A former Epic Games developer recently shared insights into why Metroid’s iconic playable character, Samus Aran, never made an appearance in the popular battle royale game, Fortnite. Despite Fortnite’s extensive character roster, featuring collaborations with numerous franchises and companies, Nintendo has remained notably absent from the lineup.

The world of Fortnite has seen characters from various realms, including John Wick, Geralt of Rivia, Star Wars, Marvel, and even PlayStation and Xbox icons like Kratos and Master Chief. The game’s crossover events have attracted widespread attention and excitement, continuing to expand its roster with each new collaboration. However, the absence of Nintendo characters, particularly Samus Aran, has left fans wondering about the reasons behind this omission.

While court documents from the Epic vs. Apple trial in 2021 revealed plans to introduce Samus Aran to Fortnite, the collaboration never materialized. Donald Mustard, former Chief Creative Officer at Epic Games, disclosed that Nintendo’s reluctance stemmed from a desire to keep their characters exclusive to their platforms.

According to Mustard, Nintendo expressed interest in having their characters featured in Fortnite but insisted that they appear solely on Nintendo Switch. This restriction clashed with Epic’s vision of offering a consistent gaming experience across all platforms, leading to a stalemate in negotiations.

Despite the potential for an exciting collaboration between Nintendo and Epic Games, the exclusive platform requirement hindered the incorporation of Samus Aran into Fortnite. The clash of visions ultimately prevented the legendary bounty hunter from joining the battle royale world.