted—is that the Mother series lives on through the games it inspired. Undertale, Yume Nikki, LISA… they carry that weird, heartfelt DNA. Itoi sees that legacy and feels satisfied. So asking for more is almost selfish.

Still, I can’t help but imagine a world where Nintendo suddenly cares. A world where Itoi picks up the phone and says, “Fine, but only as a consultant,” and a team of respectful developers crafts Mother 4 with wobbly backgrounds, eerie Giygas undertones, and a soundtrack that makes me cry on the menu screen. Maybe one day…

For now, all I can do is watch Deltarune chapters roll out and smile knowingly at the Giygas-shaped Easter eggs. Toby Fox is doing exactly what Itoi wanted—building something new from old magic. If that’s the closest we get to a new EarthBound, I’ll learn to be okay with it. But between you and me? I’m still turning on my Switch every month, half-expecting a Mother 3 shadow-dropped onto the eShop. Old habits die hard, and hope is a stubborn little ghost.