Official Newcomer/DLC Speculation Discussion

[Will]

quick, pick a Ryu to join Smash
View attachment 272370
and yes, if it isn’t phoenix or bof ryu I won’t respect you

i get hayabusa for free **** capcom's bootleg final fantasy

 

[snowgolem]

Hayabusa. Like, no contest.

I don’t mean to sound rude but there’s a few characters I don’t understand the appeal to and Hayabusa is one of them. Do you mind explaining if that isn’t weird?

i get hayabusa for free **** capcom's bootleg final fantasy

**** that I’d lose ff any day for a bof remake

 

[Will]

I don’t mean to sound rude but there’s a few characters I don’t understand the appeal to and Hayabusa is one of them. Do you mind explaining if that isn’t weird?

he ninja
he classic
he classic ninja

he also do this

 

[snowgolem]

he ninja
he classic
he classic ninja

View attachment 272372

he also do this

okay i see the appeal now
thank

 

[NonSpecificGuy]

I don’t mean to sound rude but there’s a few characters I don’t understand the appeal to and Hayabusa is one of them. Do you mind explaining if that isn’t weird?

Aside from being Koei-Tecmo a company I love he’s also from 2/3 franchises I love. The Classic Ninja Gaiden are NES staples, games that gave the NES the firm legacy of having a bunch of super hard but really great games and, like I said, Ninja Gaiden, Contra, Castlevania, Metroid, Super Mario Bros., Mega Man, all contributes to that. So he would appeal to those old school gamers.

Flash forward and you have the hugely influential and incredibly iconic Ninja Gaiden from the 2000’s followed by an exceptional sequel, a great NG3 with Razor’s Edge, and a rather terrible but charming spinoff in Yaiba. But those first two games REALLY contributed to making Hayabusa a house hold name around 2000 kids which I am. Top that on top of the Dead or Alive games where he is a huge main character, his crossover armor in Halo 3, the insane amount of games he’s either cameod or starred in like the Orochi games, and you have a pretty good set up to make a lot of people very happy.

But probably none of them will be more happy than I. And, like, y’know, he’s a total bad ass too.

 

[snowgolem]

Aside from being Koei-Tecmo a company I love he’s also from 2/3 franchises I love. The Classic Ninja Gaiden are NES staples, games that gave the NES the firm legacy of having a bunch of super hard but really great games and, like I said, Ninja Gaiden, Contra, Castlevania, Metroid, Super Mario Bros., Mega Man, all contributes to that. So he would appeal to those old school gamers.

Flash forward and you have the hugely influential and incredibly iconic Ninja Gaiden from the 2000’s followed by an exceptional sequel, a great NG3 with Razor’s Edge, and a rather terrible but charming spinoff in Yaiba. But those first two games REALLY contributed to making Hayabusa a house hold name around 2000 kids which I am. Top that on top of the Dead or Alive games where he is a huge main character, his crossover armor in Halo 3, the insane amount of games he’s either cameod or starred in like the Orochi games, and you have a pretty good set up to make a lot of people very happy.

But probably none of them will be more happy than I. And, like, y’know, he’s a total bad ass too.

I see. So it’s mainly about the legacy he has, along with nostalgia + just love for the character. Thanks!

 

[Jomosensual]

quick, pick a Ryu to join Smash
View attachment 272370
and yes, if it isn’t phoenix or bof ryu I won’t respect you

Phoenix. No contest for me really

 

[LiveStudioAudience]

Hayabusa was also the second major ninja character (after Shinobi) in video games and felt like he had a large visual influence of future characters of that type.

 

[NonSpecificGuy]

Hayabusa was also the second major ninja character (after Shinobi) in video games and felt like he had a large visual influence of future characters of that type.

Yeah, I think Shonobi is a great series but it is WILDLY different than Ninja Gaiden and stands on its own legs but I think Ninja Gaiden kind of established a legacy through being extremely face paced and tough as nails. It also established a look for video game ninjas going forward for a while I think. Even Shinobi itself seemed to take inspiration from it. I would say NG is much more well known but credit where credit is due for Shinobi despite the weird look the protagonist had in the original game.

 

[LiveStudioAudience]

Yeah, I think Shonobi is a great series but it is WILDLY different than Ninja Gaiden and stands on its own legs but I think Ninja Gaiden kind of established a legacy through being extremely face paced and tough as nails. It also established a look for video game ninjas going forward for a while I think. Even Shinobi itself seemed to take inspiration from it. I would say NG is much more well known but credit where credit is due for Shinobi despite the weird look the protagonist had in the original game.

It helps that Ninja Gaiden's games in recent generations have been more high profile. As far as Smash, Hayabusa benefits from his series having a strong association with Nintendo (with even a Wii U game) while Shinobi didn't even get onto a Nintendo console (beyond Virtual Console releases) until Shinobi 3D in 2011.

 

[Idon]

I see. So it’s mainly about the legacy he has, along with nostalgia + just love for the character. Thanks!

HE'S ALSO ****ING COOL

 

[SMAASH! Puppy]

...I think Ninja Gaiden kind of established a legacy through being extremely face paced and tough as nails.

News Outlets: "So what you're saying is...it's the Dark Souls of 2D platformers?"

 

[DarthEnderX]

quick, pick a Ryu to join Smash

Busa, Busa, gimmie da Busa!

I see. So it’s mainly about the legacy he has, along with nostalgia + just love for the character. Thanks!

I NEED...to finish...these checklists!

 

[Schnee117]

There was a problem fetching the tweet

Get your Thanos memes out

 

[SMAASH! Puppy]

Get your Thanos memes out

What actually is that? It reminds me of those freaky shadow scythe enemies from The Subspace Emissary.

 

[Icedragonadam]

There was a problem fetching the tweet

Get your Thanos memes out

Here's a picture that describes what happens when Sakurai explicitly says a character is NOT in and will never will be. Right Goku?

 

[chocolatejr9]

There was a problem fetching the tweet

Get your Thanos memes out

I would make an MHA reference, but A) not everyone here reads MHA, and B) the newest chapter hasn't officially come out yet, so I can't explain the context without spoilers.

 

[GoodGrief741]

There was a problem fetching the tweet

Get your Thanos memes out

Been playing Death Stranding so all I see there is a BT.

 

[SmashChu]

Since this was on the front page, I want to discuss something I noticed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Bv2D0fWUc8&feature=emb_title

First, I think Max rambles a bit and says the same thing multiple times. Nonetheless, there was something interesting in what he notes first.

"....because it's Smash Brothers. Because it's now video game All-Stars the game.......Why is Smash as big as it is. Because its not just Nintendo All-Stars anymore. It's video game All-Stars. Smash has now transcended what is just this little Nintendo fighting game into this giant marketing conglomerate game that represents the entire ****ing video game industry. It's not just Smash Bros anymore. It's everything. That's why Smash is as big as it is now. It's video games the game."

What is interesting is his characterization of Smash's growth as becoming a "video game all-star." Moreso the the sheer volume of characters or the fact they brought everyone back. In Max's mind, the growth of Smash Bros is it becoming about video games in general. This isn't an uncommon sentiment but I wonder if people are looking at it wrong.

A lot of this seems to have grown from the DLC, where Nintendo is willing to go all out, and with Ultimate's extra content like Bomberman and Monster Hunter. At the end of 2019, this sentiment was the strongest it has ever been. The assumption was the next character was Doomguy, or Crash or Dante. But then Nintendo throws a curveball, by adding one of their own characters. Then, who starts off Volume 2 isn't another hype third party characters but a fighter from ARMS. In fact, there is a possibility that Volume 2 could be chock full of Nintendo characters. This would fly right in the face of Smash as a video game allstar.

The way I see Smash, in its current form, is Nintendo and Friends. Nintendo characters still make up the majority of the roster, and with ARMS and Byleth, Nintendo is still intent on adding its own characters to Smash. Even still, a lot of the guest characters added were from classic NES games (Megaman and Simon) and ones Nintendo published (Banjo and Bayonetta). But the prevailing idea is that it's not about Nintendo but about video game all-stars. This hasn't been helped by Sakurai as he has pushed this idea with Smash Ultimate's DLC.

My thought is that if Volume 2 does go down more of a Nintendo path, what would these people think? Max is someone who, from what I've seen, got into Smash with the addition of Cloud. His view of Smash Brothers seems to be tied to this idea that Smash Bros has transcended Nintendo. And what happens when they don't. It's clear Nintendo adds who they want. They were willing to do a ton of hype third party characters for Volume 1 but they may scale it back in Volume 2 in order to hold onto the profits. But the hype for DLC is, again, predicated on this idea Max presents. Like Max, a lot of people have come into Smash just because it's "Video Games the Game" as Max describes it. What happens when that doesn't come to pass? I'm not sure but it's something to think about at least.

 

[Shroob]

Since this was on the front page, I want to discuss something I noticed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Bv2D0fWUc8&feature=emb_title

First, I think Max rambles a bit and says the same thing multiple times. Nonetheless, there was something interesting in what he notes first.

"....because it's Smash Brothers. Because it's now video game All-Stars the game.......Why is Smash as big as it is. Because its not just Nintendo All-Stars anymore. It's video game All-Stars. Smash has now transcended what is just this little Nintendo fighting game into this giant marketing conglomerate game that represents the entire ****ing video game industry. It's not just Smash Bros anymore. It's everything. That's why Smash is as big as it is now. It's video games the game."

What is interesting is his characterization of Smash's growth as becoming a "video game all-star." Moreso the the sheer volume of characters or the fact they brought everyone back. In Max's mind, the growth of Smash Bros is it becoming about video games in general. This isn't an uncommon sentiment but I wonder if people are looking at it wrong.

A lot of this seems to have grown from the DLC, where Nintendo is willing to go all out, and with Ultimate's extra content like Bomberman and Monster Hunter. At the end of 2019, this sentiment was the strongest it has ever been. The assumption was the next character was Doomguy, or Crash or Dante. But then Nintendo throws a curveball, by adding one of their own characters. Then, who starts off Volume 2 isn't another hype third party characters but a fighter from ARMS. In fact, there is a possibility that Volume 2 could be chock full of Nintendo characters. This would fly right in the face of Smash as a video game allstar.

The way I see Smash, in its current form, is Nintendo and Friends. Nintendo characters still make up the majority of the roster, and with ARMS and Byleth, Nintendo is still intent on adding its own characters to Smash. Even still, a lot of the guest characters added were from classic NES games (Megaman and Simon) and ones Nintendo published (Banjo and Bayonetta). But the prevailing idea is that it's not about Nintendo but about video game all-stars. This hasn't been helped by Sakurai as he has pushed this idea with Smash Ultimate's DLC.

My thought is that if Volume 2 does go down more of a Nintendo path, what would these people think? Max is someone who, from what I've seen, got into Smash with the addition of Cloud. His view of Smash Brothers seems to be tied to this idea that Smash Bros has transcended Nintendo. And what happens when they don't. It's clear Nintendo adds who they want. They were willing to do a ton of hype third party characters for Volume 1 but they may scale it back in Volume 2 in order to hold onto the profits. But the hype for DLC is, again, predicated on this idea Max presents. Like Max, a lot of people have come into Smash just because it's "Video Games the Game" as Max describes it. What happens when that doesn't come to pass? I'm not sure but it's something to think about at least.

My two cents are


Even if the 2nd pass is mostly non-3rd parties, it's not like the "Gaming All-Stars" belief is really going to go away. When you have so many high-profiles together in one place, even if they're a minority of the roster's total size, they're still ridiculously hype to be all in one place.

 

[NonSpecificGuy]

Sakurai himself said that Smash has become a celebration of gaming as a whole. The dude said that. The man himself. If that doesn’t tell us this is video game all stars I don’t know what ever will.

 

[Verde Coeden Scalesworth]

Sakurai himself said that Smash has become a celebration of gaming as a whole. The dude said that. The man himself. If that doesn’t tell us this is video game all stars I don’t know what ever will.

Reggie confirmed it too, as well as noting Nintendo sees it that way.


The game didn't even have that moniker during Melee(and Sakurai considered 3rd parties as early as that game, even noting James Bond, a non-game character as an example of someone notable).


It's pretty clear what Ultimate is either way. The franchise does have different themes per game, though. And Ultimate is the first one to be strictly "Game about Gaming Characters", as paraphrased.


But yeah, seems super simple to me~

 

[Michael the Spikester]

And yet...Despite this people still clamors for Goku...

Why again? Because he's popular?

 

[Goombaic]

Here are Sakurai's own translated and potentially slightly altered words saying that Smash is a celebration of gaming and stuff. It's clear every addition is made to expand the crossover more and more. I doubt that trend will change seeing that not only will every character be new obviously, but also because of the other content that's being coming along like spirit events and Mii Costumes.

And yet...Despite this people still clamors for Goku...

Why again? Because he's popular?

Yeah? I'm not exactly all for Goku, but like, it's Goku. He's cool and a lot people want more of him everywhere. Simple as that.

 

[Garteam]

Since this was on the front page, I want to discuss something I noticed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Bv2D0fWUc8&feature=emb_title

First, I think Max rambles a bit and says the same thing multiple times. Nonetheless, there was something interesting in what he notes first.

"....because it's Smash Brothers. Because it's now video game All-Stars the game.......Why is Smash as big as it is. Because its not just Nintendo All-Stars anymore. It's video game All-Stars. Smash has now transcended what is just this little Nintendo fighting game into this giant marketing conglomerate game that represents the entire ****ing video game industry. It's not just Smash Bros anymore. It's everything. That's why Smash is as big as it is now. It's video games the game."

What is interesting is his characterization of Smash's growth as becoming a "video game all-star." Moreso the the sheer volume of characters or the fact they brought everyone back. In Max's mind, the growth of Smash Bros is it becoming about video games in general. This isn't an uncommon sentiment but I wonder if people are looking at it wrong.

A lot of this seems to have grown from the DLC, where Nintendo is willing to go all out, and with Ultimate's extra content like Bomberman and Monster Hunter. At the end of 2019, this sentiment was the strongest it has ever been. The assumption was the next character was Doomguy, or Crash or Dante. But then Nintendo throws a curveball, by adding one of their own characters. Then, who starts off Volume 2 isn't another hype third party characters but a fighter from ARMS. In fact, there is a possibility that Volume 2 could be chock full of Nintendo characters. This would fly right in the face of Smash as a video game allstar.

The way I see Smash, in its current form, is Nintendo and Friends. Nintendo characters still make up the majority of the roster, and with ARMS and Byleth, Nintendo is still intent on adding its own characters to Smash. Even still, a lot of the guest characters added were from classic NES games (Megaman and Simon) and ones Nintendo published (Banjo and Bayonetta). But the prevailing idea is that it's not about Nintendo but about video game all-stars. This hasn't been helped by Sakurai as he has pushed this idea with Smash Ultimate's DLC.

My thought is that if Volume 2 does go down more of a Nintendo path, what would these people think? Max is someone who, from what I've seen, got into Smash with the addition of Cloud. His view of Smash Brothers seems to be tied to this idea that Smash Bros has transcended Nintendo. And what happens when they don't. It's clear Nintendo adds who they want. They were willing to do a ton of hype third party characters for Volume 1 but they may scale it back in Volume 2 in order to hold onto the profits. But the hype for DLC is, again, predicated on this idea Max presents. Like Max, a lot of people have come into Smash just because it's "Video Games the Game" as Max describes it. What happens when that doesn't come to pass? I'm not sure but it's something to think about at least.

I really, really like Max's video on why Smash Ultimate has been as successful as it has been, but I slightly disagree with his opinion that Smash Ultimate's success primarily comes from the amount of outside franchises represented thus far. I think that has definitely helped get some extra eyes on the game, but Ultimate wouldn't have been the success it is without the sheer quantity of the total content. Ultimate's primary selling point since day one has been its 70+ character roster, 100+ stages, 800+ music tracks, and God only knows how many spirit battles. That much bang for your buck, especially at a time where complaints of games being more limited and minimalistic are unfortunately common, runs a long way. Of course, where this content comes from matters, but I don't think it dwarves the sure selling point of the number. Smash for Wii U also added 5 new third party series with playable characters and these new third parties were generally more iconic than the 5 we saw added in Ultimate (getting Mega Man, PAC-Man, Street Fighter, and Final Fantasy as new additions is still super impressive), but the hype train never reached where it is now with that game.

Regarding whether or not Ultimate is now a general video game crossover or if its still Nintendo, I've argued plenty of times that the Smash fanbase is still pretty divided on this issue and it doesn't look like there's a super clear answer. We've gotten guests at an increased rate in the previous few years, but Nintendo still makes up the vast majority of the game's content. Likewise, the third party choices we've gotten in recent years also reinforce a Nintendo theme, while detracting from a general crossover theme. Banjo and Kazooie probably wouldn't have beat a Resident Evil, Assassin's Creed, or Grand Theft Auto character if we were judging who would get into a general gaming crossover. Compound this with quotes of Smash being a general gaming crossover that come up more in marketing pitches than developer journals, it's tough to really put a strong finger on how things truly are viewed behind the scenes.

Regardless, I think Fighter's Pass #2 should have a strong balance of both Nintendo and non-Nintendo characters. There's a lot of cool faces in both camps that definitely deserve a little bit of the spotlight. I think the divisiveness of the first vs third party debate often comes up when it seems that one side's not getting a fair shake to the benefit of the other, so trying to balance those two groups seems to be the option that would make most people happy. That way, even if their guy/girl doesn't get in, they sincerely feel that they had some chance. In regards to a majority Nintendo pass, I wouldn't mind that too much, but I do hope we get at least two new third parties. Likewise, I also hope we get at least two new first parties (which is borderline guaranteed thanks to ARMS and inevitable promotional pick down the road). Ideally, best case scenario would be a 3-3 split, but I could leave with a 4-2 split either way.

 

[Cutie Gwen]

Man I think "Sure, Sakurai said Smash is a video game crossover and not Nintendo and Friends, but I think it still is" may be the biggest case of denial that has nothing to do with recent character additions

 

[Michael the Spikester]

Speaking of Smash celebrating gaming. I'm also thinking its only celebrating Japanese video gaming as an whole.

The only reason Banjo probably got in was due to the franchises ties to Nintendo back in the 90s through RareWare as 2nd parties. Otherwise I feel there's quite an good chance he might be the only exceptional western rep.

anddon't really count as despite being created by western developers they originate from Japanese created games.

Something I think you guys should keep in mind.

 

[Scoliosis Jones]

I wasn't going to jump in on this particular conversation because I'm tired, but I get the feeling I'll forget about it if I don't.

I think there are ways of looking at the Smash Ultimate roster, but something that cannot be denied, in my humble opinion, is the thematic energy this game gives off.

Sakurai has referred to it as the "biggest crossover in gaming history"...he has expressed excitement about the sheer amount of IPs and series crossing over together, saying that "there's a good chance a crossover of this size would never happen again"...you have Reggie mentioning the DLC of Fighter Pass 1 in the context of, "Mr. Sakurai...he's a student/scholar of gaming as a whole" (emphasis on *not just* Nintendo), then you have the packing of the game itself "Gaming icons collide".

Sure, Smash started as a Nintendo crossover, and grew into a larger Nintendo crossover game. It's still a Nintendo crossover game. It just isn't only a Nintendo crossover game. Some might even argue, in fact, that some of the 3rd party IP present in Smash are closely tied to Nintendo, and therefore it's still a Nintendo crossover. However, let's be real...sure, Simon Belmont and Mega Man are nostalgic in terms of those retro gaming years. Sonic is Mario's oldest rival, but still SEGA. Pac-Man is cartoony, but still the Namco arcade legend. That said, despite Shin Megami Tensei, Metal Gear, and Final Fantasy having Nintendo roots in one way or another, Persona 5, Final Fantasy 7, and Metal Gear Solid all certainly have a much stronger connection and presence on non-Nintendo consoles in the overall zeitgeist of the industry. If it were truly only viewed as a Nintendo crossover, I have to believe that particular picks would have never been made, or alternatively, been pushed aside in favor of other 3rd party characters that appear to have a much more "Nintendo" audience, such as Phoenix Wright or Professor Layton, or perhaps even Cooking Mama.

There's also the business aspect to things. Including more 3rd parties in Smash, as well as cooperating with those IP owners to get more IPs selling on Switch is good for Nintendo's bottom line, especially if it means selling more Switch consoles. Working to get an IP like Devil May Cry and Switch? Great! possibly pairing that with a character like Dante? Also a great business move! Does it mean it's guaranteed? No, but it's anything but a bad business move.

Nintendo could continually push their own IP as DLC, but in my humble opinion, I don't know that there's as much to gain. ARMS stands to benefit from renewed interest and a breath of life, which a pick in Smash certainly serves as. Any other non-veteran/non-Piranha Plant Nintendo DLC pick was promotional in nature, and from Fire Emblem...up until now that is. Otherwise, 7/9 DLC picks have come from other companies.

In that sense, Nintendo has largely focused on IPs from outside sources for DLC. It's not a stretch to see why, either. With a mascot crossover as large as Smash has become, and simply based on the fact that we probably won't get a crossover of this size any time thereafter, it seems entirely plausible that they shoot their shot now, and truly cap off the "biggest crossover in gaming history" with making it even larger.

It isn't just DLC, however. Over time, it's become quite clear that a large focus of newcomers has been placed upon 3rd party fighters. We started with 0% of 3rd parties for two games, ~5.5% in Brawl, 10% in Wii U/3DS, up to 19% for Smash Ultimate. The 3rd party presence, from Brawl onward, has nearly doubled in every game. There's certainly been an expansion upon the presence of 3rd parties, but it's not some of "invasion". Nintendo struggled with 3rd parties for years, and now are finding some consistent success with the Switch, not just because they have excellent first party software, but because 3rd parties are actually showing up.

Smash Ultimate is definitely a Nintendo crossover. But the bigger picture, I think, is that it brings some of the gaming industry's best characters, and brings them all together. Smash Ultimate wouldn't be what it is without 3rd parties, and I think that's a-ok. Nintendo is attached to the gaming industry, but it isn’t directly attached to every single amazing gaming character, which truly shows the value of 3rd parties. I don’t really see how Smash Ultimate isn’t both a Nintendo crossover AND gaming crossover.

Do note- it’s not just a “gaming crossover” because of “hype” or “marketing”. Sakurai, the dude folks love to death, mercilessly harass on Twitter to add their character of choice, the dude who spearheads development, has called Smash Ultimate, or referred to it as a “gaming crossover”.

Frankly, it's a dream come true for me. I say bring in more 3rd parties!

 

[Ben Holt]

Sakurai himself said that Smash has become a celebration of gaming as a whole. The dude said that. The man himself. If that doesn’t tell us this is video game all stars I don’t know what ever will.

Agreed. Now give us more than one character (plus MAYBE an Echo) from third party franchises.
I want Tails, Knuckles, Shadow, and Eggman at the very least!

Also, speaking of Hayabusa, I'm not sure who I originally heard this from, but they suggested a stance change mechanic where Ryu switches from primarily a swordfighter to a brawler like he is in Dead or Alive.
I approve 100%.

 

[Icedragonadam]

Well TBH there isn't that much in terms of 1st party that's notable. 99% of Nintendo's all stars are already in. There's a few exclusions left but most of the 1st party characters that could be considered not bottom of the barrel can't exactly supply a pack with a stage, music, and a spirit board. The only feasible way is from a new Nintendo IP or an installment of a series with a playable character already that has no or barely any content represented in Ultimate

But with new 3rd party characters that isn't an issue.

 

[Swamp Sensei]

I think it's obvious Smash Bros tends to celebrate gaming as a whole.

But I also think its obvious the focus is on Nintendo and companies close to it.

Both of these things can be true at the same time.

 

[DaybreakHorizon]

Hey guys. I got a real interesting piece of information from a contact of mine. We've been in touch since around 2018 when I was working on the Leaks Archive, and we've become pretty good friends since then. They gave me some correct info pre-base and corroborated some DLC info so I trust them. I was spitballing with them about something and it turns out I might be on to something according to them.

Anyways, remember back when Hitagi was spouting **** about Katalina being in? An interesting thing about the Japanese language is that the L and R letters can typically be swapped (for example, the English and Japanese versions of Little Witch Academia refer to a professor as Finnelan and Finneran respectively). Given that Hitagi was clearly unsure about their info, I got to thinking "what if Katalina was actually Katarina?" I was talking to my friend about this and they said I was on to something, so I kept going.

Anyways, there's a new show I've been watching called My Next Life as a Villainess. The main character of the show is called Katarina Claes. I was honestly joking when I threw it out, but my friend ****in' spilled that she's in serious consideration for a playable spot because, let's be real, this is so incredibly ridiculous no one's ever going to believe it.

And, I know what you're all thinking "anime debut? invalid." BUT WAIT.

The show's world takes place inside a video game called Fortune Lover. A game that's actually being released a lá Wreck It Ralph. There's room for technicality here that means there's a chance. The series as a whole is ongoing and surprisingly popular, so it'd make sense from a marketing standpoint, as well as providing representation for the Virtual Novel genre.

My friend even gave me a mockup of the trailer. Obviously it's not the actual trailer, but apparently it's really close. I've spoilered the link below.

Spoiler

https://streamable.com/hn2ii8

Maybe I'll write up a larger speculation piece on this later, but it's late right now and I should probably get going to bed. I figured I'd stop by quick before then to share the news and maybe stir up conversation.

 

[Shroob]

Hey guys. I got a real interesting piece of information from a contact of mine. We've been in touch since around 2018 when I was working on the Leaks Archive, and we've become pretty good friends since then. They gave me some correct info pre-base and corroborated some DLC info so I trust them. I was spitballing with them about something and it turns out I might be on to something according to them.

Anyways, remember back when Hitagi was spouting **** about Katalina being in? An interesting thing about the Japanese language is that the L and R letters can typically be swapped (for example, the English and Japanese versions of Little Witch Academia refer to a professor as Finnelan and Finneran respectively). Given that Hitagi was clearly unsure about their info, I got to thinking "what if Katalina was actually Katarina?" I was talking to my friend about this and they said I was on to something, so I kept going.

Anyways, there's a new show I've been watching called My Next Life as a Villainess. The main character of the show is called Katarina Claes. I was honestly joking when I threw it out, but my friend ****in' spilled that she's in serious consideration for a playable spot because, let's be real, this is so incredibly ridiculous no one's ever going to believe it.

And, I know what you're all thinking "anime debut? invalid." BUT WAIT.

The show's world takes place inside a video game called Fortune Lover. A game that's actually being released a lá Wreck It Ralph. There's room for technicality here that means there's a chance. The series as a whole is ongoing and surprisingly popular, so it'd make sense from a marketing standpoint, as well as providing representation for the Virtual Novel genre.

My friend even gave me a mockup of the trailer. Obviously it's not the actual trailer, but apparently it's really close. I've spoilered the link below.

Spoiler

https://streamable.com/hn2ii8

Maybe I'll write up a larger speculation piece on this later, but it's late right now and I should probably get going to bed. I figured I'd stop by quick before then to share the news and maybe stir up conversation.

Wouldn't it make more sense for said Katarina to be the one from League of Legends doe? She's one of League's Mascots, kinda(It's hard to pinpoint what a 'Mascot' is in League but like she's used a ton in their advertising.

 

[TheCJBrine]

Hey guys. I got a real interesting piece of information from a contact of mine. We've been in touch since around 2018 when I was working on the Leaks Archive, and we've become pretty good friends since then. They gave me some correct info pre-base and corroborated some DLC info so I trust them. I was spitballing with them about something and it turns out I might be on to something according to them.

Anyways, remember back when Hitagi was spouting **** about Katalina being in? An interesting thing about the Japanese language is that the L and R letters can typically be swapped (for example, the English and Japanese versions of Little Witch Academia refer to a professor as Finnelan and Finneran respectively). Given that Hitagi was clearly unsure about their info, I got to thinking "what if Katalina was actually Katarina?" I was talking to my friend about this and they said I was on to something, so I kept going.

Anyways, there's a new show I've been watching called My Next Life as a Villainess. The main character of the show is called Katarina Claes. I was honestly joking when I threw it out, but my friend ****in' spilled that she's in serious consideration for a playable spot because, let's be real, this is so incredibly ridiculous no one's ever going to believe it.

And, I know what you're all thinking "anime debut? invalid." BUT WAIT.

The show's world takes place inside a video game called Fortune Lover. A game that's actually being released a lá Wreck It Ralph. There's room for technicality here that means there's a chance. The series as a whole is ongoing and surprisingly popular, so it'd make sense from a marketing standpoint, as well as providing representation for the Virtual Novel genre.

My friend even gave me a mockup of the trailer. Obviously it's not the actual trailer, but apparently it's really close. I've spoilered the link below.

Spoiler

https://streamable.com/hn2ii8

Maybe I'll write up a larger speculation piece on this later, but it's late right now and I should probably get going to bed. I figured I'd stop by quick before then to share the news and maybe stir up conversation.

Not gonna lie I was hoping for le funny Rick Roll meme or some other joke at the end.

 

[DaybreakHorizon]

Wouldn't it make more sense for said Katarina to be the one from League of Legends doe? She's one of League's Mascots, kinda(It's hard to pinpoint what a 'Mascot' is in League but like she's used a ton in their advertising.

Look man I'm just saying what I've been told. It's ridiculous, I know, but I've no reason not to trust my friend.

Maybe they're pulling a fast one on me, but either way you gotta admit it's pretty funny.

Also the series is pretty good, so maybe go give it a watch. I'm not typically a fan of isekai or harem shows, but this one's really good despite that. I'm seriously considering getting the LNs:

1. I don't read LNs, ever, and
2. I don't spend money on Japanese media, ever

That's how good this series is.

 

[Swamp Sensei]

Hey guys. I got a real interesting piece of information from a contact of mine. We've been in touch since around 2018 when I was working on the Leaks Archive, and we've become pretty good friends since then. They gave me some correct info pre-base and corroborated some DLC info so I trust them. I was spitballing with them about something and it turns out I might be on to something according to them.

Anyways, remember back when Hitagi was spouting **** about Katalina being in? An interesting thing about the Japanese language is that the L and R letters can typically be swapped (for example, the English and Japanese versions of Little Witch Academia refer to a professor as Finnelan and Finneran respectively). Given that Hitagi was clearly unsure about their info, I got to thinking "what if Katalina was actually Katarina?" I was talking to my friend about this and they said I was on to something, so I kept going.

Anyways, there's a new show I've been watching called My Next Life as a Villainess. The main character of the show is called Katarina Claes. I was honestly joking when I threw it out, but my friend ****in' spilled that she's in serious consideration for a playable spot because, let's be real, this is so incredibly ridiculous no one's ever going to believe it.

And, I know what you're all thinking "anime debut? invalid." BUT WAIT.

The show's world takes place inside a video game called Fortune Lover. A game that's actually being released a lá Wreck It Ralph. There's room for technicality here that means there's a chance. The series as a whole is ongoing and surprisingly popular, so it'd make sense from a marketing standpoint, as well as providing representation for the Virtual Novel genre.

My friend even gave me a mockup of the trailer. Obviously it's not the actual trailer, but apparently it's really close. I've spoilered the link below.

Spoiler

https://streamable.com/hn2ii8

Maybe I'll write up a larger speculation piece on this later, but it's late right now and I should probably get going to bed. I figured I'd stop by quick before then to share the news and maybe stir up conversation.

This could shake up specula as we know it.

 

[NonSpecificGuy]

Y’know completely unrelated to... whatever the hell is going on above but I think that there’s a solid possibility the character after ARMS will be a really big character. I’m talking like Master Chief or Lara Croft big because, this ARMS character is getting released when Fighter 7 SHOULD have been revealed, whether CO-Vid has effected it or not who knows, which means 7 and potentially 8 would’ve been the E3 Reveals.

With that in mind who do we think the character could be that would make the biggest splash? Someone like Geno for fan favoritism that has been at E3 with Ridley and Banjo? Or someone out of nowhere like Joker? Who are your guesses?

 

[Cutie Gwen]

Hey guys. I got a real interesting piece of information from a contact of mine. We've been in touch since around 2018 when I was working on the Leaks Archive, and we've become pretty good friends since then. They gave me some correct info pre-base and corroborated some DLC info so I trust them. I was spitballing with them about something and it turns out I might be on to something according to them.

Anyways, remember back when Hitagi was spouting **** about Katalina being in? An interesting thing about the Japanese language is that the L and R letters can typically be swapped (for example, the English and Japanese versions of Little Witch Academia refer to a professor as Finnelan and Finneran respectively). Given that Hitagi was clearly unsure about their info, I got to thinking "what if Katalina was actually Katarina?" I was talking to my friend about this and they said I was on to something, so I kept going.

Anyways, there's a new show I've been watching called My Next Life as a Villainess. The main character of the show is called Katarina Claes. I was honestly joking when I threw it out, but my friend ****in' spilled that she's in serious consideration for a playable spot because, let's be real, this is so incredibly ridiculous no one's ever going to believe it.

And, I know what you're all thinking "anime debut? invalid." BUT WAIT.

The show's world takes place inside a video game called Fortune Lover. A game that's actually being released a lá Wreck It Ralph. There's room for technicality here that means there's a chance. The series as a whole is ongoing and surprisingly popular, so it'd make sense from a marketing standpoint, as well as providing representation for the Virtual Novel genre.

My friend even gave me a mockup of the trailer. Obviously it's not the actual trailer, but apparently it's really close. I've spoilered the link below.

Spoiler

https://streamable.com/hn2ii8

Maybe I'll write up a larger speculation piece on this later, but it's late right now and I should probably get going to bed. I figured I'd stop by quick before then to share the news and maybe stir up conversation.

If this is somehow legit and you aren't just meming I'll come over there and bring down the bike

 

[TheCJBrine]

smh our first 4th-party despite Sakurai’s rule and it’s not even SpongeBob, Popeye or Goku.

 

[Swamp Sensei]

Y’know completely unrelated to... whatever the hell is going on above but I think that there’s a solid possibility the character after ARMS will be a really big character. I’m talking like Master Chief or Lara Croft big because, this ARMS character is getting released when Fighter 7 SHOULD have been revealed, whether CO-Vid has effected it or not who knows, which means 7 and potentially 8 would’ve been the E3 Reveals.

With that in mind who do we think the character could be that would make the biggest splash? Someone like Geno for fan favoritism that has been at E3 with Ridley and Banjo? Or someone out of nowhere like Joker? Who are your guesses?

I'm thinking Crash could be that character.

This is assuming they're able to reveal a character in June.