True, although you exaggerate (the Metroid Prime 2 version was an Easter egg in a game that didn't sell as well as it should have, and the GBA Reader version came out several years before the Virtual Console one. Also remember that the GBA Reader itself and the previous retail version were just a testing ground for the Virtual Console, so double-dipping there isn't too surprising).
However, Nintendo of America got burned badly by Earthbound, and has unfortunately been quite skittish about the series ever since. Further, Nintendo really likes money, which is why I suspect they'll go the Squaresoft route and not release a game for $8 on the VC when they can conceivably charge more for a retail version.
Having said all of that, I'll admit there are strong counterarguments. Nintendo's been willing to port its NES and even SNES games multiple times, with a retail version for the GBA and then a Virtual Console version, so they're not exactly shy about milking. But where the difference lies for me is in the order: so far, they've released the pricier version first, and then the budget version a few years later. This would reverse the order. I just don't see them doing anything that lessens the chance of sales for a Mother compilation before the compilation is released (as having one of the three games means many gamers who haven't played the SNES version are paying a third for something that's redundant).
I could be quite wrong about all of this, of course (and I really hope I am). Honestly though, my gut feeling is that Nintendo will release a Virtual Console version, but not the rumored compilation, and that makes me sad, because I'll have to pirate Mother 3 to play it at all. Here's hoping I've misread the whole situation, and that we'll have our cake and eat it too.
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