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The boss of Nintendo America has acknowledged the strength of fans’ negative reaction to the E3 reveal of Metroid Prime: Federation Force.
The game featured in the platform holder’s E3 Digital Event, but drew such fury from parts of the fandom – including a petition calling for its cancellation – that Nintendo president Saturo Iwata appeared to apologise hours after the announcement (although some contest this to be the case).
"What the fan at home saw was something in the Metroid Prime universe that they weren’t expecting,” Reggie Fils-Aime told Mashable. The reaction has been negative. There’s no sugar coating it.”
Fils-Aime, however, contests that the anger would be quelled were fans able to get their hands on the title. Ultimately, he wants the fanbase to trust the company.
"This is an example where fans who aren’t able to get their hands on the game may be at a bit of a competitive disadvantage,” he argued. Everyone who has played what we are showing regarding Metroid Prime, they’ve come across really pleased. My ask is that fans trust us.
"We’re taking our great IP and transforming them and making them new again — making them fresh and appealing for the fan who feels they know the franchise. But we’re giving them new things to enjoy.
"We believe that in order to propel the franchises forward, we have to be the ones to constantly challenge the paradigms, challenge the conventional wisdom, challenge what we thought was the essence of the particular franchise, and a particular form of gameplay."
