i think for balan to be a commercial success you’d need a different audience of new players without the expectations of the form, willing to learn. most of the new original 3D platformer games with a sizeable audience are deliberately in the style of something else (spark the electric jester, yooka-laylee, a hat in time, etc.)
that’s not to say kids don’t make and like new, weird stuff – roblox obbys are like super mario sunshine bonus levels from hell – it’s just happening elsewhere