By that logic there's a lot of games that would be sent to the scrap-heap in favor of something more mass market. Nintendo keeps making Fire Emblem, for instance, when even within Intelligent Systems they make games that sell more (Wario Ware and Paper Mario)

Personally i think they'll go for 3DS Metroid Dread, that way Sakamoto could get his Klonoa-esque sidescroller with eye-popping 3D graphics and the simplicity he craved in designing the controls for this game. Especially if Other M does well and inspires Nintendo to have confidence in making more SPD-helmed Metroids

I'm afraid to say it.  Of all of Nintendo's franchises, the Metroid franchise is the one I chose as my favorite.  I'm gonna grab my copy of Other M on Tuesday morning after I get off from work and I plan to enjoy the hell out of it.  But looking at the sub stellar (but mostly positive) reviews, I don't think this game is going to be as successful as it needs to be.  I think that after the Prime Trilogy, The Wii remake of the Trilogy (that didn't make a lot of noise), the DS games that failed to make an impact (pinball and Hunters), and finally, Other M, things are going to be quiet on the Metroid front for a while.  I hope I'm wrong.

Reviews have nothing to do with anything for how Nintendo games sell anymore. In fact, semi mediocre reviews are almost a sure sign of success: top-reviewed games never crack the 10 million mark, and the crap never really goes anywhere, but the 60s 70s 80s games are the 20 million club :P

I sincerely hope it goes dormant for a while so it doesn't turn into a beaten dead horse franchise like Mario, Zelda, and Pokemon.  The two things keeping Metroid from joining the other major franchises in being over-beaten dead horses is the fact that it's the only one of these series with a solid ever-expanding storyline, and has had more variation from game-to-game than anything seen in the others (except maybe for Mario).  Face it folks, every Zelda game is the same old story over and over and over again, replete with the same old gameplay, puzzles, pacing, set-up, and plot twists.  There's a reason I hold Majora's Mask and Link's Awakening in such high regard--they were the different titles.

After a long hiatus, I would like to see Metroid returned to Retro so that they may continue the franchise, chronologically, after Fusion and maybe delve into some serious history on the Chozo--or the origins of Ridley.  Though, to be honest, I'm getting tired of seeing Ridley in every single game.  The "Prime" series can't continue since it was officially closed. 

Personally, I love a remake of Metroid II: The return of Samus but done in a similar fashion as Metroid: Zero Mission. Heck it could also be done in 3D. Also they could make a sequal to Metroid Hunters. There's a lot more story their. They continue the story after Fusion. Some Fedaration Science Facility was testing Metroids and created  a new strain. Something like that or some other tricks like what Hollywood uses to keep a character alive. How many times did Freddie Krueger, Jason, and Michael Myers die in those 80's slasher movies?

a 2.5d game on the 3ds

they'll probably do another game in the same vein as Other M as its design seems to have massive amounts of potential to explore. Eventually they're going to have to deal with the repercussions of Fusion (makes sense since they've made a voice for Adam as well as Samus) though what the plot would be is anyone's guess.

Two words: Kart Racing.

It's believed that every metroid is dead. But it's a big universe. Nintendo can easily bring back the metroids.

Metroid 2 Remake on 3DS in the same style as Other M