Former Nintendo marketing executives warn that prematurely unveiling a 3D Mario game could be risky, citing the Metroid Prime 4 situation.

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Nintendo’s former marketing leads suggest that the company should hold off on revealing the next 3D Mario game if it’s not ready for launch soon.

When the Switch 2 was unveiled, many expected a 3D Mario title to be showcased alongside it. Instead, the 3D Mario team introduced Donkey Kong Bananza, stepping in as the flagship title for the console’s launch year. While some may argue that Bananza could be even better, the nearly nine-year wait since Odyssey has left fans eager for a new 3D Mario experience, especially since the only mainline release since then has been Super Mario Bros. Wonder, along with the brief Bowser’s Fury mode in the 3D World re-release.

Kit Ellis, former director of marketing, and Krysta Yang, former manager of creator relations, believe it would be unwise for Nintendo to announce a new 3D Mario game prematurely. In a recent YouTube discussion, Yang stated, “this is a dangerous game for them to play,” pointing out the negative consequences that can arise from early reveals. She referenced past experiences, saying, “Nintendo has firsthand seen the detrimental things that can happen, think about Metroid Prime 4, think about Tears of the Kingdom.”

Yang elaborated that revealing a game too early opens the door to numerous scenarios where changes are inevitable, leading to potential confusion or the need to retract statements made during the announcement.

Moreover, it raises expectations among fans, as every Nintendo Direct would be met with disappointment if a major title like that doesn’t show up—similar to the reactions surrounding Metroid Prime 4 and Tears of the Kingdom. Ellis noted, “The game would get announced, people would be happy, and then a year later they’re like, ‘well, I’m mad again, where’s the game?'” He emphasized that “there’s no reason for them to jump the gun.”

While Nintendo has a history of holding onto completed projects for a while, fans are hopeful that Bananza was finished long ago and that a new 3D Mario could be on the way sooner than expected. However, it’s wise to remain cautious until there’s solid information, especially since recent Mario games have had a short reveal-to-release timeline, as seen with 3D World, Odyssey, and Wonder.

In a fun twist, Mario’s voice actor Charles Martinet shares that he’s “more Luigi” in real life but considers Mario to be “the most wonderful human being ever.”