Official Newcomer/DLC Speculation Discussion

[cosmicB]

Sakurai doesn't care about spoilers homedog.

As I said, this would be the most significant one by far in the context of its origins (that I'm aware of, not sure how big the Warframe spoiler is).

 

[RileyXY1]

This leak is heavily fake because it's highly unlikely that there will be a Gen 8 Pokemon in the pass.

 

[PLATINUM7]

Sakurai doesn't care about spoilers homedog.

****ing Hendrick is in the Hero's Companions Spirit for ****s sake.

I didn't even notice that was Hendrick in the spirit :/

Thanks for the spoils.

 

[SNEKeater]

Danganronpa 1 and 2 are both on the Vita. That's where I own them, lol. V3 I got on PC, but I heard that game is also on the Vita.

Sorry, I just saw that I didn't explained it well. I know that the games are on the Vita (1, 2, 3 and Ultra Despair Girls) but what I meant was that it doesn't look like they will put the games on sale on the Vita Store, which is a different store from the PS4 store. 1 and 2 are on sale but on PS4, I could pick the two games there but like I did with Ace Attorney, I'd rather play the series with on a handheld console.
Looking at PSPrices the last time Danganronpa sale happened on Vita was almost a year ago, so I don't know if waiting is a good move because at this point maybe Spike Chunsoft prefers to forget about the Vita lol

You actually own a Vita? I'm so sorry dude

Nah, it's not mine. It's a borrowed Vita from a friend, who didn't use the console. I asked him the console so I could play Danganronpa and P4 Golden (I've played P4 original, not Golden) lol

But yeah, the console is great. Really sad Sony stopped supporting the platform.

 

[pinshadow]

iFunny leak

Spoiler: Full image

View attachment 264373

iFunny leak

unless TF3 somehow happens, don't take this seriously.

We are actually more likely to get Goku in Smash than to get a Team Fortress 3 in the foreseeable future, seriously, Valve can't even push out a major, hell MINOR update to TF2 to save their lives, it's been almost 2 years since any actual mechanical/system changes and over 2 years since any major update, it's been nothing but cosmetics for forever.

 

[Cutie Gwen]

As I said, this would be the most significant one by far in the context of its origins (that I'm aware of, not sure how big the Warframe spoiler is).

From what I understand, they literally couldn't have picked a bigger spoiler

 

[Opossum]

Yeah and he already spoiled an important plot point for the game in the same presentation.

Nintendo literally showed the relevant scenes in Three Houses's E3 2019 trailer. And that's much more minor than Sakurai just casually dropping a set of spoilers that are revealed much later in the game.

Spoiler

Rhea being Seiros
Seteth and Flayn having "secret identities"
Not-so-vaguely confirming the dubious origin of the Heroes' Relics
Rhea's entire Spirit Battle in general...

 

[Flik]

The thing about it is that we know Sakurai was damn close to breaking it too with Alucard, but he asked himself "Would Castlevania fans be happier with him or a Belmont?" The correct answer was Shanoa but he ended up chosing Belmont as Belmont comes to mind first when thinking of CV

Alucard is the protagonist of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, the so called "rule" wouldn't be broken with him.

 

[Knight Dude]

Spoiling that Zelda is Sheik fairly soon after OoT came out, but before the internet is anywhere near as huge as it is today shows spoilers weren't a big deal.

Alucard is the protagonist of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, the so called "rule" wouldn't be broken with him.

I guess. But he's been a supporting character in more games. It's easier to identify him as such. Luigi's got his own games too, but is usually associated as support for Mario. Diddy Kong might be an even better example of that. Whereas the Belmonts have a better track record of being leads when they are present in a game.

 

[Cutie Gwen]

Alucard is the protagonist of Castlevania: Symphony of the Night, the so called "rule" wouldn't be broken with him.

The fact the goalpost has to be moved to go from 'main protagonist' to 'any protagonist' is proof that it's a trash rule, though I wouldn't be surprised if some people reading this unironicslly agreed, half of the reason I go on this site is to see the laughably bad takes

 

[DaybreakHorizon]

That damn lowercase-posting persona of mine's kept me locked up for months now. Thankfully I was able to take back control for the time being. I even have work to show for my time being imprisoned:

The Gran(d) Case for Granblue
​

Surprise! Another speculation essay. I didn't think I'd have time to make any more of these, and I probably don't, but here I am anyways. This time I'm covering Granblue Fantasy in Smash

Spoiler: Acknowledgements

• As always, I'll check my bias at the door. While I have just recently started playing Granblue, I've had this idea for quite some time. Starting Granblue was just the push I needed to get to it though.
• Shoutouts to PsySmasher for constantly plugging Granblue in the Discord. Wouldn't have taken the plunge to start around the release of GBVS unless you and everyone else kept it in my mind
• A lot of my sources are in Japanese, just so you know. Not a lot of English sources for interviews exist, but the information is good anyways so just use Google Translate.

Spoiler: Introduction

Ever since Hitagi "leaked" Katalina for Smash Ultimate in 2018, Granblue has been in this weird place in regards to speculation, wherein people are aware of it, but don't take it seriously. It's understandable, especially given how the series has, up until recently, seen most of its success in Japan. Despite this, Granblue has a dedicated fanbase in America, and seems to be making a larger push to become a worldwide franchise. The unique relationship between Nintendo and Cygames furthermore puts the Granblue series in a position to be a serious contender for a spot in Smash Bros. While relatively unknown in the West, Granblue shouldn't be underestimated.

Spoiler: Background: What is Granblue Fantasy?

Granblue Fantasy started as a mobile/browser gacha JRPG, released in 2014. The game was notable at release for bringing together famed Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu and art director Hideo Minaba. Following that, however, the game has come to be known for it's good story, endearing characters, and sheer generosity towards free to play (f2p) players. Given its long history as a gacha game, Granblue has set multiple precedents for the genre, such as pity rates/draws as well as showing draw rates of characters (granted, that was following the most controversial moment of the game's history–later referred to as monkeygate). The game has seen crossovers with multiple series over the years, including Street Fighter, Attack on Titan, Tales of, Love Live!, Code Geass, Samurai Shodown, The IDOLM@STER, Detective Conan, and, you guessed it, Persona 5. Furthermore, characters from Granblue appear in other Cygames titles, such as Shadowverse and Dragalia Lost. The game has gained and retained immense popularity over the years, earning $189.27 million in 2017, $307 million in 2018, and having an active player base of 24 million players as of June 2019. More recently, it was the 5th most talked about video game of 2019 on Twitter, beating out PUBG, Minecraft, and Smash Brother Ultimate.

More than a single game, Granblue Fantasy has recently started branching out into other forms of media and genres of games. In 2017, they began hosting a yearly convention for the series, Granblue Fantasy Fes, which brings in thousands of attendees yearly. Also in 2017, the first season of Granblue Fantasy the Animation aired, being animated by A-1 Pictures of Sword Art Online fame. A second season followed in 2019, just finishing last December. An action RPG, Granblue Fantasy: Relink, was announced in 2016, but has had a complicated development cycle following Platinumgames dropping the title in February 2019, leaving Cygames to handle development on their own. Things seem to be going well regardless, with Cygames deciding to fully support their most recent project: Granblue Fantasy VS. A fighting game developed by Arc System Works (of Guilty Gear, Blazblue, Persona 4 Arena, and Dragon Ball Fighterz fame). This seems to be the real beginning of Granblue Fantasy's push into the West, with the game slated to appear at EVO.

Now, I know what you're thinking. For a series that's only just now making the jump to the West, it's pretty large. Well, Granblue isn't just now making the jump to the West, it already did. In 2016. The game features a full English localization via the Japanese servers (sidenote: it's actually a really good translation). While this may seem like an odd decision, it's surprisingly smart given the discrepancy between Japanese and Global versions of other Japanese games (e.g. Kingdom Hearts Union Cross, Fate/Grand Order, Phantasy Star Online 2), where the Japanese game is miles ahead of the Global version in terms of story and is, in some cases, more generous to its f2p players. Comparatively, global players of Granblue get content when it's released, and don't have to worry about a difference between versions. In a recent 2019 interview, the producer of Granblue Fantasy acknowledged a strong percentage of English players that's increasing. True to this, Granblue has a solid Western fanbase, as evidenced by the English subreddit having 39,403 subscribers (as of time of writing) among other factors.

As a whole, Granblue Fantasy is a large series, and I would argue that at this point its size and popularity could definitely warrant an inclusion in Smash Bros.

Spoiler: Cygames and Why Granblue?

One of the strongest points in favor of a Granblue Fantasy character is that Nintendo straight up owns 5% stake in Cygames. Furthermore, the two are actively working together to develop Dragalia Lost, which has become one of Nintendo's highest grossing mobile titles. This puts any Cygames character in a similar position as Bayonetta during Sm4sh DLC. They're right there working with Nintendo, and it's difficult to imagine Nintendo not at least talking to them about putting their characters in Smash when it's that simple for them to do so. Furthermore, Nintendo has reason to want Cygames to succeed given their significant stake in the company just as they wanted Bayonetta 2 to succeed, so it would be a pragmatic business decision to include a Granblue character (like Gran/Djeeta given that they're the main character) in Smash to capitalize on the series' recent push into the West, similar to how Hero was included to capitalize on Dragon Quest XI S's release and Dragon Quest's push into the West.

On a side tangent: Cygames themselves they have an impressive track record: Rage of Bahamut, Shadowverse, Granblue are all large, influential mobile titles. As a company, Cygames has branched out into console development, print releases, animation (which they both make and invest in), music, eSports, and even...sports sponsorship. What isn't this company doing? While their spread efforts might seem like a knock against them, it's worth noting that Konami and Microsoft are similarly split as companies; the character's important trumps that of the company's interests.

Now, I know what you're thinking. "But tehponycorn! Dragalia Lost is co-developed by Cygames and Nintendo! He's gotta be more likely than Granblue!"

To which I respond: Where's the moveset?

If you've played Dragalia Lost, you would understand that the main character, Euden, is a rather run of the mill swordie protagonist. Like Roy or Ike, he uses fire, and the unique thing about him is that he can turn into a variety of elemental dragons, which is mostly covered by Corrin. If they use his Gala form he gains some more diversity via having AoE moves, but otherwise he's unimpressive.

Comparatively, Granblue Fantasy has something I believe sets it apart from most fighters: Class Changing.

One part of Granblue Fantasy is that the main character, Gran (or Djeeta for female players) can change into one of 61 different classes, with class skills and techniques building upon one another. The reason that is important is that Sakurai has previously shown interest in a moveset using class changing in an interview with Nintendo Dream, saying:

Exactly. And within the FF franchise, Cloud is without question the most popular choice. A number of people fixate on the fact his original game was never released on a Nintendo console, but if we were to limit our choices to characters who appeared on a Nintendo console, we’d end up with Bartz from FFV or the Onion Knight from FFIII—how would that work? Maybe they could change jobs or something… Actually, that would be kind of interesting (laughs).

Sakurai has previously revisited ideas about characters, such as Pac-Man, Villager, the Miis Fighters, and Ridley. Similarly, I believe that if this is his last ride, he's going to want to revisit this, especially considering that it's an iconic aspect of the early JRPG genre. While a class change moveset could also be given to a Bravely Default character, I believe that the ease of obtaining Granblue and Nintendo stake in Cygames would lead to Gran/Djeeta ending up on Nintendo's list over a Bravely character (Sorry Gentlepanda ). Sakurai would then choose them based off of their ability to class change, thus allowing him to seriously revisit that concept. While I understand it's a bit of a far reach, I also don't see it as all that unlikely. At the very least, I believe we'll see a class change moveset by the end of this Fighters Pass.

Spoiler: Conclusion

Granblue Fantasy's popularity as a series alongside Nintendo's stake in Cygames–and subsequently their desire to see Cygames succeed–puts Granblue Fantasy in a unique position in regards to being included in Smash Brothers, with this position being shared only by Bayonetta during Sm4sh's DLC cycle. Furthermore, Sakurai's desire to revisit class changing, one of the last remaining JRPG mechanics not represented in Smash, would lead to him deciding to include a Granblue character within the Fighters Pass. Granblue is not to be underestimated or discounted, and I would personally consider it one of the more likely series to be included in Smash.

Spoiler: Afterword

Granblue's pretty fun. The story and characters are good, and it's completely free and in English so maybe give it a try. I know it's not the most beloved series over here, and many would scream shill pick if it got in, but I'd be excited to see Gran/Djeeta or Lancelot because he's a hottie or Lily because she's a cutie and what they could bring to Smash Bros. I think a class changing moveset would be really cool to see in Smash, and out of all my predictions it's the one I'll cling to the hardest.

I find myself enjoying speculation here less and less nowadays, so don't expect too many more of these, if any at all. I just kinda typed this up on a whim because I wanted to talk about Granblue, so it's not my most researched piece, nor is it probably not my best. Regardless, I hope it was an engaging read and that it, at the very least, adds to the discourse of Smash Speculation and opens some minds up to the possibility of a Granblue rep in Smash Bros, or at the very least, it's enjoyed by someone.

 

[Deleted member]

I decided to ask Google who Fighter 6 is and this is what they gave me:

We are either getting a Cars or Transformers rep people.

 

[wynn728]

The fact the goalpost has to be moved to go from 'main protagonist' to 'any protagonist' is proof that it's a trash rule, though I wouldn't be surprised if some people reading this unironicslly agreed, half of the reason I go on this site is to see the laughably bad takes

There's no "main protagonist" in Castlevania. It always switches characters due to its anthology setting. Simon is the protagonist for a few games, but since he was the first he's more iconic in the series that changes their main characters. Had Alucard been chosen that wouldn't have broke the rule since they would say that they're representing Symphony of the Night instead of just Castlevania, just how Luminary was chosen to represent Dragon Quest XI S.

It's always going to be protagonist first, trying to say that it won't always be like that is just being foolish on how crossover work. They're not going to put in the side character in before the main characters. It's been like that for 20 years already.

 

[Schnee117]

I decided to ask Google who Fighter 6 is and this is what they gave me:

View attachment 264392

We are either getting a Cars or Transformers rep people.

Finally, a Daytona rep

 

[DaybreakHorizon]

View attachment 264369

That damn lowercase-posting persona of mine's kept me locked up for months now. Thankfully I was able to take back control for the time being. I even have work to show for my time being imprisoned:

The Gran(d) Case for Granblue
​

Surprise! Another speculation essay. I didn't think I'd have time to make any more of these, and I probably don't, but here I am anyways. This time I'm covering Granblue Fantasy in Smash

Spoiler: Acknowledgements

• As always, I'll check my bias at the door. While I have just recently started playing Granblue, I've had this idea for quite some time. Starting Granblue was just the push I needed to get to it though.
• Shoutouts to PsySmasher for constantly plugging Granblue in the Discord. Wouldn't have taken the plunge to start around the release of GBVS unless you and everyone else kept it in my mind
• A lot of my sources are in Japanese, just so you know. Not a lot of English sources for interviews exist, but the information is good anyways so just use Google Translate.

Spoiler: Introduction

Ever since Hitagi "leaked" Katalina for Smash Ultimate in 2018, Granblue has been in this weird place in regards to speculation, wherein people are aware of it, but don't take it seriously. It's understandable, especially given how the series has, up until recently, seen most of its success in Japan. Despite this, Granblue has a dedicated fanbase in America, and seems to be making a larger push to become a worldwide franchise. The unique relationship between Nintendo and Cygames furthermore puts the Granblue series in a position to be a serious contender for a spot in Smash Bros. While relatively unknown in the West, Granblue shouldn't be underestimated.

Spoiler: Background: What is Granblue Fantasy?

Granblue Fantasy started as a mobile/browser gacha JRPG, released in 2014. The game was notable at release for bringing together famed Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu and art director Hideo Minaba. Following that, however, the game has come to be known for it's good story, endearing characters, and sheer generosity towards free to play (f2p) players. Given its long history as a gacha game, Granblue has set multiple precedents for the genre, such as pity rates/draws as well as showing draw rates of characters (granted, that was following the most controversial moment of the game's history–later referred to as monkeygate). The game has seen crossovers with multiple series over the years, including Street Fighter, Attack on Titan, Tales of, Love Live!, Code Geass, Samurai Shodown, The IDOLM@STER, Detective Conan, and, you guessed it, Persona 5. Furthermore, characters from Granblue appear in other Cygames titles, such as Shadowverse and Dragalia Lost. The game has gained and retained immense popularity over the years, earning $189.27 million in 2017, $307 million in 2018, and having an active player base of 24 million players as of June 2019. More recently, it was the 5th most talked about video game of 2019 on Twitter, beating out PUBG, Minecraft, and Smash Brother Ultimate.

More than a single game, Granblue Fantasy has recently started branching out into other forms of media and genres of games. In 2017, they began hosting a yearly convention for the series, Granblue Fantasy Fes, which brings in thousands of attendees yearly. Also in 2017, the first season of Granblue Fantasy the Animation aired, being animated by A-1 Pictures of Sword Art Online fame. A second season followed in 2019, just finishing last December. An action RPG, Granblue Fantasy: Relink, was announced in 2016, but has had a complicated development cycle following Platinumgames dropping the title in February 2019, leaving Cygames to handle development on their own. Things seem to be going well regardless, with Cygames deciding to fully support their most recent project: Granblue Fantasy VS. A fighting game developed by Arc System Works (of Guilty Gear, Blazblue, Persona 4 Arena, and Dragon Ball Fighterz fame). This seems to be the real beginning of Granblue Fantasy's push into the West, with the game slated to appear at EVO.

Now, I know what you're thinking. For a series that's only just now making the jump to the West, it's pretty large. Well, Granblue isn't just now making the jump to the West, it already did. In 2016. The game features a full English localization via the Japanese servers (sidenote: it's actually a really good translation). While this may seem like an odd decision, it's surprisingly smart given the discrepancy between Japanese and Global versions of other Japanese games (e.g. Kingdom Hearts Union Cross, Fate/Grand Order, Phantasy Star Online 2), where the Japanese game is miles ahead of the Global version in terms of story and is, in some cases, more generous to its f2p players. Comparatively, global players of Granblue get content when it's released, and don't have to worry about a difference between versions. In a recent 2019 interview, the producer of Granblue Fantasy acknowledged a strong percentage of English players that's increasing. True to this, Granblue has a solid Western fanbase, as evidenced by the English subreddit having 39,403 subscribers (as of time of writing) among other factors.

As a whole, Granblue Fantasy is a large series, and I would argue that at this point its size and popularity could definitely warrant an inclusion in Smash Bros.

Spoiler: Cygames and Why Granblue?

One of the strongest points in favor of a Granblue Fantasy character is that Nintendo straight up owns 5% stake in Cygames. Furthermore, the two are actively working together to develop Dragalia Lost, which has become one of Nintendo's highest grossing mobile titles. This puts any Cygames character in a similar position as Bayonetta during Sm4sh DLC. They're right there working with Nintendo, and it's difficult to imagine Nintendo not at least talking to them about putting their characters in Smash when it's that simple for them to do so. Furthermore, Nintendo has reason to want Cygames to succeed given their significant stake in the company just as they wanted Bayonetta 2 to succeed, so it would be a pragmatic business decision to include a Granblue character (like Gran/Djeeta given that they're the main character) in Smash to capitalize on the series' recent push into the West, similar to how Hero was included to capitalize on Dragon Quest XI S's release and Dragon Quest's push into the West.

On a side tangent: Cygames themselves they have an impressive track record: Rage of Bahamut, Shadowverse, Granblue are all large, influential mobile titles. As a company, Cygames has branched out into console development, print releases, animation (which they both make and invest in), music, eSports, and even...sports sponsorship. What isn't this company doing? While their spread efforts might seem like a knock against them, it's worth noting that Konami and Microsoft are similarly split as companies; the character's important trumps that of the company's interests.

Now, I know what you're thinking. "But tehponycorn! Dragalia Lost is co-developed by Cygames and Nintendo! He's gotta be more likely than Granblue!"

To which I respond: Where's the moveset?

If you've played Dragalia Lost, you would understand that the main character, Euden, is a rather run of the mill swordie protagonist. Like Roy or Ike, he uses fire, and the unique thing about him is that he can turn into a variety of elemental dragons, which is mostly covered by Corrin. If they use his Gala form he gains some more diversity via having AoE moves, but otherwise he's unimpressive.

Comparatively, Granblue Fantasy has something I believe sets it apart from most fighters: Class Changing.

One part of Granblue Fantasy is that the main character, Gran (or Djeeta for female players) can change into one of 61 different classes, with class skills and techniques building upon one another. The reason that is important is that Sakurai has previously shown interest in a moveset using class changing in an interview with Nintendo Dream, saying:


Sakurai has previously revisited ideas about characters, such as Pac-Man, Villager, the Miis Fighters, and Ridley. Similarly, I believe that if this is his last ride, he's going to want to revisit this, especially considering that it's an iconic aspect of the early JRPG genre. While a class change moveset could also be given to a Bravely Default character, I believe that the ease of obtaining Granblue and Nintendo stake in Cygames would lead to Gran/Djeeta ending up on Nintendo's list over a Bravely character (Sorry Gentlepanda ). Sakurai would then choose them based off of their ability to class change, thus allowing him to seriously revisit that concept. While I understand it's a bit of a far reach, I also don't see it as all that unlikely. At the very least, I believe we'll see a class change moveset by the end of this Fighters Pass.

Spoiler: Conclusion

Granblue Fantasy's popularity as a series alongside Nintendo's stake in Cygames–and subsequently their desire to see Cygames succeed–puts Granblue Fantasy in a unique position in regards to being included in Smash Brothers, with this position being shared only by Bayonetta during Sm4sh's DLC cycle. Furthermore, Sakurai's desire to revisit class changing, one of the last remaining JRPG mechanics not represented in Smash, would lead to him deciding to include a Granblue character within the Fighters Pass. Granblue is not to be underestimated or discounted, and I would personally consider it one of the more likely series to be included in Smash.

Spoiler: Afterword

Granblue's pretty fun. The story and characters are good, and it's completely free and in English so maybe give it a try. I know it's not the most beloved series over here, and many would scream shill pick if it got in, but I'd be excited to see Gran/Djeeta or Lancelot because he's a hottie or Lily because she's a cutie and what they could bring to Smash Bros. I think a class changing moveset would be really cool to see in Smash, and out of all my predictions it's the one I'll cling to the hardest.

I find myself enjoying speculation here less and less nowadays, so don't expect too many more of these, if any at all. I just kinda typed this up on a whim because I wanted to talk about Granblue, so it's not my most researched piece, nor is it probably not my best. Regardless, I hope it was an engaging read and that it, at the very least, adds to the discourse of Smash Speculation and opens some minds up to the possibility of a Granblue rep in Smash Bros, or at the very least, it's enjoyed by someone.

wtf is this how did it end up getting posted who did this i am crying and shaking rn who would do such a thing

 

[Knight Dude]

I decided to ask Google who Fighter 6 is and this is what they gave me:

View attachment 264392

We are either getting a Cars or Transformers rep people.

Nah, that just means Hornet from Daytona. Would've went with Streets of Rage myself, but I respect Sakurai's Hustle.

 

[N3ON]

I agree it's not a rule (more a very strong precedent), but the real goalpost moving is invoking the subcategories of main protagonist vs. any protagonist, especially when a lot of series, often those with rotating casts, don't really have a "main protagonist".

 

[P.Kat]

View attachment 264369

That damn lowercase-posting persona of mine's kept me locked up for months now. Thankfully I was able to take back control for the time being. I even have work to show for my time being imprisoned:

The Gran(d) Case for Granblue
​

Surprise! Another speculation essay. I didn't think I'd have time to make any more of these, and I probably don't, but here I am anyways. This time I'm covering Granblue Fantasy in Smash

Spoiler: Acknowledgements

• As always, I'll check my bias at the door. While I have just recently started playing Granblue, I've had this idea for quite some time. Starting Granblue was just the push I needed to get to it though.
• Shoutouts to PsySmasher for constantly plugging Granblue in the Discord. Wouldn't have taken the plunge to start around the release of GBVS unless you and everyone else kept it in my mind
• A lot of my sources are in Japanese, just so you know. Not a lot of English sources for interviews exist, but the information is good anyways so just use Google Translate.

Spoiler: Introduction

Ever since Hitagi "leaked" Katalina for Smash Ultimate in 2018, Granblue has been in this weird place in regards to speculation, wherein people are aware of it, but don't take it seriously. It's understandable, especially given how the series has, up until recently, seen most of its success in Japan. Despite this, Granblue has a dedicated fanbase in America, and seems to be making a larger push to become a worldwide franchise. The unique relationship between Nintendo and Cygames furthermore puts the Granblue series in a position to be a serious contender for a spot in Smash Bros. While relatively unknown in the West, Granblue shouldn't be underestimated.

Spoiler: Background: What is Granblue Fantasy?

Granblue Fantasy started as a mobile/browser gacha JRPG, released in 2014. The game was notable at release for bringing together famed Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu and art director Hideo Minaba. Following that, however, the game has come to be known for it's good story, endearing characters, and sheer generosity towards free to play (f2p) players. Given its long history as a gacha game, Granblue has set multiple precedents for the genre, such as pity rates/draws as well as showing draw rates of characters (granted, that was following the most controversial moment of the game's history–later referred to as monkeygate). The game has seen crossovers with multiple series over the years, including Street Fighter, Attack on Titan, Tales of, Love Live!, Code Geass, Samurai Shodown, The IDOLM@STER, Detective Conan, and, you guessed it, Persona 5. Furthermore, characters from Granblue appear in other Cygames titles, such as Shadowverse and Dragalia Lost. The game has gained and retained immense popularity over the years, earning $189.27 million in 2017, $307 million in 2018, and having an active player base of 24 million players as of June 2019. More recently, it was the 5th most talked about video game of 2019 on Twitter, beating out PUBG, Minecraft, and Smash Brother Ultimate.

More than a single game, Granblue Fantasy has recently started branching out into other forms of media and genres of games. In 2017, they began hosting a yearly convention for the series, Granblue Fantasy Fes, which brings in thousands of attendees yearly. Also in 2017, the first season of Granblue Fantasy the Animation aired, being animated by A-1 Pictures of Sword Art Online fame. A second season followed in 2019, just finishing last December. An action RPG, Granblue Fantasy: Relink, was announced in 2016, but has had a complicated development cycle following Platinumgames dropping the title in February 2019, leaving Cygames to handle development on their own. Things seem to be going well regardless, with Cygames deciding to fully support their most recent project: Granblue Fantasy VS. A fighting game developed by Arc System Works (of Guilty Gear, Blazblue, Persona 4 Arena, and Dragon Ball Fighterz fame). This seems to be the real beginning of Granblue Fantasy's push into the West, with the game slated to appear at EVO.

Now, I know what you're thinking. For a series that's only just now making the jump to the West, it's pretty large. Well, Granblue isn't just now making the jump to the West, it already did. In 2016. The game features a full English localization via the Japanese servers (sidenote: it's actually a really good translation). While this may seem like an odd decision, it's surprisingly smart given the discrepancy between Japanese and Global versions of other Japanese games (e.g. Kingdom Hearts Union Cross, Fate/Grand Order, Phantasy Star Online 2), where the Japanese game is miles ahead of the Global version in terms of story and is, in some cases, more generous to its f2p players. Comparatively, global players of Granblue get content when it's released, and don't have to worry about a difference between versions. In a recent 2019 interview, the producer of Granblue Fantasy acknowledged a strong percentage of English players that's increasing. True to this, Granblue has a solid Western fanbase, as evidenced by the English subreddit having 39,403 subscribers (as of time of writing) among other factors.

As a whole, Granblue Fantasy is a large series, and I would argue that at this point its size and popularity could definitely warrant an inclusion in Smash Bros.

Spoiler: Cygames and Why Granblue?

One of the strongest points in favor of a Granblue Fantasy character is that Nintendo straight up owns 5% stake in Cygames. Furthermore, the two are actively working together to develop Dragalia Lost, which has become one of Nintendo's highest grossing mobile titles. This puts any Cygames character in a similar position as Bayonetta during Sm4sh DLC. They're right there working with Nintendo, and it's difficult to imagine Nintendo not at least talking to them about putting their characters in Smash when it's that simple for them to do so. Furthermore, Nintendo has reason to want Cygames to succeed given their significant stake in the company just as they wanted Bayonetta 2 to succeed, so it would be a pragmatic business decision to include a Granblue character (like Gran/Djeeta given that they're the main character) in Smash to capitalize on the series' recent push into the West, similar to how Hero was included to capitalize on Dragon Quest XI S's release and Dragon Quest's push into the West.

On a side tangent: Cygames themselves they have an impressive track record: Rage of Bahamut, Shadowverse, Granblue are all large, influential mobile titles. As a company, Cygames has branched out into console development, print releases, animation (which they both make and invest in), music, eSports, and even...sports sponsorship. What isn't this company doing? While their spread efforts might seem like a knock against them, it's worth noting that Konami and Microsoft are similarly split as companies; the character's important trumps that of the company's interests.

Now, I know what you're thinking. "But tehponycorn! Dragalia Lost is co-developed by Cygames and Nintendo! He's gotta be more likely than Granblue!"

To which I respond: Where's the moveset?

If you've played Dragalia Lost, you would understand that the main character, Euden, is a rather run of the mill swordie protagonist. Like Roy or Ike, he uses fire, and the unique thing about him is that he can turn into a variety of elemental dragons, which is mostly covered by Corrin. If they use his Gala form he gains some more diversity via having AoE moves, but otherwise he's unimpressive.

Comparatively, Granblue Fantasy has something I believe sets it apart from most fighters: Class Changing.

One part of Granblue Fantasy is that the main character, Gran (or Djeeta for female players) can change into one of 61 different classes, with class skills and techniques building upon one another. The reason that is important is that Sakurai has previously shown interest in a moveset using class changing in an interview with Nintendo Dream, saying:


Sakurai has previously revisited ideas about characters, such as Pac-Man, Villager, the Miis Fighters, and Ridley. Similarly, I believe that if this is his last ride, he's going to want to revisit this, especially considering that it's an iconic aspect of the early JRPG genre. While a class change moveset could also be given to a Bravely Default character, I believe that the ease of obtaining Granblue and Nintendo stake in Cygames would lead to Gran/Djeeta ending up on Nintendo's list over a Bravely character (Sorry Gentlepanda ). Sakurai would then choose them based off of their ability to class change, thus allowing him to seriously revisit that concept. While I understand it's a bit of a far reach, I also don't see it as all that unlikely. At the very least, I believe we'll see a class change moveset by the end of this Fighters Pass.

Spoiler: Conclusion

Granblue Fantasy's popularity as a series alongside Nintendo's stake in Cygames–and subsequently their desire to see Cygames succeed–puts Granblue Fantasy in a unique position in regards to being included in Smash Brothers, with this position being shared only by Bayonetta during Sm4sh's DLC cycle. Furthermore, Sakurai's desire to revisit class changing, one of the last remaining JRPG mechanics not represented in Smash, would lead to him deciding to include a Granblue character within the Fighters Pass. Granblue is not to be underestimated or discounted, and I would personally consider it one of the more likely series to be included in Smash.

Spoiler: Afterword

Granblue's pretty fun. The story and characters are good, and it's completely free and in English so maybe give it a try. I know it's not the most beloved series over here, and many would scream shill pick if it got in, but I'd be excited to see Gran/Djeeta or Lancelot because he's a hottie or Lily because she's a cutie and what they could bring to Smash Bros. I think a class changing moveset would be really cool to see in Smash, and out of all my predictions it's the one I'll cling to the hardest.

I find myself enjoying speculation here less and less nowadays, so don't expect too many more of these, if any at all. I just kinda typed this up on a whim because I wanted to talk about Granblue, so it's not my most researched piece, nor is it probably not my best. Regardless, I hope it was an engaging read and that it, at the very least, adds to the discourse of Smash Speculation and opens some minds up to the possibility of a Granblue rep in Smash Bros, or at the very least, it's enjoyed by someone.

I am DOWN for having Granblue in Smash, after seeing Granblue Fantasy Versus in action. Most likely we'll get Gran/Djeeta, and I would love it if we got Katalina instead, but my top choice is Zeta. There is no one, not one in this series that can compare to...

This amazing Swordfighter right here, who's my top pick for a Granblue rep for Smash; Narmaya, (any and all post concerning Zeta has been stricken from record)

wtf is this how did it end up getting posted who did this i am crying and shaking rn who would do such a thing

*Trying hard not to act suspicious* I don't know but you should call them over more often

 

[PsySmasher]

View attachment 264369

That damn lowercase-posting persona of mine's kept me locked up for months now. Thankfully I was able to take back control for the time being. I even have work to show for my time being imprisoned:

The Gran(d) Case for Granblue
​

Surprise! Another speculation essay. I didn't think I'd have time to make any more of these, and I probably don't, but here I am anyways. This time I'm covering Granblue Fantasy in Smash

Spoiler: Acknowledgements

• As always, I'll check my bias at the door. While I have just recently started playing Granblue, I've had this idea for quite some time. Starting Granblue was just the push I needed to get to it though.
• Shoutouts to PsySmasher for constantly plugging Granblue in the Discord. Wouldn't have taken the plunge to start around the release of GBVS unless you and everyone else kept it in my mind
• A lot of my sources are in Japanese, just so you know. Not a lot of English sources for interviews exist, but the information is good anyways so just use Google Translate.

Spoiler: Introduction

Ever since Hitagi "leaked" Katalina for Smash Ultimate in 2018, Granblue has been in this weird place in regards to speculation, wherein people are aware of it, but don't take it seriously. It's understandable, especially given how the series has, up until recently, seen most of its success in Japan. Despite this, Granblue has a dedicated fanbase in America, and seems to be making a larger push to become a worldwide franchise. The unique relationship between Nintendo and Cygames furthermore puts the Granblue series in a position to be a serious contender for a spot in Smash Bros. While relatively unknown in the West, Granblue shouldn't be underestimated.

Spoiler: Background: What is Granblue Fantasy?

Granblue Fantasy started as a mobile/browser gacha JRPG, released in 2014. The game was notable at release for bringing together famed Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu and art director Hideo Minaba. Following that, however, the game has come to be known for it's good story, endearing characters, and sheer generosity towards free to play (f2p) players. Given its long history as a gacha game, Granblue has set multiple precedents for the genre, such as pity rates/draws as well as showing draw rates of characters (granted, that was following the most controversial moment of the game's history–later referred to as monkeygate). The game has seen crossovers with multiple series over the years, including Street Fighter, Attack on Titan, Tales of, Love Live!, Code Geass, Samurai Shodown, The IDOLM@STER, Detective Conan, and, you guessed it, Persona 5. Furthermore, characters from Granblue appear in other Cygames titles, such as Shadowverse and Dragalia Lost. The game has gained and retained immense popularity over the years, earning $189.27 million in 2017, $307 million in 2018, and having an active player base of 24 million players as of June 2019. More recently, it was the 5th most talked about video game of 2019 on Twitter, beating out PUBG, Minecraft, and Smash Brother Ultimate.

More than a single game, Granblue Fantasy has recently started branching out into other forms of media and genres of games. In 2017, they began hosting a yearly convention for the series, Granblue Fantasy Fes, which brings in thousands of attendees yearly. Also in 2017, the first season of Granblue Fantasy the Animation aired, being animated by A-1 Pictures of Sword Art Online fame. A second season followed in 2019, just finishing last December. An action RPG, Granblue Fantasy: Relink, was announced in 2016, but has had a complicated development cycle following Platinumgames dropping the title in February 2019, leaving Cygames to handle development on their own. Things seem to be going well regardless, with Cygames deciding to fully support their most recent project: Granblue Fantasy VS. A fighting game developed by Arc System Works (of Guilty Gear, Blazblue, Persona 4 Arena, and Dragon Ball Fighterz fame). This seems to be the real beginning of Granblue Fantasy's push into the West, with the game slated to appear at EVO.

Now, I know what you're thinking. For a series that's only just now making the jump to the West, it's pretty large. Well, Granblue isn't just now making the jump to the West, it already did. In 2016. The game features a full English localization via the Japanese servers (sidenote: it's actually a really good translation). While this may seem like an odd decision, it's surprisingly smart given the discrepancy between Japanese and Global versions of other Japanese games (e.g. Kingdom Hearts Union Cross, Fate/Grand Order, Phantasy Star Online 2), where the Japanese game is miles ahead of the Global version in terms of story and is, in some cases, more generous to its f2p players. Comparatively, global players of Granblue get content when it's released, and don't have to worry about a difference between versions. In a recent 2019 interview, the producer of Granblue Fantasy acknowledged a strong percentage of English players that's increasing. True to this, Granblue has a solid Western fanbase, as evidenced by the English subreddit having 39,403 subscribers (as of time of writing) among other factors.

As a whole, Granblue Fantasy is a large series, and I would argue that at this point its size and popularity could definitely warrant an inclusion in Smash Bros.

Spoiler: Cygames and Why Granblue?

One of the strongest points in favor of a Granblue Fantasy character is that Nintendo straight up owns 5% stake in Cygames. Furthermore, the two are actively working together to develop Dragalia Lost, which has become one of Nintendo's highest grossing mobile titles. This puts any Cygames character in a similar position as Bayonetta during Sm4sh DLC. They're right there working with Nintendo, and it's difficult to imagine Nintendo not at least talking to them about putting their characters in Smash when it's that simple for them to do so. Furthermore, Nintendo has reason to want Cygames to succeed given their significant stake in the company just as they wanted Bayonetta 2 to succeed, so it would be a pragmatic business decision to include a Granblue character (like Gran/Djeeta given that they're the main character) in Smash to capitalize on the series' recent push into the West, similar to how Hero was included to capitalize on Dragon Quest XI S's release and Dragon Quest's push into the West.

On a side tangent: Cygames themselves they have an impressive track record: Rage of Bahamut, Shadowverse, Granblue are all large, influential mobile titles. As a company, Cygames has branched out into console development, print releases, animation (which they both make and invest in), music, eSports, and even...sports sponsorship. What isn't this company doing? While their spread efforts might seem like a knock against them, it's worth noting that Konami and Microsoft are similarly split as companies; the character's important trumps that of the company's interests.

Now, I know what you're thinking. "But tehponycorn! Dragalia Lost is co-developed by Cygames and Nintendo! He's gotta be more likely than Granblue!"

To which I respond: Where's the moveset?

If you've played Dragalia Lost, you would understand that the main character, Euden, is a rather run of the mill swordie protagonist. Like Roy or Ike, he uses fire, and the unique thing about him is that he can turn into a variety of elemental dragons, which is mostly covered by Corrin. If they use his Gala form he gains some more diversity via having AoE moves, but otherwise he's unimpressive.

Comparatively, Granblue Fantasy has something I believe sets it apart from most fighters: Class Changing.

One part of Granblue Fantasy is that the main character, Gran (or Djeeta for female players) can change into one of 61 different classes, with class skills and techniques building upon one another. The reason that is important is that Sakurai has previously shown interest in a moveset using class changing in an interview with Nintendo Dream, saying:


Sakurai has previously revisited ideas about characters, such as Pac-Man, Villager, the Miis Fighters, and Ridley. Similarly, I believe that if this is his last ride, he's going to want to revisit this, especially considering that it's an iconic aspect of the early JRPG genre. While a class change moveset could also be given to a Bravely Default character, I believe that the ease of obtaining Granblue and Nintendo stake in Cygames would lead to Gran/Djeeta ending up on Nintendo's list over a Bravely character (Sorry Gentlepanda ). Sakurai would then choose them based off of their ability to class change, thus allowing him to seriously revisit that concept. While I understand it's a bit of a far reach, I also don't see it as all that unlikely. At the very least, I believe we'll see a class change moveset by the end of this Fighters Pass.

Spoiler: Conclusion

Granblue Fantasy's popularity as a series alongside Nintendo's stake in Cygames–and subsequently their desire to see Cygames succeed–puts Granblue Fantasy in a unique position in regards to being included in Smash Brothers, with this position being shared only by Bayonetta during Sm4sh's DLC cycle. Furthermore, Sakurai's desire to revisit class changing, one of the last remaining JRPG mechanics not represented in Smash, would lead to him deciding to include a Granblue character within the Fighters Pass. Granblue is not to be underestimated or discounted, and I would personally consider it one of the more likely series to be included in Smash.

Spoiler: Afterword

Granblue's pretty fun. The story and characters are good, and it's completely free and in English so maybe give it a try. I know it's not the most beloved series over here, and many would scream shill pick if it got in, but I'd be excited to see Gran/Djeeta or Lancelot because he's a hottie or Lily because she's a cutie and what they could bring to Smash Bros. I think a class changing moveset would be really cool to see in Smash, and out of all my predictions it's the one I'll cling to the hardest.

I find myself enjoying speculation here less and less nowadays, so don't expect too many more of these, if any at all. I just kinda typed this up on a whim because I wanted to talk about Granblue, so it's not my most researched piece, nor is it probably not my best. Regardless, I hope it was an engaging read and that it, at the very least, adds to the discourse of Smash Speculation and opens some minds up to the possibility of a Granblue rep in Smash Bros, or at the very least, it's enjoyed by someone.

You see?

Y'all see what I've done to this man?

I'm proud of myself

But seriously, good job w/ the essay


For my personal feelings, I do think people genuinely underestimate the possibility of a mobile game rep in general

Especially considering that Nintendo is nowadays is very much invested in the mobile department (although that's an entire convo in itself )

Cygames is definitely a serious contender in that regard (especially since as mentioned above Nintendo owns part of the company)

Granblue is their big multi-billion dollar franchise that's definitely branching out more, specifically now w/ the release of Versus and Relink on the horizon

So do I think it's a legit possibility... yes, I sincerely do, even putting my personal bias for the series aside

Am I gonna bank on it? Absolutely not. I know better than to bank on anything Smash related lol

And I do have other characters that I prefer over a Granblue rep (see my profile pic that I still haven't changed for some reason lol)

But if it happens, y'all know I'd pop off from excitement (and slightly enjoy the salt that comes w/ it)

 

[Cutie Gwen]

There's no "main protagonist" in Castlevania. It always switches characters due to its anthology setting. Simon is the protagonist for a few games, but since he was the first he's more iconic in the series that changes their main characters. Had Alucard been chosen that wouldn't have broke the rule since they would say that they're representing Symphony of the Night instead of just Castlevania, just how Luminary was chosen to represent Dragon Quest XI S.

It's always going to be protagonist first, trying to say that it won't always be like that is just being foolish on how crossover work. They're not going to put in the side character in before the main characters. It's been like that for 20 years already.

First of all SotN already has like 40 percent of the CV stuff, second, most CV protagonists are Belmont with whip, so Belmont=main protag in this case

View attachment 264369

That damn lowercase-posting persona of mine's kept me locked up for months now. Thankfully I was able to take back control for the time being. I even have work to show for my time being imprisoned:

The Gran(d) Case for Granblue
​

Surprise! Another speculation essay. I didn't think I'd have time to make any more of these, and I probably don't, but here I am anyways. This time I'm covering Granblue Fantasy in Smash

Spoiler: Acknowledgements

• As always, I'll check my bias at the door. While I have just recently started playing Granblue, I've had this idea for quite some time. Starting Granblue was just the push I needed to get to it though.
• Shoutouts to PsySmasher for constantly plugging Granblue in the Discord. Wouldn't have taken the plunge to start around the release of GBVS unless you and everyone else kept it in my mind
• A lot of my sources are in Japanese, just so you know. Not a lot of English sources for interviews exist, but the information is good anyways so just use Google Translate.

Spoiler: Introduction

Ever since Hitagi "leaked" Katalina for Smash Ultimate in 2018, Granblue has been in this weird place in regards to speculation, wherein people are aware of it, but don't take it seriously. It's understandable, especially given how the series has, up until recently, seen most of its success in Japan. Despite this, Granblue has a dedicated fanbase in America, and seems to be making a larger push to become a worldwide franchise. The unique relationship between Nintendo and Cygames furthermore puts the Granblue series in a position to be a serious contender for a spot in Smash Bros. While relatively unknown in the West, Granblue shouldn't be underestimated.

Spoiler: Background: What is Granblue Fantasy?

Granblue Fantasy started as a mobile/browser gacha JRPG, released in 2014. The game was notable at release for bringing together famed Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu and art director Hideo Minaba. Following that, however, the game has come to be known for it's good story, endearing characters, and sheer generosity towards free to play (f2p) players. Given its long history as a gacha game, Granblue has set multiple precedents for the genre, such as pity rates/draws as well as showing draw rates of characters (granted, that was following the most controversial moment of the game's history–later referred to as monkeygate). The game has seen crossovers with multiple series over the years, including Street Fighter, Attack on Titan, Tales of, Love Live!, Code Geass, Samurai Shodown, The IDOLM@STER, Detective Conan, and, you guessed it, Persona 5. Furthermore, characters from Granblue appear in other Cygames titles, such as Shadowverse and Dragalia Lost. The game has gained and retained immense popularity over the years, earning $189.27 million in 2017, $307 million in 2018, and having an active player base of 24 million players as of June 2019. More recently, it was the 5th most talked about video game of 2019 on Twitter, beating out PUBG, Minecraft, and Smash Brother Ultimate.

More than a single game, Granblue Fantasy has recently started branching out into other forms of media and genres of games. In 2017, they began hosting a yearly convention for the series, Granblue Fantasy Fes, which brings in thousands of attendees yearly. Also in 2017, the first season of Granblue Fantasy the Animation aired, being animated by A-1 Pictures of Sword Art Online fame. A second season followed in 2019, just finishing last December. An action RPG, Granblue Fantasy: Relink, was announced in 2016, but has had a complicated development cycle following Platinumgames dropping the title in February 2019, leaving Cygames to handle development on their own. Things seem to be going well regardless, with Cygames deciding to fully support their most recent project: Granblue Fantasy VS. A fighting game developed by Arc System Works (of Guilty Gear, Blazblue, Persona 4 Arena, and Dragon Ball Fighterz fame). This seems to be the real beginning of Granblue Fantasy's push into the West, with the game slated to appear at EVO.

Now, I know what you're thinking. For a series that's only just now making the jump to the West, it's pretty large. Well, Granblue isn't just now making the jump to the West, it already did. In 2016. The game features a full English localization via the Japanese servers (sidenote: it's actually a really good translation). While this may seem like an odd decision, it's surprisingly smart given the discrepancy between Japanese and Global versions of other Japanese games (e.g. Kingdom Hearts Union Cross, Fate/Grand Order, Phantasy Star Online 2), where the Japanese game is miles ahead of the Global version in terms of story and is, in some cases, more generous to its f2p players. Comparatively, global players of Granblue get content when it's released, and don't have to worry about a difference between versions. In a recent 2019 interview, the producer of Granblue Fantasy acknowledged a strong percentage of English players that's increasing. True to this, Granblue has a solid Western fanbase, as evidenced by the English subreddit having 39,403 subscribers (as of time of writing) among other factors.

As a whole, Granblue Fantasy is a large series, and I would argue that at this point its size and popularity could definitely warrant an inclusion in Smash Bros.

Spoiler: Cygames and Why Granblue?

One of the strongest points in favor of a Granblue Fantasy character is that Nintendo straight up owns 5% stake in Cygames. Furthermore, the two are actively working together to develop Dragalia Lost, which has become one of Nintendo's highest grossing mobile titles. This puts any Cygames character in a similar position as Bayonetta during Sm4sh DLC. They're right there working with Nintendo, and it's difficult to imagine Nintendo not at least talking to them about putting their characters in Smash when it's that simple for them to do so. Furthermore, Nintendo has reason to want Cygames to succeed given their significant stake in the company just as they wanted Bayonetta 2 to succeed, so it would be a pragmatic business decision to include a Granblue character (like Gran/Djeeta given that they're the main character) in Smash to capitalize on the series' recent push into the West, similar to how Hero was included to capitalize on Dragon Quest XI S's release and Dragon Quest's push into the West.

On a side tangent: Cygames themselves they have an impressive track record: Rage of Bahamut, Shadowverse, Granblue are all large, influential mobile titles. As a company, Cygames has branched out into console development, print releases, animation (which they both make and invest in), music, eSports, and even...sports sponsorship. What isn't this company doing? While their spread efforts might seem like a knock against them, it's worth noting that Konami and Microsoft are similarly split as companies; the character's important trumps that of the company's interests.

Now, I know what you're thinking. "But tehponycorn! Dragalia Lost is co-developed by Cygames and Nintendo! He's gotta be more likely than Granblue!"

To which I respond: Where's the moveset?

If you've played Dragalia Lost, you would understand that the main character, Euden, is a rather run of the mill swordie protagonist. Like Roy or Ike, he uses fire, and the unique thing about him is that he can turn into a variety of elemental dragons, which is mostly covered by Corrin. If they use his Gala form he gains some more diversity via having AoE moves, but otherwise he's unimpressive.

Comparatively, Granblue Fantasy has something I believe sets it apart from most fighters: Class Changing.

One part of Granblue Fantasy is that the main character, Gran (or Djeeta for female players) can change into one of 61 different classes, with class skills and techniques building upon one another. The reason that is important is that Sakurai has previously shown interest in a moveset using class changing in an interview with Nintendo Dream, saying:


Sakurai has previously revisited ideas about characters, such as Pac-Man, Villager, the Miis Fighters, and Ridley. Similarly, I believe that if this is his last ride, he's going to want to revisit this, especially considering that it's an iconic aspect of the early JRPG genre. While a class change moveset could also be given to a Bravely Default character, I believe that the ease of obtaining Granblue and Nintendo stake in Cygames would lead to Gran/Djeeta ending up on Nintendo's list over a Bravely character (Sorry Gentlepanda ). Sakurai would then choose them based off of their ability to class change, thus allowing him to seriously revisit that concept. While I understand it's a bit of a far reach, I also don't see it as all that unlikely. At the very least, I believe we'll see a class change moveset by the end of this Fighters Pass.

Spoiler: Conclusion

Granblue Fantasy's popularity as a series alongside Nintendo's stake in Cygames–and subsequently their desire to see Cygames succeed–puts Granblue Fantasy in a unique position in regards to being included in Smash Brothers, with this position being shared only by Bayonetta during Sm4sh's DLC cycle. Furthermore, Sakurai's desire to revisit class changing, one of the last remaining JRPG mechanics not represented in Smash, would lead to him deciding to include a Granblue character within the Fighters Pass. Granblue is not to be underestimated or discounted, and I would personally consider it one of the more likely series to be included in Smash.

Spoiler: Afterword

Granblue's pretty fun. The story and characters are good, and it's completely free and in English so maybe give it a try. I know it's not the most beloved series over here, and many would scream shill pick if it got in, but I'd be excited to see Gran/Djeeta or Lancelot because he's a hottie or Lily because she's a cutie and what they could bring to Smash Bros. I think a class changing moveset would be really cool to see in Smash, and out of all my predictions it's the one I'll cling to the hardest.

I find myself enjoying speculation here less and less nowadays, so don't expect too many more of these, if any at all. I just kinda typed this up on a whim because I wanted to talk about Granblue, so it's not my most researched piece, nor is it probably not my best. Regardless, I hope it was an engaging read and that it, at the very least, adds to the discourse of Smash Speculation and opens some minds up to the possibility of a Granblue rep in Smash Bros, or at the very least, it's enjoyed by someone.

well akshuali, Mobile Shulk is fully owned by nintendo so theyd clearly do him first as nintendo relationships are of the utmost importance

 

[Captain Shwampy]

I decided to ask Google who Fighter 6 is and this is what they gave me:



We are either getting a Cars or Transformers rep people.

THE TIME IS ALMOST SUNSET
AND HOT AIR COVERS THE CITY

SPARKS FLY FROM CARS AND LIGHT SKY SCRAPERS

 

[King Sonnn DeDeDoo]

View attachment 264369

That damn lowercase-posting persona of mine's kept me locked up for months now. Thankfully I was able to take back control for the time being. I even have work to show for my time being imprisoned:

The Gran(d) Case for Granblue
​

Surprise! Another speculation essay. I didn't think I'd have time to make any more of these, and I probably don't, but here I am anyways. This time I'm covering Granblue Fantasy in Smash

Spoiler: Acknowledgements

• As always, I'll check my bias at the door. While I have just recently started playing Granblue, I've had this idea for quite some time. Starting Granblue was just the push I needed to get to it though.
• Shoutouts to PsySmasher for constantly plugging Granblue in the Discord. Wouldn't have taken the plunge to start around the release of GBVS unless you and everyone else kept it in my mind
• A lot of my sources are in Japanese, just so you know. Not a lot of English sources for interviews exist, but the information is good anyways so just use Google Translate.

Spoiler: Introduction

Ever since Hitagi "leaked" Katalina for Smash Ultimate in 2018, Granblue has been in this weird place in regards to speculation, wherein people are aware of it, but don't take it seriously. It's understandable, especially given how the series has, up until recently, seen most of its success in Japan. Despite this, Granblue has a dedicated fanbase in America, and seems to be making a larger push to become a worldwide franchise. The unique relationship between Nintendo and Cygames furthermore puts the Granblue series in a position to be a serious contender for a spot in Smash Bros. While relatively unknown in the West, Granblue shouldn't be underestimated.

Spoiler: Background: What is Granblue Fantasy?

Granblue Fantasy started as a mobile/browser gacha JRPG, released in 2014. The game was notable at release for bringing together famed Final Fantasy composer Nobuo Uematsu and art director Hideo Minaba. Following that, however, the game has come to be known for it's good story, endearing characters, and sheer generosity towards free to play (f2p) players. Given its long history as a gacha game, Granblue has set multiple precedents for the genre, such as pity rates/draws as well as showing draw rates of characters (granted, that was following the most controversial moment of the game's history–later referred to as monkeygate). The game has seen crossovers with multiple series over the years, including Street Fighter, Attack on Titan, Tales of, Love Live!, Code Geass, Samurai Shodown, The IDOLM@STER, Detective Conan, and, you guessed it, Persona 5. Furthermore, characters from Granblue appear in other Cygames titles, such as Shadowverse and Dragalia Lost. The game has gained and retained immense popularity over the years, earning $189.27 million in 2017, $307 million in 2018, and having an active player base of 24 million players as of June 2019. More recently, it was the 5th most talked about video game of 2019 on Twitter, beating out PUBG, Minecraft, and Smash Brother Ultimate.

More than a single game, Granblue Fantasy has recently started branching out into other forms of media and genres of games. In 2017, they began hosting a yearly convention for the series, Granblue Fantasy Fes, which brings in thousands of attendees yearly. Also in 2017, the first season of Granblue Fantasy the Animation aired, being animated by A-1 Pictures of Sword Art Online fame. A second season followed in 2019, just finishing last December. An action RPG, Granblue Fantasy: Relink, was announced in 2016, but has had a complicated development cycle following Platinumgames dropping the title in February 2019, leaving Cygames to handle development on their own. Things seem to be going well regardless, with Cygames deciding to fully support their most recent project: Granblue Fantasy VS. A fighting game developed by Arc System Works (of Guilty Gear, Blazblue, Persona 4 Arena, and Dragon Ball Fighterz fame). This seems to be the real beginning of Granblue Fantasy's push into the West, with the game slated to appear at EVO.

Now, I know what you're thinking. For a series that's only just now making the jump to the West, it's pretty large. Well, Granblue isn't just now making the jump to the West, it already did. In 2016. The game features a full English localization via the Japanese servers (sidenote: it's actually a really good translation). While this may seem like an odd decision, it's surprisingly smart given the discrepancy between Japanese and Global versions of other Japanese games (e.g. Kingdom Hearts Union Cross, Fate/Grand Order, Phantasy Star Online 2), where the Japanese game is miles ahead of the Global version in terms of story and is, in some cases, more generous to its f2p players. Comparatively, global players of Granblue get content when it's released, and don't have to worry about a difference between versions. In a recent 2019 interview, the producer of Granblue Fantasy acknowledged a strong percentage of English players that's increasing. True to this, Granblue has a solid Western fanbase, as evidenced by the English subreddit having 39,403 subscribers (as of time of writing) among other factors.

As a whole, Granblue Fantasy is a large series, and I would argue that at this point its size and popularity could definitely warrant an inclusion in Smash Bros.

Spoiler: Cygames and Why Granblue?

One of the strongest points in favor of a Granblue Fantasy character is that Nintendo straight up owns 5% stake in Cygames. Furthermore, the two are actively working together to develop Dragalia Lost, which has become one of Nintendo's highest grossing mobile titles. This puts any Cygames character in a similar position as Bayonetta during Sm4sh DLC. They're right there working with Nintendo, and it's difficult to imagine Nintendo not at least talking to them about putting their characters in Smash when it's that simple for them to do so. Furthermore, Nintendo has reason to want Cygames to succeed given their significant stake in the company just as they wanted Bayonetta 2 to succeed, so it would be a pragmatic business decision to include a Granblue character (like Gran/Djeeta given that they're the main character) in Smash to capitalize on the series' recent push into the West, similar to how Hero was included to capitalize on Dragon Quest XI S's release and Dragon Quest's push into the West.

On a side tangent: Cygames themselves they have an impressive track record: Rage of Bahamut, Shadowverse, Granblue are all large, influential mobile titles. As a company, Cygames has branched out into console development, print releases, animation (which they both make and invest in), music, eSports, and even...sports sponsorship. What isn't this company doing? While their spread efforts might seem like a knock against them, it's worth noting that Konami and Microsoft are similarly split as companies; the character's important trumps that of the company's interests.

Now, I know what you're thinking. "But tehponycorn! Dragalia Lost is co-developed by Cygames and Nintendo! He's gotta be more likely than Granblue!"

To which I respond: Where's the moveset?

If you've played Dragalia Lost, you would understand that the main character, Euden, is a rather run of the mill swordie protagonist. Like Roy or Ike, he uses fire, and the unique thing about him is that he can turn into a variety of elemental dragons, which is mostly covered by Corrin. If they use his Gala form he gains some more diversity via having AoE moves, but otherwise he's unimpressive.

Comparatively, Granblue Fantasy has something I believe sets it apart from most fighters: Class Changing.

One part of Granblue Fantasy is that the main character, Gran (or Djeeta for female players) can change into one of 61 different classes, with class skills and techniques building upon one another. The reason that is important is that Sakurai has previously shown interest in a moveset using class changing in an interview with Nintendo Dream, saying:


Sakurai has previously revisited ideas about characters, such as Pac-Man, Villager, the Miis Fighters, and Ridley. Similarly, I believe that if this is his last ride, he's going to want to revisit this, especially considering that it's an iconic aspect of the early JRPG genre. While a class change moveset could also be given to a Bravely Default character, I believe that the ease of obtaining Granblue and Nintendo stake in Cygames would lead to Gran/Djeeta ending up on Nintendo's list over a Bravely character (Sorry Gentlepanda ). Sakurai would then choose them based off of their ability to class change, thus allowing him to seriously revisit that concept. While I understand it's a bit of a far reach, I also don't see it as all that unlikely. At the very least, I believe we'll see a class change moveset by the end of this Fighters Pass.

Spoiler: Conclusion

Granblue Fantasy's popularity as a series alongside Nintendo's stake in Cygames–and subsequently their desire to see Cygames succeed–puts Granblue Fantasy in a unique position in regards to being included in Smash Brothers, with this position being shared only by Bayonetta during Sm4sh's DLC cycle. Furthermore, Sakurai's desire to revisit class changing, one of the last remaining JRPG mechanics not represented in Smash, would lead to him deciding to include a Granblue character within the Fighters Pass. Granblue is not to be underestimated or discounted, and I would personally consider it one of the more likely series to be included in Smash.

Spoiler: Afterword

Granblue's pretty fun. The story and characters are good, and it's completely free and in English so maybe give it a try. I know it's not the most beloved series over here, and many would scream shill pick if it got in, but I'd be excited to see Gran/Djeeta or Lancelot because he's a hottie or Lily because she's a cutie and what they could bring to Smash Bros. I think a class changing moveset would be really cool to see in Smash, and out of all my predictions it's the one I'll cling to the hardest.

I find myself enjoying speculation here less and less nowadays, so don't expect too many more of these, if any at all. I just kinda typed this up on a whim because I wanted to talk about Granblue, so it's not my most researched piece, nor is it probably not my best. Regardless, I hope it was an engaging read and that it, at the very least, adds to the discourse of Smash Speculation and opens some minds up to the possibility of a Granblue rep in Smash Bros, or at the very least, it's enjoyed by someone.

a class changing character sounds like a interesting mechanic, but I’m not familiar enough with Granblue to know which classes would be important enough to be chosen.

are there any especially prominent classes or do you think they’d go for the standard fighter, cleric, wizard, rogue class archetypes?

 

[RetrogamerMax]

I know it's already been almost several hours already, but the Geno thread has surpass 2500 pages and 100,000 posts just to let y'all know: https://smashboards.com/threads/gen...happy-100-000-and-2500-pages.446378/page-2502

 

[Deleted member]

I know it's already been almost several hours already, but the Geno thread has surpass 2500 pages and 100,000 posts just to let y'all know: https://smashboards.com/threads/gen...happy-100-000-and-2500-pages.446378/page-2502

Congratulations!

 

[Arcadenik]

Sakurai is ****ing crazy about SNK, so I doubt he'd change the core mechanics around for something he loves that much, it's why Squad Strike doesn't let you switch, it's literally KoF but platform fighter

Well, Fatal Fury has this gameplay mechanic where fighters can shift between the front plane and the back plane (background) but Terry doesn’t have that in Smash.

 

[Michael the Spikester]

I still ask given how much of an fan Sakurai is of SNK I wonder why Terry didn't get into the series sooner. Given his series helped inspired Smash.

 

[RetrogamerMax]

I still ask given how much of an fan Sakurai is of SNK I wonder why Terry didn't get into the series sooner. Given His series helped inspired Smash.

We don't really know how high up Sakurai puts Fatal Fury/King of Fighters on his favorites list. Yes, Smash wouldn't exist without those games, but Sakurai clearly doesn't add characters in order by importance, he adds whoever he wants in any order lmao!

 

[Arcadenik]

I still ask given how much of an fan Sakurai is of SNK I wonder why Terry didn't get into the series sooner. Given his series helped inspired Smash.

Better late than never.

I am just glad that Smash finally has SNK content and I am very happy that Sakurai chose Terry.

 

[SNEKeater]

I still ask given how much of an fan Sakurai is of SNK I wonder why Terry didn't get into the series sooner. Given his series helped inspired Smash.

Well, you could say something similar for Dragon Quest, which is really big over there, I wouldn't be surprised if DQ managed to get in before Final Fantasy. I guess that circumstances and budget are the main reasons. Also Nintendo, which probably has always the final word for the newcomers.

Maybe Sakurai never really thought about SNK in Smash for some reason until now, when he realized that could happen.

 

[Hadokeyblade]

This leak is heavily fake because it's highly unlikely that there will be a Gen 8 Pokemon in the pass.

Wow, even though Gen 8 is my least favorite gen at least I don't have this much of a raging hate b***r for it.

 

[DaybreakHorizon]

a class changing character sounds like a interesting mechanic, but I’m not familiar enough with Granblue to know which classes would be important enough to be chosen.

are there any especially prominent classes or do you think they’d go for the standard fighter, cleric, wizard, rogue class archetypes?

Probably just the standards, given that Gran/Djeeta's default class is Fighter (as evidenced by the most recent 6th anniversary event). I'd hope Sakurai would go all out to include more classes though.

 

[pinshadow]

Wow, even though Gen 8 is my least favorite gen at least I don't have this much of a raging hate b***r for it.

All they said was that they didn't think Gen 8 was likely, thhe didn't even say anything about the games themselves, where is this "hate b***r stuff coming from?

 

[Cutie Gwen]

Well, Fatal Fury has this gameplay mechanic where fighters can shift between the front plane and the back plane (background) but Terry doesn’t have that in Smash.

1: Fully implementing the lane system would mean a rework of the entire game due to the Z axis, otherwise Terry could just hide in the Z axis and camp.

2: I'm pretty sure that the spotdodge attack is meant to be the lane system

 

[Schnee117]

2: I'm pretty sure that the spotdodge attack is meant to be the lane system

Spot dodge is an actual mechanic in KOF

 

[Kokiden]

I still ask given how much of an fan Sakurai is of SNK I wonder why Terry didn't get into the series sooner. Given his series helped inspired Smash.

It's probably got to do with behind the scenes politics within Nintendo.

DLC characters are added based on business dealings after all, not only on Sakurai's personal wants.

With that being said I'm glad Terry is in, even though I've never played any of his games. He's got the best stage gimmick imo. Better late than never.

 

[Deleted member]

wtf is this how did it end up getting posted who did this i am crying and shaking rn who would do such a thing

Here we see the gradual decline of sanity from Tehponycorn while we just sit here and laugh. Truly dark times on Smashboards.

But still ****ing funny as hell.

 

[Deleted member]

That leak is also heavily fake.

remember what you said back then with no women no buy?

Still at it haha

 

[NoOtherPersona]

Today as people were debating Smash's spoileriness someone spoiled DQ11 for me.

I'm sorry that happened

 

[Al-kīmiyā']

Or Terry has barely any connection to Nintendo, and that was important until recently.

 

[N3ON]

All they said was that they didn't think Gen 8 was likely, thhe didn't even say anything about the games themselves, where is this "hate b***r stuff coming from?

People like to ascribe conflicting stances of all sorts to bias so they feel justified in dismissing them.