No, you fail to understand that local 1vs1 multiplayer is not same thing like online multiplayer with more players. Again, fact is that every singleplayer game with good online multiplayer mod also is more attractive like package than game just with single player mode, I mean if online multiplayer is done good you could have some people buying it just for multiplayer part of game even not caring about single player content. Fact is that online multiplayer mod could be just a plus for game not minus, you can bet that regardles how good MP4 will be that biggest complaints of critcs would be "no online multiplayer" if MP4 really ended without one.

Point is that Splatoon is very difrent to any other online shooter on market, MP4 online would offer quite different experience compared to Splatoon. Saying that we have Splatoon so we dont need any other online shooter on Switch is stupid. Who said that MP4 online needs to be like CoD!? They could make quite good MP online multiplayer mod, no need to make brand new IP again.

I know the difference just fine mate however the difference is null and void when the context is exactly the same in both situations as consumers in both cases are being sold on MP in what you're suggesting which  Metroid has twice failed in and you know whats a further kicker Hunters had online MP which shoots down the notion even more, fact is Metroid has never sold itself on MP which is why no one is looking for that in it and online for the sake of online is not a plus that has been shown in a number of games.

Splatoon being different is the point that's what people who buy Nintendo platforms are after this is why its done so well mainstream experiences have never fared as well on the platforms because people aren't looking for those this is why Smash, MK and Splatoon do so well and yes with Splatoon filling the void they don't need to worry too much on adding another online shooter as that's a crowded market. It being like COD and other such shooters is what you're essentially asking for and the are a tonne of games already using such templates to the point people aren't looking for alternatives in multiplayer they're now looking at other types of FPS like Farcry, Deus Ex etc...

Metroid would sell better if it stays focused as a dedicated strong single player game, an open world Prime game with the high level of exploration and detail like the original would sell it far better then some tacked on me too multiplayer.

It all depends on the proof of concept. If they are designing a single player focused game then under 20 million. If this is supposed to be the highlight of FPS on the Switch from a multiplayer standpoint, ala what Halo meant to the initial Xbox, then upwards of 40 million.

Frankly if I was a man with means at Nintendo I am using this to showcase Nintendo's online service. That depends on whether or not multiplayer is a focus though.

Randomly guessing…. Gonna say about 35 millions. I think Nintendo should go all in with the franchise as it needs to get back all the fans that they have lost with the federation force disaster and additionally should try to reach a broader player democratic… Adding a multiplayer while retaining the classic single player component of metroid games could be massive for the franchise…..

If you know difrence why you keep comparing local 1vs1 multiplayer is not same thing with online multiplayer with more players!? Good multiplayer online mod could be easily far stronger and far more apealing than local 1vs1 multiplayer that some past MP games had. Metroid Prime Hunters was DS game so I can just imagine qualite of online play on DS back than, but despite that game was more apealing with that online mod. Fact that Metroid never sold on MP, doesnt mean that good online mod wouldnt made MP4 game more apealing. Guess what, Nintendo never before had online shooter and than they made Splatoon.

Like I wrote, MP4 online would offer quite different experience compared to Splatoon. Saying that we have Splatoon so we dont need any other online shooter on Switch is stupid. Who said that MP4 online needs to be like CoD!? They could make quite good MP online multiplayer mod, no need to make brand new IP again.

You do realise that MP4 can stay focous on strong single player experience and again to have solid online multiplayer online mode!?

You keep banging on about 1v1 when Hunters had online already so your whole notion about online MP has already failed before hunters was criticised for its more MP focused approach which is the opposite of what you're claiming will happen. The series never selling on MP is the whole point its not going to bring in the people who are heavily into MP games people will only ever buy it for single player.

Only thing stupid is the notion that MP4 needs online to be big because it's failed 3 times before in that department MP is not going to expand Prime, name a recent game which has had strong single player and online because the majority of games today focus on one of the other because of developments resources, COD and BG have moved more and more away from single player while other titles that are more single player focused don't bother with MP due to the fact we don't live in a fantasy land were everything can be done at the same time with no issue or cost. You know why this is? Because consumers focus on the aspect they recognise the series for Jim Sterling of all people touched on this when he compares game companies to those in the pasta sauce industry and ironically what he said is applying to your mode of thinking here as well.

To sum up his analogy companies would do only one flavour thinking they can perfect it when a researcher found doing a different flavour is what yields results, in this case you want Prime to offer the same flavour COD already does and consumers looking for that flavour will simply still pick COD the different flavour in this case is Splatoon. You keep saying Prime can offer a different experience to COD but have offered no example of how.

 Again, Metroid Prime Hunters was DS game so I can just imagine quality of online play on DS back than (today MP online on Switch would be much stronger), but despite that game was more apealing with that online mod. Fact that Metroid never sold on MP, doesnt mean that good online mod wouldnt made MP4 game more apealing. Guess what, Nintendo never before had online shooter and than they made Splatoon.

No one said that MP4 need online to be big, but fact is that with addition of good online MP4 would be more appealing game in any case. Games that have more content, mods, online...are more appealing than they would be if they have less of all that. You talking about focus, than why Splatoon that is online focused game also had/has single player campaign!? You actually have some people that dont care about online too much that bought Splatoon mostly because single player campaign, so despite its online focused game it can be apealing to some people that dont care about online too much. That's a point, wider appealing of game.

I said different experience compared to Splatoon not CoD, and offcourse that CoD multiplayer and potential MP4 multiplayer wouldnt be same because they have different settings, stories, worlds, weapons, mechanics...

The game wasn't more appealing it became one of the weakest Metroid games out there that's the point it shoots down the whole notion you're trying push Prime's current design just doesn't work that well with MP this is why Federation Force was created to try and have offshoots that have different design approaches. Guess what Splatoon is completely different from what you're suggesting and all other shooters much like Smash is to fighters and MK is to racers.

MP and more modes doesn't make a game more appealing you're pushing a fantasy were everything is equivalent across the board as a number of games are simply not designed or geared toward MP and are better off with out it and the are a tonne like Elder Scrolls, Fallout, Deus Ex etc... they still have a tonne of content and even more than most games that have MP and many modes as their single player campaigns are heavily focused and all the content goes into that. You meeting the odd few people who bought Splatoon for single player doesn't discount the vast majority who bought it for MP either.

If it's not different to COD in experience why would people bother with it when COD is already around it's exactly what Jim Sterling touched on with his analogy that would not increase userbase nor is it guaranteed to increase appeal like you say.

Under 20 million. The people who will buy Metroid Prime 4 will buy it because they are already Metroid fans. There isn't enough ROI to merit dumping piles of money on it.

You still dont get it, it would be even less appealing without online. Point is that online mod cant be minus it can be only plus and it can only make game more appealing not less.

Of Course it does, Splatoon with single player mode is more appealing like hole package than it would be if it just online game. To try to further simplify things to you, MP4 without online will bring only single players, but MP4 with online will bring single players but could bring also some players that have intrest in online also or just in online. Thats a simple fact.