Because it's a niche franchise with a cult following and always will be in its current form, in execution the games are too complex for the mainstream while require a taste that's too specific from the avid/core gamers, Metroid fans themselves don't want the franchise to change in anyway.

Metroid has the same problem, that the Resident Evil series does. You have two game types. Original game style VS. action game style. The games can't get both camps. So Capcom does some sort of half ass compromise with each new game. Usually, not satisfying either one.

You take out Metroid's backtracking, exploring, item gathering, loneliness, and main character. Fans ignore the game. You do the usual. General people ignore the game.

I'd still like to see Capcom make a RE hybrid game that freely lets you choose control types and camera styles, on the fly. So that the games can operate in TPS or Tank controls.

Metroid, is a lot more harder to nail, on what is okay to change, and what to keep. The Prime games work, because they basically just converted a side scroller camera angle, to a FPS. The core elements of Metroid were left intact. M:OM could of worked. If it weren't for the character failure. Regardless of the manga stories Japan made. It's Nintendo's fault that none of those were localized. So no one was going to like her M:OM personailty. Nor accept she had to evolve to what we see.

Because the basic game plot of her backstory, wouldn't allow a whiney teen. I'd accept odd. Because she's raised by bird people. They wouldn't know how to express emotions, in a human way. So Samus wouldn't be able to, either. Samus' militristic training would never allow her to be whiny. She'd understand the chain of command. But at the same time, wouldn't fully comply to athoritative people. She is a loner. And wouldn't just convert to team player. Hunters was a proper look at how she'd react to a team dynamic. On top of it. Her family loss would make her be very protective, towards teamates. And she'd vilolate restricted suit functions, to save them. Which is why the suit being damaged, at the start of normal games, is the best option.

People think Ripley, Trinity, Wonder Woman, Zarya, She-Hulk etc. as her personality type. Not Cardcaptor Sakura, or Sailor Moon. I'm not saying she couldn't have emotions. But they be very dry and basic. Black & White. VS being grey, in detail.

Which is why I always thought the real reason Fed Force didn't feature Samus, as the main. Was that Next Level couldn't, by Nintendo orders. Or wouldn't touch Samus. To cause another personality failure. That M:OM did. So they made these chibi guys. I think Nintendo should just quit on Japan, with Metroid. Whenever they get around in making the next game. Intentionally not release it there. Soley write Samus for foregin audiances. And only do it, if enough people whine, to get it. A reverse Xeoblade.

Nintendo willy nilly changes a games genre, and keeps the characters the same, and expects the games to sell the same as they usually do.

I dont think they understand that the gameplay of series matters as much to players as the characters in them.

They probably just assume no one wants metroid games anymore and shelve it.

" Federation Froce flopped? People don't want Metroid anymore then!"

between other M and federation force it feels like nintendo has given up on metroid.

Nintendo just needs to make an actual effort into making a metroid game.As soon as they do that, people will be fine.That said, I dont expect to see a metroid game in the next 2 to 3 years.

From what I hear Federation force is actually a very competent game, the only thing that's stopped it selling was using the Metroid Prime name. If the game was billed as a new IP and just called Federation force I think it could have done a lot better

Unless they have a proper 2D/3D Metroid in the making, they will put the franchise on hold. Again. Man, for a series with such high pedigree, it can't catch a break this past years, can't it?

As it's own IP, it could have sold decently. Ironically, attaching it at a successful franchise killed its potential. Usually it's the other way around.

real Metroid for NX first year!