Fans of the Mother series got some good news last week when Nintendo announced plans to bring Earthbound to the Wii U’s Virtual Console service before the end of the year. This is a huge opportunity for those who missed out on the original SNES version to experience one the most beloved RPGs of all time, without paying the hundreds of dollars the game sells for online. Nintendo stated that this re-release was largely due to the pleas of vocal fans within Miiverse, so naturally, one wonders whether there are any plans to localize Earthbound‘s sequel, Mother 3, a game that western players have been clamoring for even more fervently.
Clyde Mandelin, a fan who translated Mother 3 to English, says he would gladly give Nintendo his script, free of charge, if they ever decide to release the game in the West. It is likely that a potential stumbling block for a localized version of Mother 3 would be the risk involved with committing funds to a game that may only sell to the most hardcore fans. Receiving a complete and masterfully written translation would alleviate much of the cost involved with developing a Virtual Console version.
Though unlikely, it is not unheard of for a company to use fan translations to offset the costs of localization. The ball is firmly in Nintendo’s court at this point, and whether or not they decide to accept this generous offer will remain to be seen. As Mandelin’s website states, “Our only goal is to get Mother 3 in the hands of the fans.”
Do you think Nintendo shares this sentiment? Will they take him up on the offer? Let us know in the comments below.
