" In an interview with US Gamer, Colour Splash’s producer discussed why these changes came about. Tabata claimed that the series needed to distance itself from Mario and Luigi, another Mario RPG. Paper Mario was the one to change because its 3D graphics allowed for more dynamic action events." 

      " Tabata: The old Paper Mario games, they were obviously RPGs and had a lot of good elements, but they weren't just about the  RPG elements. They were full of solving puzzles, solving mysteries, the color factor, the visual style. For the Paper Mario series, we're focusing more on those elements- the puzzle solving."

       That's just a tidbit of the interview. Anyway, I don't really like the direction the series has taken and I hope that in the future we'll get at least one more traditional Paper Mario game. Until then, all I have are the numerous fan-made games.... Until Nintendo hunts them down them, of course.

      Link:  https://mynintendonews.com/2016/09/05/color-splash-producer-discusses-why-paper-mario-moved-away-from-rpg-elements/

Yeah, they have mentioned this before and it sounds about right, except for the fact that Paper Mario sort of sucks now due to the changes.

I get Mario and Luigi has become the more successful Mario RPG but it sucks for those of us that prefer Paper Mario.

So, instead of making Mario and Luigi different from Paper Mario from the beginning, they destroy the older franchise, the one with most right to keep its identity... all because of the latest one.

Seems legit.

This is true and it does makes sense, I don't know why some people are convinced that an action-adventure-puzzle game cannot work without being a purist rpg.

I also understand that they find stupid to have 2 Mario rpg series specially now that their new console is an hybrid, because the fact that one used to be a handheld game and the other a console one doesn't apply anymore.

However is true that they choosed the best and older saga to make those changes which is very questionable, but when you think about it, Paper Mario is way more flexible (no pun intended) as a game, it would be way harder to make Mario & Luigi work without being and rpg than it would with Paper Mario as it has more room for creativity.

I remember hearing about this during E3. The reasoning for changing it does seem kinda, but it looks like the game still has some RPG elements to it, and other aspects of PM are still there, like the humor and puzzle solving. I still have high hopes that Color Splash can be good : D

But that's not the issue. The real issue is changing the games design. It would be like making a CSI show. But it focuses on figuring out murders, for elephants only. The elephants talk. The cast are elephants. It's still a CSI. But no more humans. Everyone should like that change? Changing whatever, to something else, rarley works out. Because the fans of the series, like the series for what is was. Final Fantasy 13 gets all that hate, for this problem.

Lame excuse.
Go back to make it RPG or Federation Flop type of success is your future.

Well, to be honest... Super Paper Mario is my favorite in the franchise, so I don't know if I really miss the turn-based RPG system.

 That's an awful comparison anyways. But of course radical changes make fans angry at first, is normal, if the game proves to be good then things may change, who knows, we'll see.

Why is it awful? That's what TV shows/Movies do, a lot. Take a core concept. Alters it, for whatever reason, in some way. People hate it. And it starts failing. This series had two entries, without RPG elements. And it's still hated. Majority clearly want it the original way.