IGN described the series as neglected by Nintendo in North America, as "Mother 1", "Mother 1+2", and "Mother 3" were not released outside Japan. Despite this, Ness's recurrence in the "Super Smash Bros." series signaled favorable odds for the future of the "Mother" series. IGN and "Nintendo Power" readers anticipated a rerelease of "EarthBound" on the Wii's Virtual Console upon its launch in 2006, but it did not materialize. A Japanese rerelease was announced in 2013 for the Wii U Virtual Console as part of a celebration of the anniversaries of the NES and "Mother 2". North American and European releases for the same platform followed, with Nintendo president Satoru Iwata crediting fan interest on the company's Miiverse social platform. The game was a "top-seller" on the Wii U Virtual Console, and "Kotaku" users and first-time "EarthBound" players had an "overwhelmingly positive" response to the game. Simon Parkin wrote that the game's rerelease was a "momentous occasion" as the return of "one of Nintendo's few remaining lost classics" after 20 years. In an interview in late November 2015, Shigesato Itoi has once again denied plans to create a "Mother 4", despite fan feedback.