Princess Rescuer
Smash Apprentice
- Joined
- Nov 3, 2018
- Messages
- 119
So, now that the first Fighter's Pass is done, there are a possible six more characters. I just want to go over how new characters in Smash are chosen to avoid potential disappointment warzones like Byleth is currently having.
All I have to say is, curb your expectations. When picking new characters, the priorities are: Characters the team likes making > Promoting unpopular franchises Nintendo would like to get more attention > Characters Japan likes > Characters the rest of the world likes.
Let's go over all the new/DLC characters since Smash 4. There have been some genuine fan-requested characters such as King K Rool and Banjo + Kazooie. I suspect BK was included not because of fan input, but because someone got a hold of an Xbox One (not an N64) and played it. (and in that Direct, Sakurai could have shown the N64 version, you know the version they originated on instead of promoting a competitor). Most of it, though, seems like characters that could never be approved for the base game that were then re-purposed as DLC characters. Obviously, Smash 4 could have never gotten away with putting Cloud and Bayonetta in at launch. Ultimate's initial characters were actually very good choices. The aforementioned KKR, Inkling, Isabelle, Incineroar, and hey, Ridley! Only when you get to the DLC characters do you get baffling choices like characters promoting other consoles or promoting recent Nintendo games. Speaking of which, promotional characters will age horribly. Corrin and Joker might seem cool now, but what about when Smash 6 or Persona 7 or Fire Emblem 35 is out? They'll look quaint next to the stylish protagonists of the age coming from other games. You'll end up with lots and lots of bloat. Meanwhile, Link, The Dragon Quest Heroes, and even Marth still appear as classic as ever.
I'm not asking you to stop liking what you like. Just don't get your hopes up- you're very low on the development team's priorities.
All I have to say is, curb your expectations. When picking new characters, the priorities are: Characters the team likes making > Promoting unpopular franchises Nintendo would like to get more attention > Characters Japan likes > Characters the rest of the world likes.
Let's go over all the new/DLC characters since Smash 4. There have been some genuine fan-requested characters such as King K Rool and Banjo + Kazooie. I suspect BK was included not because of fan input, but because someone got a hold of an Xbox One (not an N64) and played it. (and in that Direct, Sakurai could have shown the N64 version, you know the version they originated on instead of promoting a competitor). Most of it, though, seems like characters that could never be approved for the base game that were then re-purposed as DLC characters. Obviously, Smash 4 could have never gotten away with putting Cloud and Bayonetta in at launch. Ultimate's initial characters were actually very good choices. The aforementioned KKR, Inkling, Isabelle, Incineroar, and hey, Ridley! Only when you get to the DLC characters do you get baffling choices like characters promoting other consoles or promoting recent Nintendo games. Speaking of which, promotional characters will age horribly. Corrin and Joker might seem cool now, but what about when Smash 6 or Persona 7 or Fire Emblem 35 is out? They'll look quaint next to the stylish protagonists of the age coming from other games. You'll end up with lots and lots of bloat. Meanwhile, Link, The Dragon Quest Heroes, and even Marth still appear as classic as ever.
I'm not asking you to stop liking what you like. Just don't get your hopes up- you're very low on the development team's priorities.
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