Share. Turned it down due to busy schedule. Turned it down due to busy schedule.

It's been revealed Nintendo once asked Burnout developer Criterion to create a new F-Zero title to launch with the Wii U.

According to Nintendo Life, Nintendo of Europe wanted Criterion to have a brief demo of the game ready to show at E3 2011 before the full game launched alongside the Wii U, but unfortunately this tight turnaround meant the developer had to turn it down as Need for Speed: Most Wanted was taking up most of its resources. Criterion founder Alex Ward verified timing was the issue.

Exit Theatre Mode

The last full F-Zero game was F-Zero Climax, a Game Boy Advance title that was never released outside of Japan in 2004. Since then, we've had to make-do with cameos in the likes of Nintendo Land and Mario Kart 8.

Unfortunately, with Criterion's decision to turn down the opportunity, it now seems the future for the franchise is uncertain. In 2013 we had the chance to speak to Miyamoto, and he admitted the company didn't know how to revive the series itself, perhaps explaining why it approached Criterion.

"I certainly understand that people want a new F-Zero game," he said. "I think where I struggle is that I don’t really have a good idea for what’s new that we could bring to F-Zero that would really turn it into a great game again. Certainly I can see how people looking at Mario Kart 8 could see, through the anti-gravity, a connection to F-Zero. But I don’t know, at this point, what direction we could go in with a new F-Zero."

Luke Karmali is IGN's UK News Editor. You too can revel in mediocrity by following him on Twitter.