Star Fox Is Back, So What's Nintendo's Excuse For Other Abandoned Franchises?

"Unless it's Mario or Zelda, there seems to be no guarantee that a Nintendo franchise will remain a constant presence in the company's portfolio. Take it from the heartbroken and frustrated fans of Nintendo properties that have lain dormant for years--decades, even. Until very recently, Star Fox was perhaps the most notable example of this."

"I've long been under the impression that Nintendo sidelines properties that it simply doesn't have any new ideas for. That was famously the reason why a Metroid game never materialized on Nintendo 64, with Shigeru Miyamoto saying that developers "couldn't come up with any concrete ideas or vehicle at that time." Star Fox itself skipped the Wii era, with Miyamoto recalling that Nintendo "didn't find an idea that really brought that together for the Wii.""

"Besides Star Fox, the Nintendo franchise that most fans of the company are probably most restless over is F-Zero. When retired Nintendo designer Takaya Imamura--who's responsible for the character designs in Star Fox and F-Zero--was asked about the slumbering racing franchise in 2021, he argued that "without a grand new idea, it's hard to bring it back." Miyamoto shared a similar sentiment back in 2013."

"As good as the new Star Fox game might look, I don't see any grand new ideas there. It's another remake of Star Fox 64, reintroducing Fox and friends to younger generations of players. There's really nothing new or inspiring from what Nintendo has shown so far. At most, you can say that the real-ish character designs are the biggest shake-up."

Nintendo does not consistently keep every franchise active in its portfolio. Star Fox returned with little warning through a movie appearance and an upcoming Switch 2 game, but the return raises questions about why other dormant properties do not receive similar treatment. Nintendo has previously sidelined series when developers could not produce concrete new ideas, including Metroid on Nintendo 64 and Star Fox during the Wii era. F-Zero remains a major example of a franchise fans want back, with statements from Nintendo figures emphasizing that a grand new idea is needed to bring it back. The new Star Fox release is viewed as a remake of Star Fox 64, with limited innovation beyond updated character designs.

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