There was a lot to celebrate in yesterdays Nintendo Direct Partner Showcase, including the addition of some new NSO titles from Rare, but one announcement we sadly won’t be enjoying here in Europe is the addition of Mother 3 to NSO.

Over in Japan, to celebrate the release of Mother 3 on NSO, four character plushies will be released, pictured in the banner image above.

The NSO announcement trailer can be found below:

GBA sequel to the beloved Earthbound, Mother 3, has been one of the most requested titles here in Europe since its initial Japanese-only release in the early 2000’s.

Multiple reasons have been suggested by fans for its lack of release outside of Japan over the years, such as music licensing issues and potentially controversial themes and characters, but Nintendo have never came out and specifically stated why Mother 3 hasn’t left Japan.

It should be noted that fan translations have been enjoyed by avid fans for years, it has just yet to emerge in an official capacity in Europe and America.

Here’s a short clip from 16 years ago of then Nintendo America COO Reggie Fils-Aimé, being asked a question he would face countless times throughout his Nintendo tenure:

It seems those words still ring true, “Not yet. Not yet.”