Screenshot: Nintendo
Many Nintendo fans are desperate for a new entry in the popular sci-fi racing series, F-Zero. However, only one die-hard fan was reportedly dedicated enough to spend over ¥5 million (roughly US$40,000) on Nintendo stock, giving him the opportunity to ask the Japanese publisher directly about F-Zero and its future.
On June 29, during an annual shareholder meeting, an investor called and asked Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa if the company had considered bringing back fan-favorite franchises, specifically F-Zero. It’s been more than 15 years since the last entry in the series, and so the issue has caught the attention of fans desperate for a new entry in the futuristic racing title. Now, thanks to a new report, we know who asked that question and why.
According to Business Insider, the investor who inquired about F-Zero is a Nintendo fan who spent 5.6 million yen for 100 shares in February after selling shares in another company. The investor wished to remain anonymous and is known simply by his Twitter username: Momiji. He describes himself as a “die-hard fan”.
“I’ve been playing Nintendo games since I was a kid,” Momiji explained to Insider. “Among them, I can’t get enough of F-Zero’s sense of speed.”
Although he had purchased enough shares to gain access to the meeting, he told Insider that he wasn’t guaranteed to get a question. Asking a question, he said, is a “bonus.” Nintendo later confirmed with Insider that 100 or more shares are required to gain access to these annual shareholder meetings.
After asking about F-Zero, Nintendo’s president offered a response that was basically, “Thanks for asking, but… no.”
“It’s realistically difficult to develop new titles and remakes, including sequels, for every Nintendo game that people ask for,” Furukawa said through a translation confirmed by Momiji. “But we are very grateful and appreciate the expectations our fans have for our games.”
Shinnya Takahashi, Nintendo’s CEO, was a bit more optimistic, but made no promises.
“During the 79th Annual General Meeting of Shareholders in 2019, we were asked if there were any plans for a remake of the Famicom Detective Club series, and at that time we happened to be planning a remake,” Takahashi said, translated by VGC. “This is an example where we were already actively developing such a title.”
“We can’t tell you if there are any plans for future remakes of a specific game,” Takahashi continued. “But during development, we’re always thinking about different possibilities for players to enjoy.”
So there’s a chance, I guess. I’m not sure if this answer is worth $40,000, but at least Momiji still owns stock in one of the most popular video game companies in the world. That’s probably worth something!
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