Itoi on Earthbound's popularity, no Mother 4, Iwata's passing

Coming from a Game.Watch interview with Mr. Itoi...

GW: What’s the reason for MOTHER continuing to be so popular?

Itoi: It’s the connection with modern day life and modern day places, I suppose. When you’re suddenly told “It’s dinner time!” right in the middle of playing “Dragon Quest,” you’re taken out of the setting, but it’s different with MOTHER. I think it’s good that it’s tied to modern day life.

GW: You strongly denied it when MOTHER 3 first went on sale, but what do you think about a MOTHER 4?

Itoi: I’d love to run a marathon while holding my breath, but as with MOTHER 4, that’s just not feasible. People in America are always saying that “4 is on its way to being made,” but that’s simply a rumor. (laugh) I can’t even imagine how difficult it would be now. Of course, only showing the very fringe elements and giving the impression that it was being worked on was something I did thoroughly with MOTHER 2… and 3.

GW: It’s hard to ask about, but what are you feelings on Mr. Iwata, who passed away in July of this year?

Itoi: Just the other day, I was talking to my staff and saying that “if Iwata were here, he’d say something like such and such in this case.” It was a conversation about how I’d love to have Iwata here in various situations, and he’s particularly needed in the baseball industry – stuff like that. (laugh) Sometimes I do an imitation of Iwata’s voice.

Iwata’s birthday is coming up, so I’ve been thinking that once more this year I’ll need to talk about some story I can share about Iwata. If I don’t, I feel like that grief everyone is feeling will simply grow.

I’d love to have a day where Iwata would come back to us and talk with everyone. I mean, he only passed away this year, you know? Even now I’m still filled with sadness. There’s been nothing like this, even among my own family.