Official Newcomer/DLC Speculation Discussion

[SNEKeater]

PLEASE, it's been so long.
Bring on Metroid V already, Ninty! ;v;

Yeah.
At this point I'd take the Prime Trilogy, which will eventually happen, that's for sure, but it's been 3+ years since the Switch's release and there's 0 Metroid games on the Switch lol

Metroid 5 I'm convinced that they're working on it but I'm not that sure if they would announce it in the next direct.

 

[Guybrush20X6]

It was deleted for a bit since a DDOS attack was targeting that specific thread for some reason, but it's back now: https://smashboards.com/threads/rayman-revolution-spirits-raised.446447/

I can get the first page working but none of the recent ones. Very odd. Should I clear my cache?

 

[pupNapoleon]

i just want mario kart 9 please for christ's sake i have been playing the same mario kart for 6 years now

I'm really hoping for a Nintendo Racing game.
Or Diddy Kong Racing 2.
Mario Kart 8 is going strongly.

 

[StrangeKitten]

With all the character showcases Sakurai does as well as all these "character X totally uses character Y as a base" discussions and whatnot.

I wouldn't mind Sakurai one day showing a behind the scenes of the development of one of the characters, most likely would never happen but hey, one can always dream...

I've always been curious as to what exactly the process for creating characters is, how much can they get done in one day, etc. It's a dream of mine, too, to see how that works!

 

[CapitaineCrash]

I'm really hoping for a Nintendo Racing game.
Or Diddy Kong Racing 2.
Mario Kart 8 is going strongly.

I really wish we could have a new F-zero. With (probably) no new Mario kart on the switch, this would be the perfect opportunity to bring back F-zero. Diddy kong racing 2 would be dope, but without Rare I doubt we'll ever see that franchise back.

 

[Will]

this would be the perfect opportunity to bring back F-zero

Miyamoto is too busy figuring out how to make HD rumble gimmicks work with Pikmin 4, which is surely still in development.

 

[Michael the Spikester]

Its an stretch but I hope for an announcement of Nintendo vs. Capcom.

 

[Speed Weed]

I'm really hoping for a Nintendo Racing game.
Or Diddy Kong Racing 2.
Mario Kart 8 is going strongly.

nintendo kart is a cool idea but imo we should have a really ****ing good new mk before we get to that

 

[Will]

Its an stretch but I hope for an announcement of Nintendo vs. Capcom.

MVC4 is going to be a thing before another Capcom crossover with other gaming franchises. Besides, that game sounds more like a pipe dream than anything, I don't recall them actually giving out any hints that they'd want to collaborate with Nintendo for an arcade-style fighter.

 

[Michael the Spikester]

MVC4 is going to be a thing before another Capcom crossover with other gaming franchises. Besides, that game sounds more like a pipe dream than anything, I don't recall them actually giving out any hints that they'd want to collaborate with Nintendo for an arcade-style fighter.

I'm honestly surprised it hasn't happened tbh and surprised its an pipe dream given the good relationship they have and Capcom having plentiful of IPs as Nintendo does.

 

[pupNapoleon]

nintendo kart is a cool idea but imo we should have a really ****ing good new mk before we get to that

We have a really ****ing good Mario Kart, though... so what incentive would Nintendo have to cannibalize those sales on an evergreen title?

 

[Speed Weed]

We have a really ****ing good Mario Kart, though... so what incentive would Nintendo have to cannibalize those sales on an evergreen title?

oh sorry i meant one that really reaches its full potential
mario kart still leaves a lot to be desired in certain areas, so imo it's not time for nintendo kart juuuust yet

 

[pupNapoleon]

oh sorry i meant one that really reaches its full potential
mario kart still leaves a lot to be desired in certain areas, so imo it's not time for nintendo kart juuuust yet

What do you feel is missing?

 

[Speed Weed]

What do you feel is missing?

the roster could be vastly improved, for one

 

[SKX31]

the roster could be vastly improved, for one

#CaptainFalconForMarioKart9

Hey come on, the Blue Falcon's kinda become a Mario Kart mainstay at this point, we need the PUNCH in the game too.

 

[Will]

I'm honestly surprised it hasn't happened tbh and surprised its an pipe dream given the good relationship they have and Capcom having plentiful of IPs as Nintendo does.

Maybe one day when the stars align.

Also why are you putting an as a grammatical support for literally everything even though half the time it isnt right

 

[The Rhythm Theif]

What do you feel is missing?

the roster could be vastly improved, for one

No offense, Speed Weed , but...
[Media redacted]

 

[ALongWistfulSquiggle]

MVC4 is going to be a thing before another Capcom crossover with other gaming franchises. Besides, that game sounds more like a pipe dream than anything, I don't recall them actually giving out any hints that they'd want to collaborate with Nintendo for an arcade-style fighter.

They sort of did in an interview, but it was a long time ago, I think in 2011. It was more of "it's possible if Nintendo wants to do it. we're open" kind of a thing.

 

[pupNapoleon]

the roster could be vastly improved, for one

That could always be argued by fans.
And ultimately, it doesnt actually affect the game at all.
If anything, the best way to improve the roster is... by making it more like Smash and adding in Nintendo characters galore.
If the reveals for Smash have shown nothing, it's that the crossover aspect is a great seller.

 

[Michael the Spikester]

Also why are you putting an as a grammatical support for literally everything even though half the time it isnt right

And that bothers you why?

 

[Will]

And that bothers you why?

There's a reason for everything and all I did was ask an innocent question.

They sort of did in an interview, but it was a long time ago, I think in 2011. It was more of "it's possible if Nintendo wants to do it. we're open" kind of a thing.

****, Nintendo must be closed.

 

[pupNapoleon]

So... I'm curious...

I did not know that SANS had a Palutena guidance (in part because the conditions for the Guidance are ridiculous)....
Does anyone have information shared as to why he does-- or more specifically, why Cuphead and Vault Boy do not?

EDIT: I'm an idiot and now I'm saddened. This wasnt real.

 

[Michael the Spikester]

I did was ask an innocent question.

Apologize if it seemed like I took offense over it, I just don't see what was the point of bringing it up since it had nothing do with what we were talking about.

Sometimes I tend to make grammar mistakes apparently.

 

[Will]

Apologize if it seemed like I took offense over it, I just don't see what was the point of bringing it up since it had nothing do with what we were talking about.

Sometimes I tend to make grammar mistakes apparently.

Because I wanted to ask? It's been consistent on your posts for a while, I figured there was a pattern or deliberate reason for it.

So... I'm curious...

I did not know that SANS had a Palutena guidance (in part because the conditions for the Guidance are ridiculous)....

edit:

ok i think its fan made lmao, i am dense

 

[Perkilator]

So... I'm curious...

I did not know that SANS had a Palutena guidance (in part because the conditions for the Guidance are ridiculous)....
Does anyone have information shared as to why he does-- or more specifically, why Cuphead and Vault Boy do not?

I’m…pretty sure that was a fan-made one you saw?

 

[Will]

I’m…pretty sure that was a fan-made one you saw?

I almost fell for it, shame on me for posting a link before actually seeing it myself. Pit's voice threw me off the second I heard that ****, mans ain't British.

 

[Michael the Spikester]

Because I wanted to ask? It's been consistent on your posts for a while, I figured there was a pattern or deliberate reason for it.

Guess it seems I just might not be as good with my spelling as I believe. Ironic given I love to write stories apparently. Probably at least much better then I was 10 years ago because looking back at those stories I wrote, can't believe I considered myself an good writer...Notably my Lost Tapes Kasai Rex story.

 

[Speed Weed]

That could always be argued by fans.
And ultimately, it doesnt actually affect the game at all.
If anything, the best way to improve the roster is... by making it more like Smash and adding in Nintendo characters galore.
If the reveals for Smash have shown nothing, it's that the crossover aspect is a great seller.

i guess i'm not really wording my point well here, i admit i stumbled a bit and i'm sorry for that, so let me rephrase my point

so basically, what i mean is that nintendo kart is a good idea and i'd like to see it someday

but imo now is not the time for it, because i think mario kart still has a lot to give. even if it isn't stuff that's really missing, per se, i do think mk still has a good amount of untapped potential for characters, tracks, modes, etc, etc...

tl;dr, nintendo kart would be cool to see one day, but i think mario kart still has a lot of life left in it before we get to nintendo in general

No offense, Speed Weed , but...

yeah sorry about that, i need to make my points come across clearer next time lol

 

[Will]

can't believe I considered myself an good writer..

Get Grammarly, it helps you with that stuff.

 

[pupNapoleon]

I’m…pretty sure that was a fan-made one you saw?

Oh damn. No I did not realize.

I'm so bummed now.

i guess i'm not really wording my point well here, i admit i stumbled a bit and i'm sorry for that, so let me rephrase my point

so basically, what i mean is that nintendo kart is a good idea and i'd like to see it someday

but imo now is not the time for it, because i think mario kart still has a lot to give. even if it isn't stuff that's really missing, per se, i do think mk still has a good amount of untapped potential for characters, tracks, modes, etc, etc...

tl;dr, nintendo kart would be cool to see one day, but i think mario kart still has a lot of life left in it before we get to nintendo in general

yeah sorry about that, i need to make my points come across clearer next time lol

I think my point is that:
A Nintendo Kart could be an entirely new series, concurrent with Mario Kart. Racers could actually influence the match, as an example, or ride different vehicles, or be as unique as they are in Smash Bros.
Mario Kart 9 would simply kill Mario Kart 8.

 

[Michael the Spikester]

Get Grammarly, it helps you with that stuff.

Thanks, I appreciate it.

 

[cosmicB]

I think I'm going to take a break from speculation for a while. It just feels inappropriate to look forward to the next big character when some of my reasons for sticking with the game for so long are just completely crumbling while my opinion of the very visible portions of the community get lower and lower. Might check in from time to time, but I'm going to try to push Smash to the back of my mind right now for the sake of my own mental health, at least for a bit.

 

[DaybreakHorizon]

surprise speculation series tiem


While I have a flash of inspiration and an extended capability to capitalize my words, I present the first part of:



The Second Square Enix Character Argument​




Spoiler: Pre-Word

Rather than an acknowledgements section, I figured I'd rather write a bit about how this essay came to be and how it will be constructed.

To be completely honest, I never planned on writing another speculation essay on this site. I'd simply lost the motivation and passion to write longform essays, especially on a platform that doesn't seem to care for such content. However, as I enter my fourth month confined to my home in quarantine, I find myself getting increasingly bored. And so here I am, writing what is likely my largest speculation piece yet. Hopefully this series keeps my brain active enough to get me through the summer. Or maybe I should just read a book or something. I'm sure that'd be less embarrassing then this additional skeleton in the closet that is my series of Smash Speculation essays, but here I am anyways. I'll be releasing these throughout the next week or so in increments of 2 characters or so, and I'll discuss the regular suspects as well as some more out there characters.

Around a year and a half ago I wrote The Ultimate Square Enix Character Argument, my first major speculation essay. Inspired by the large discussion surrounding the well spread rumors that a Square Enix character would be included in Smash, I included 5 miniature essays on who I believed the Square Enix character could be, with a heavy focus on Dragon Quest, Sora, and Geno. Since then, I've written 8 other pieces on a variety of different topics, from strange characters to speculation culture and gained a lot more experience in both essay writing and speculation. Seriously, that piece is messy. Long block paragraphs, run on sentences, comma misplacements, and more...I was a much worse writer then, and part of the reason I'm writing this piece is to prove to myself that I can do better.


This purpose of this piece is to revisit the argument about a Square Enix character and the potential of a second Square Enix character being added as DLC. This argument will not only address the change in Square Enix speculation following Hero's inclusion in Fighters Pass 1, but also how speculation has changed in the wake of other announcements. This piece will probably contain more personal speculation and theories than my previous pieces, but I'll make sure to mark where I do so for reference. Otherwise, I hope this piece contributes to speculation in a meaningful way, and provides some insights for everyone to take into account going forward.

Spoiler: Introduction: Why a Square Enix Character AGAIN?

"Gee Square Enix, how come Nintendo lets you have TWO DLC characters in Smash Ultimate?" the other companies ask, jealousy clearly apparent in their voices.

Ever since the surprising success of Octopath Traveler, Nintendo and Square Enix have reached a second golden age in their corporate relations. To use less hyperbole, they've been closer than they have been in recent years, with the closest comparisons being the DS-3DS and 16-bit eras. In June 2018, prior to the large push of Square Enix games on Nintendo consoles, Square Enix announced both a desire to create more original games on the Switch and the creation of a company division to do just that. And clearly since then, Square Enix support of the Switch has been immense. To name titles that have come out since Octopath Traveler:

• The World Ends With You: Final Remix*
• Dragon Quest Builders 2* (preceded by Builders* approximately 3-4 months before Octopath*)
• Chocobo's Mystery Dungeon
• Oninaki
• Ports of Final Fantasy VII, VIII, IV, X, X-2, and XII
• Dragon Quest XIS: Echoes of an Elusive Age Definitive Edition*
• Enhanced ports of Dragon Quest*, Dragon Quest II*, and Dragon Quest III*
• Romancing SaGa 2 and 3
• Collection of Mana (containing Final Fantasy Adventure/Mystic Quest, Secret of Mana, and the first English localization of Trials of Mana)
• most recently, the Trials of Mana remake
• and upcoming, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered

While many of these games are multiplatform alongside PS4 and Xbox, it's worth noting that all games accompanied by an asterisk* were published by Nintendo outside of Japan. Also, while Nintendo is known to take publishing rights for many series, historically they've only done so prominently for two companies: Level-5 (primarily during the DS era) and Square Enix (to this day).

So, Nintendo and Square Enix have a whole lot of corporate synergy right now; at least more so than other companies who simply put games on Nintendo platforms. This would certainly facilitate negotiations if they were to occur. Negotiations would be further facilitated by the fact that a majority of significant figures have already been brought to the table at one point or another. Tetsuya Normura, director of The World Ends With You, Kingdom Hearts, and most recently Final Fantasy 7 Remake, worked with Sakurai on Cloud in Sm4sh and Ultimate (assuming negotiations were concurrent as rumored), and Yuji Horii, director of the Dragon Quest series, worked with Sakurai on Hero in Fighters Pass 1. Corporate leadership would have played a role in both rounds of negotiations, which means that there's precedent, and from that a set process Nintendo could rely on to streamline negotiations to get a Square Enix character or characters on the list for a potential Fighters Pass 2 inclusion.

And before anyone says "but tehponycorn! square enix is stingy!" we all know that's not the truth, so don't even start.

I'll take time to address the counter argument of Nintendo being close to a lot of companies. This is certainly true, but most lack the consistency and notability of Nintendo and Square Enix's relationship. Bandai Namco and Koei Tecmo are both worth mentioning, as they've helped Nintendo work on games internally. Microsoft has been good about sharing exclusives such as Cuphead and the Ori series, and Capcom's port frenzy of the Mega Man, Resident Evil, and Devil May Cry series, with their port of Devil May Cry 3 being the definitive edition, certainly bring to mind Square Enix's similar port frenzy. These companies are certainly worth noting in speculation, but don't necessarily take away from Square Enix's chance of getting their character(s) on the list(tm). If the end goal is simply getting on the list for Sakurai and/or Nintendo to choose, then the limiting factor is simply what characters Nintendo can/can't negotiate for. Theoretically, Nintendo could negotiate for as many characters as they'd like. The reason I turn to Square Enix specifically is the fact that they still have a multitude of iconic series and characters to draw from that would generate significant hype, corporate promotion, and sales in Fighters Pass 2.

So, the question, "why a Square Enix character again" could be simplified down to ease of negotiations and Square Enix still having characters Nintendo wants in Smash. So then, our next question becomes: Who?

Spoiler: Nier (Automata)

I've previously written about 2B from Nier: Automata in long form, and my arguments in that essay hold up for the most part (at the very least, better than my "Ultimate" Square Enix Character Argument). I'm not going to reinvent the wheel, so this section will serve more so as an addendum to my previous essay as well as introducing the possibility of another character from the Nier series. Please read that essay for a good background on 2B and her chances in Smash, especially despite a lack of Nintendo appearances.

To add on to my 2B essay:

• Nier Automata and NieR: Replicant are headlining the Worldwide release SiNoAlice, which, while also made by Yoko Taro, shows the reach of the Nier brand as well as Yoko Taro's influence within the company.
• Final Fantasy XIV is gearing up for it's second crossover raid story, following off of the success of the first.
  • As an addendum to my argument on costume alteration, while the 2B costume in FFXIV increases the butt size of characters, it also seems to increase the skirt length (compare this picture of FFXIV to her official character art and you'll see the difference–I will acknowledge this could be a psuedo, however, as 2P does not have this change). Regardless, this shows costume alteration is possible.
• Finally, the Nier series has recently seen two major announcements in NieR Replicant ver 1.22474487139..., which is "much more" than a remaster of the original NieR: Replicant for the modern generation of consoles, and NieR: Reincarnation, a mobile title, which seems inevitable for Square Enix series canonical to the series.

So, as a whole, the Nier series is schmovin'.

No? Okay.

Regardless, the internal push for the Nier series from Square Enix seems to continue even now, almost half a year after my original essay, and it doesn't seem to be stopping anytime soon. If given the chance, I could definitely see Square Enix attempting to get the Nier series in Smash via 2B, or Nier.




This guy. Yes, his name is actually Nier. He's the protagonist of NieR Replicant, which, as previously mentioned, is receiving a significant remaster. If Square Enix is going solely for promotion, it's possible they would push for Nier over 2B during negotiations. For what it's worth, in his article on Nier Automata he also wrote highly about NieR Replicant, so it's possible Sakurai would have no preference for one given character from the Nier series, so long as the series itself is represented. This is nothing more than speculation, however. Especially considering that Sakurai has repeatedly said the games he writes about have no bearing on a character's chances in Smash.

Nier also has had a net zero appearances on Nintendo consoles, so I don't even know if any technicalities can be made for him.

Ultimately, the chances of 2B and Nier depend on how much Square wants to push the series and the extent of the technicalities Nintendo and Sakurai would make to include a character from the Nier series. I'll keep my stance that 2B and Nier are very much in a similar position to Joker in Fighters Pass, wherein either of them are a dark horse pick that is also entirely reasonable. At the very least, I'd definitely keep my eyes on the Nier series going forward.

Spoiler: Gex



imagine actually thinking gex will get into smash


Joking aside again, there is a precedent for Gex on Nintendo consoles, and his three games have sold a total of 15 million units worldwide. So it's possible.


However, he's from a long dormant series and he faces incredibly steep competition, so I don't see him a likely in the slightest. Sorry Gex fans.

Next time I'll be covering Lara Croft, Final Fantasy, and Chrono in three smaller essays. I hope you look forward to it!

 

[ALongWistfulSquiggle]

On the topic of Square Enix, some of the franchises people bring up regularly as possibilities surprise me, not in a bad way, though. Bravely Default and The World Ends with You have been brought up more lately, and it makes me happy even though I'm not sure their chances are all that high.

If we do end up with a Bravely Default character, I feel like it will be someone from BD 2 and not one of the original 4. As much as I love them, it just doesn't make a lot of sense to me to use a character from a 3DS game when an upcoming Switch game is right there. My most wanted is actually Magnolia (Edea 2nd) because I think she has the most potential to be unique, but it's not like any of the others lack in that area anyway.

 

[Speed Weed]

surprise speculation series tiem


While I have a flash of inspiration and an extended capability to capitalize my words, I present:



The Second Square Enix Character Argument I​




Spoiler: Pre-Word

Rather than an acknowledgements section, I figured I'd rather write a bit about how this essay came to be and how it will be constructed.

To be completely honest, I never planned on writing another speculation essay on this site. I'd simply lost the motivation and passion to write longform essays, especially on a platform that doesn't seem to care for such content. However, as I enter my fourth month confined to my home in quarantine, I find myself getting increasingly bored. And so here I am, writing what is likely my largest speculation piece yet. Hopefully this series keeps my brain active enough to get me through the summer. Or maybe I should just read a book or something. I'm sure that'd be less embarrassing then this additional skeleton in the closet that is my series of Smash Speculation essays, but here I am anyways. I'll be releasing these throughout the next week or so in increments of 2 characters or so, and I'll discuss the regular suspects as well as some more out there characters.

Around a year and a half ago I wrote The Ultimate Square Enix Character Argument, my first major speculation essay. Inspired by the large discussion surrounding the well spread rumors that a Square Enix character would be included in Smash, I included 5 miniature essays on who I believed the Square Enix character could be, with a heavy focus on Dragon Quest, Sora, and Geno. Since then, I've written 8 other pieces on a variety of different topics, from strange characters to speculation culture and gained a lot more experience in both essay writing and speculation. Seriously, that piece is messy. Long block paragraphs, run on sentences, comma misplacements, and more...I was a much worse writer then, and part of the reason I'm writing this piece is to prove to myself that I can do better.


This purpose of this piece is to revisit the argument about a Square Enix character and the potential of a second Square Enix character being added as DLC. This argument will not only address the change in Square Enix speculation following Hero's inclusion in Fighters Pass 1, but also how speculation has changed in the wake of other announcements. This piece will probably contain more personal speculation and theories than my previous pieces, but I'll make sure to mark where I do so for reference. Otherwise, I hope this piece contributes to speculation in a meaningful way, and provides some insights for everyone to take into account going forward.

Spoiler: Introduction: Why a Square Enix Character AGAIN?

"Gee Square Enix, how come Nintendo lets you have TWO DLC characters in Smash Ultimate?" the other companies ask, jealousy clearly apparent in their voices.

Ever since the surprising success of Octopath Traveler, Nintendo and Square Enix have reached a second golden age in their corporate relations. To use less hyperbole, they've been closer than they have been in recent years, with the closest comparisons being the DS-3DS and 16-bit eras. In June 2018, prior to the large push of Square Enix games on Nintendo consoles, Square Enix announced both a desire to create more original games on the Switch and the creation of a company division to do just that. And clearly since then, Square Enix support of the Switch has been immense. To name titles that have come out since Octopath Traveler:

• The World Ends With You: Final Remix*
• Dragon Quest Builders 2* (preceded by Builders* approximately 3-4 months before Octopath*)
• Chocobo's Mystery Dungeon
• Oninaki
• Ports of Final Fantasy VII, VIII, IV, X, X-2, and XII
• Dragon Quest XIS: Echoes of an Elusive Age Definitive Edition*
• Enhanced ports of Dragon Quest*, Dragon Quest II*, and Dragon Quest III*
• Romancing SaGa 2 and 3
• Collection of Mana (containing Final Fantasy Adventure/Mystic Quest, Secret of Mana, and the first English localization of Trials of Mana)
• most recently, the Trials of Mana remake
• and upcoming, Final Fantasy Crystal Chronicles Remastered

While many of these games are multiplatform alongside PS4 and Xbox, it's worth noting that all games accompanied by an asterisk* were published by Nintendo outside of Japan. Also, while Nintendo is known to take publishing rights for many series, historically they've only done so prominently for two companies: Level-5 (primarily during the DS era) and Square Enix (to this day).

So, Nintendo and Square Enix have a whole lot of corporate synergy right now; at least more so than other companies who simply put games on Nintendo platforms. This would certainly facilitate negotiations if they were to occur. Negotiations would be further facilitated by the fact that a majority of significant figures have already been brought to the table at one point or another. Tetsuya Normura, director of The World Ends With You, Kingdom Hearts, and most recently Final Fantasy 7 Remake, worked with Sakurai on Cloud in Sm4sh and Ultimate (assuming negotiations were concurrent as rumored), and Yuji Horii, director of the Dragon Quest series, worked with Sakurai on Hero in Fighters Pass 1. Corporate leadership would have played a role in both rounds of negotiations, which means that there's precedent, and from that a set process Nintendo could rely on to streamline negotiations to get a Square Enix character or characters on the list for a potential Fighters Pass 2 inclusion.

And before anyone says "but tehponycorn! square enix is stingy!" we all know that's not the truth, so don't even start.

I'll take time to address the counter argument of Nintendo being close to a lot of companies. This is certainly true, but most lack the consistency and notability of Nintendo and Square Enix's relationship. Bandai Namco and Koei Tecmo are both worth mentioning, as they've helped Nintendo work on games internally. Microsoft has been good about sharing exclusives such as Cuphead and the Ori series, and Capcom's port frenzy of the Mega Man, Resident Evil, and Devil May Cry series, with their port of Devil May Cry 3 being the definitive edition, certainly bring to mind Square Enix's similar port frenzy. These companies are certainly worth noting in speculation, but don't necessarily take away from Square Enix's chance of getting their character(s) on the list(tm). If the end goal is simply getting on the list for Sakurai and/or Nintendo to choose, then the limiting factor is simply what characters Nintendo can/can't negotiate for. Theoretically, Nintendo could negotiate for as many characters as they'd like. The reason I turn to Square Enix specifically is the fact that they still have a multitude of iconic series and characters to draw from that would generate significant hype, corporate promotion, and sales in Fighters Pass 2.

So, the question, "why a Square Enix character again" could be simplified down to ease of negotiations and Square Enix still having characters Nintendo wants in Smash. So then, our next question becomes: Who?

Spoiler: Nier (Automata)

I've previously written about 2B from Nier: Automata in long form, and my arguments in that essay hold up for the most part (at the very least, better than my "Ultimate" Square Enix Character Argument). I'm not going to reinvent the wheel, so this section will serve more so as an addendum to my previous essay as well as introducing the possibility of another character from the Nier series. Please read that essay for a good background on 2B and her chances in Smash, especially despite a lack of Nintendo appearances.

To add on to my 2B essay:

• Nier Automata and NieR: Replicant are headlining the Worldwide release SiNoAlice, which, while also made by Yoko Taro, shows the reach of the Nier brand as well as Yoko Taro's influence within the company.
• Final Fantasy XIV is gearing up for it's second crossover raid story, following off of the success of the first.
  • As an addendum to my argument on costume alteration, while the 2B costume in FFXIV increases the butt size of characters, it also seems to increase the skirt length (compare this picture of FFXIV to her official character art and you'll see the difference–I will acknowledge this could be a psuedo, however, as 2P does not have this change). Regardless, this shows costume alteration is possible.
• Finally, the Nier series has recently seen two major announcements in NieR Replicant ver 1.22474487139..., which is "much more" than a remaster of the original NieR: Replicant for the modern generation of consoles, and NieR: Reincarnation, a mobile title, which seems inevitable for Square Enix series canonical to the series.

So, as a whole, the Nier series is schmovin'.

No? Okay.

Regardless, the internal push for the Nier series from Square Enix seems to continue even now, almost half a year after my original essay, and it doesn't seem to be stopping anytime soon. If given the chance, I could definitely see Square Enix attempting to get the Nier series in Smash via 2B, or Nier.

View attachment 277181


This guy. Yes, his name is actually Nier. He's the protagonist of NieR Replicant, which, as previously mentioned, is receiving a significant remaster. If Square Enix is going solely for promotion, it's possible they would push for Nier over 2B during negotiations. For what it's worth, in his article on Nier Automata he also wrote highly about NieR Replicant, so it's possible Sakurai would have no preference for one given character from the Nier series, so long as the series itself is represented. This is nothing more than speculation, however. Especially considering that Sakurai has repeatedly said the games he writes about have no bearing on a character's chances in Smash.

Nier also has had a net zero appearances on Nintendo consoles, so I don't even know if any technicalities can be made for him.

Ultimately, the chances of 2B and Nier depend on how much Square wants to push the series and the extent of the technicalities Nintendo and Sakurai would make to include a character from the Nier series. I'll keep my stance that 2B and Nier are very much in a similar position to Joker in Fighters Pass, wherein either of them are a dark horse pick that is also entirely reasonable. At the very least, I'd definitely keep my eyes on the Nier series going forward.

Spoiler: Gex



imagine actually thinking gex will get into smash


Joking aside again, there is a precedent for Gex on Nintendo consoles, and his three games have sold a total of 15 million units worldwide. So it's possible.


However, he's from a long dormant series and he faces incredibly steep competition, so I don't see him a likely in the slightest. Sorry Gex fans.

Next time I'll be covering Lara Croft, Final Fantasy, and Chrono in three smaller essays. I hope you look forward to it!

wtf you dare disrespect the objective best square pick, gex from the hit game gex

i can't believe this, if you even have the audacity to speak ill of gex again, you will forever be banned from my birthday party

but good write-up otherwise

 

[Garteam]

I just want to see the HD Mario Sunshine man. That's all I want.

 

[RileyXY1]

I don't know if we will get Metroid 6.

 

[Megadoomer]

>click thread
>go to recent page
>"page doesn't exist"

You sure?

I can get the first page working but none of the recent ones. Very odd. Should I clear my cache?

That's weird; when I linked it before, I could see page 80 just fine. Now I can't see any pages beyond page one.

EDIT: Try this: https://smashboards.com/threads/rayman-revolution-spirits-raised.446447/page-80 It's working for me here, for some reason.

 

[Aetheri]

I don't know if we will get Metroid 6.

Ummmm....I'm not sure how far ahead Nintendo plans for Metroid but we kinda need a Metroid 5 first before we get 6.

 

[GoodGrief741]

I don't know if we will get Metroid 6.

Well of course, we need Metroid 5 first.

Dammit, 'd