Official Newcomer/DLC Speculation Discussion

[StrangeKitten]

I suppose it's worth noting that the Petey Piranha spirit battle still uses Ivysaur despite a far more fitting character having come out since

 

[Will]

Here's an idea then. The last character you played as is playable, and their homestage is the last stage you played, who is it?

It's finally his time...

 

[Mr. Game + Watch]

Here's an idea then. The last character you played as is playable, and their homestage is the last stage you played, who is it? For me, it'd be Rouge the Bat and her homestage is Security Hall from SA2. Not the Sonic character I hoped for tbh

Steve because for some reason other Minecraft skins can’t be used when u aren’t connected to internet on switch and the stage would be me Looking forever for a nether fortress.

 

[Faso115]

View attachment 280003

It's finally his time...

Only if Super Saiyan, Super Saiyan Blue, Ultra Instinct, his GT kid version, the one version with a Yardrat uniform and his Pink british evil version are available as separate fighterz.

It's only fair that if we get so many Fire Emblem characters, we get an equal amount of Gokus.

 

[Will]

Only if Super Saiyan, Super Saiyan Blue, Ultra Instinct, his GT kid version, the one version with a Yardrat uniform and his Pink british evil version are available as separate fighterz.

It's only fair that if we get so many Fire Emblem characters, we get an equal amount of Gokus.

Throw in Gogeta and Vegito, they technically count.

 

[DanganZilla5]

Here's an idea then. The last character you played as is playable, and their homestage is the last stage you played, who is it? For me, it'd be Rouge the Bat and her homestage is Security Hall from SA2. Not the Sonic character I hoped for tbh

Raphael from Soul Calibur 6. Home stage is Master Swordsman's Cave.

It's not Nightmare but at least we would have Soul Calibur content in Smash.

 

[Michael the Spikester]

Last character I played was the Bull Shark from Maneater. Awesome!

Port Clovis would be her stage. It could also be a traveling stage going to all the locations.

 

[SharkLord]

Are there any gut feelings you have? Potential darkhorses that logically have the odds stacked against them, but you just really think are happening? Bias may play a part in these gut feelings, so don't feel ashamed to admit it if you have any.

As for me? I'm really expecting Reimu, though you may have picked up on that in RTC...

 

[Michael the Spikester]

Are there any gut feelings you have? Potential darkhorses that logically have the odds stacked against them, but you just really think are happening? Bias may play a part in these gut feelings, so don't feel ashamed to admit it if you have any.

As for me? I'm really expecting Reimu, though you may have picked up on that in RTC...

Dovahkiin I definitely feel is really slept on.

Also Billy & Jimmy Lee.

 

[Will]

Are there any gut feelings you have? Potential darkhorses that logically have the odds stacked against them, but you just really think are happening? Bias may play a part in these gut feelings, so don't feel ashamed to admit it if you have any.

Rei-

As for me? I'm really expecting Reimu

****

 

[DanganZilla5]

I agree with Dragonborn and Agumon is another character I can see happening. There were some Digimon games recently ported over to the Switch and the series is one of Bandai Namco's biggest.

 

[MooMew64]

Are there any gut feelings you have? Potential darkhorses that logically have the odds stacked against them, but you just really think are happening? Bias may play a part in these gut feelings, so don't feel ashamed to admit it if you have any.

As for me? I'm really expecting Reimu, though you may have picked up on that in RTC...

Kinda with you on Reimu, TBH. I really feel she's got a greater shot than most expect.

I also think Lara Croft is another one. If we're getting another western pick, she's a good candidate IMO.

 

[cashregister9]

Are there any gut feelings you have? Potential darkhorses that logically have the odds stacked against them, but you just really think are happening? Bias may play a part in these gut feelings, so don't feel ashamed to admit it if you have any.

As for me? I'm really expecting Reimu, though you may have picked up on that in RTC...

For Me it is Estelle Bright

-Falcom is super prolific
-Estelle would be the first Bo staff fighter in smash
-Trails outsells Ys most of the time
-SNK levels of music could be possible
-I am very biased

Also Reimu as you mentioned has way better chances than I keep thinking she does

Continuing on my Bias train A SEGA rep I think is on the verge of potentially being a lock and I am thinking Kiryu Kazuma or Sakura Amamiya/Shinguji. Those 2 series seem to be what SEGA has their money on right now.

 

[Michael the Spikester]

I also think Lara Croft is another one. If we're getting another western pick, she's a good candidate IMO.

B-but lack of popularity in Japan...more requested Square characters like Sora and Geno...

 

[AceAttorney9000]

Are there any gut feelings you have? Potential darkhorses that logically have the odds stacked against them, but you just really think are happening? Bias may play a part in these gut feelings, so don't feel ashamed to admit it if you have any.

As for me? I'm really expecting Reimu, though you may have picked up on that in RTC...

Not for any one specific character, but I got a feeling we might see a double dip in the same pass. Fighters Pass 2 has six characters instead of five, and most companies usually have more than one highly requested character, so I wouldn't be surprised if, during the character picking process, they decided to just pick two characters from one company.

 

[Rie Sonomura]

Are there any gut feelings you have? Potential darkhorses that logically have the odds stacked against them, but you just really think are happening? Bias may play a part in these gut feelings, so don't feel ashamed to admit it if you have any.

As for me? I'm really expecting Reimu, though you may have picked up on that in RTC...

throwing my chips in for Elma and Octoling

Elma cause a Xenoblade X port has yet to be announced (it COULD still happen but that doesn't mean it will), Octoling cause well... when has a DLC campaign character been DLC for Smash? although, there's a lot of Splatoon 2 content, including Octo Expansion, that is lacking smash representation

also screw it - Neku as a third such option. square might not even double dip, and if they do they'd probably pick Geno or 2B, but still...

 

[Perkilator]

Are there any gut feelings you have? Potential darkhorses that logically have the odds stacked against them, but you just really think are happening? Bias may play a part in these gut feelings, so don't feel ashamed to admit it if you have any.

As for me? I'm really expecting Reimu, though you may have picked up on that in RTC...

I don't care what people say, I will die on this hill believing Sora will get in. And if not...well then, I concede.

 

[Michael the Spikester]

I don't care what people say, I will die on this hill believing Sora will get in. And if not...well then, I concede.

Sora is a dark pick?

He's probably the currently most requested character since inclusions.

 

[SharkLord]

Aside from Reimu, as I've mentioned above, I'm thinking we might be getting Isaac, though that might just be wishful thinking. I've also come to the conclusion that we'll get a second Squeenix rep, though it's mostly a hunch based on how they're the only third-party to get two Spirit events, when the only other company who got one is Capcom. Then again, it might be too early to tell.

Sora is a dark pick?

He's probably the currently most requested character since inclusions.

Sorta? Disney means his chances could be anywhere from impossible to almost definitely in. Personally, I'm just sticking to a 50-50, since Disney introduces a lot of variables we don't have answers to.

B-but lack of popularity in Japan...more requested Square characters like Sora and Geno...

Well, Terry got most of his support from Latin America, so there's that. I think Sora might impact her chances if he gets in, but he's not a deal-breaker since he's still owned by Disney. I don't really see Geno, though; He's kept afloat by popularity alone, and he's stacked up against the rest of Squeenix as well as other Mario characters.
As for who I think would be likely? I'm tempted to say 2B or Neku, but I think that's partially because of familiarity bias. Can't really say for sure.

I agree with Dragonborn and Agumon is another character I can see happening. There were some Digimon games recently ported over to the Switch and the series is one of Bandai Namco's biggest.

Dragonborn could be interesting. Doom is a very influential game from the 90's, but Skyrim was a major part of the early 2010's. It could be either of them, really. As for a Digimon, I can't say for certain given the existence of the Tales series. On one hand, one of the biggest RPGs, but on the other, a major game in the Mons genre. I'm leaning closer to Lloyd, but Agumon has a pretty good chance too.

 

[Aetheri]

Are there any gut feelings you have? Potential darkhorses that logically have the odds stacked against them, but you just really think are happening? Bias may play a part in these gut feelings, so don't feel ashamed to admit it if you have any.

As for me? I'm really expecting Reimu, though you may have picked up on that in RTC...

All of my Most Wanteds are practically guarantees at this point, trust me...my dog's uncle works at Nintendo('s lunchroom)!

K but seriously though I'm not really expecting anyone per se, but I do think Elma does have a decent shot. There's a lot that can be argued against her such as X not selling all that well, and being a previous gen game, XC2 being a more recent with Rex being a lot more popular and relevant now, supposed licensing issues with music (although that really shouldn't affect the character's chances tbh)

I just can't stress how odd it is for the base game of Smash to feature so much content from the Wii U, but X (a game that Nintendo pushed heavily before it's release mind you) has next to nothing besides a handful of spirits no music no stages, Elma was literally in a perfect position to be a base game addition (I actually think she would have been added in the base game if not for "EVERYONE IS HERE!" since Sakurai did mention there'd be less newcomers because he prioritized getting all the veterans, Elma may have missed the mark because of that) as we see with Hero they can add planned characters later for DLC, and considering X was a highly ambitious title that Monolith worked on during the Wii U's cycle as well as them having possible plans later to continue the story based on the cliffhanger ending. Elma actually makes a lot of sense to promote in Smash since she'll likely be a recurring character which is something that is less likely to happen for Rex and even Shulk (discounting DLC and cameos obviously)...plus Monolith themselves seems to recognize her popularity considering she's being added to various promotional material for Xenoblade such as XC2 DLC (getting her own stand alone trailer to boot) and a suspiciously prominent position in the 10th anniversary artwork's composition (which actually leads me to a certain theory that's irrelevant to Smash so I won't digress) and as we see with Min Min's inclusion maayybe the developers can push her for Smash DLC. Xenoblade as a series could use another character be it Rex or Elma. As mentioned she does appear in XC2 as DLC so her inclusion can still promote that title in a way (of course not as much as Rex himself, but still she is in the game) Her moveset potential and ability to bring in a couple possible new mechanics, such as her weapon switching and overdrive, maybe even the use of her Skell, fits well with what Sakurai mentioned about the remaining DLC fighters bringing something unique to the roster. Like she would almost be perfect as a DLC fighter considering all of the above. And if a port or sequel is in the works, then that makes even more sense to add her as a promo.

Of course XCX happens to be one of my favourite games and Elma happens to be my second most wanted newcomer....so bias might play a miniscule role in my reasoning. But that gut feeling is there regardless. I do consider her a darkhorse because it seems that those who don't specifically support Elma or any Xenoblade character, immediately look at Rex as being the favourite newcomer for the series. For understandable reasons of course he's the protag of the most recent game as well as being one of the most popular characters overall for Smash. But for me personally Xenoblade 2 did already get it's DLC moment in the game and I do indeed think that the Mii costume may play a hindrance to his chances of becoming DLC not necessarily because Sakurai is against adding him as a fighter with the costume but because THAT was him putting in his work for that character and now he's moved on, and as mentioned before if the devs at Monolith push for someone else for whatever reason then there's that as well. I mean to me this feels like K Rool's Mii costume in Smash 4 all over again as I thought once that it actually helped his chances back then but it was the opposite, I'm hesitant to make that same judgement this time. Of course now that's moot since he's a playable fighter but I'm talking specifically for Smash 4's DLC. I do understand that it's a different DLC cycle as well but going through the notion of adding in content from different worlds XC2 has Rex's Mii and (if Elma's added as a fighter) then XCX would get some representation as well.

 

[Michael the Spikester]

Well, Terry got most of his support from Latin America, so there's that. I think Sora might impact her chances if he gets in, but he's not a deal-breaker since he's still owned by Disney. I don't really see Geno, though; He's kept afloat by popularity alone, and he's stacked up against the rest of Squeenix as well as other Mario characters.
As for who I think would be likely? I'm tempted to say 2B or Neku, but I think that's partially because of familiarity bias. Can't really say for sure.

Except that Fatal Fury/King of Fighters is also popular in Japan.

 

[SnowClaws]

Are there any gut feelings you have? Potential darkhorses that logically have the odds stacked against them, but you just really think are happening? Bias may play a part in these gut feelings, so don't feel ashamed to admit it if you have any.

As for me? I'm really expecting Reimu, though you may have picked up on that in RTC...

Skullomania from Fighting EX Layer, this dark horse is goes against characters from well-known popular fighting game series such as Tekken, Street Fighter, Soul Calibur, Killer Instinct, Mortal Kombat, Blazblue, and Guilty Gear, etc. I think it is going to happen since Arika been helping Nintendo for a while, and the Tetris spirits from the event Attack of the Tetriminos! is based on Tetris 99. The very same game that Arika help to develop it, and is constantly been updating the game with new events.

Speaking of fighting game characters, I also think Ayane from Dead or Alive or reboot Ninja Gaiden have a shot since I am going with the belief that she may takes Hayabusa's spot because of the whole Min Min situation where the developer is the one who is picking the choice. Plus, Dead or Alive is often ignored among the Koei Tecmo selection and one of the ninja girls could takes the spot instead of Hayabusa. Like I mention before, she is goes against characters from Koei Tecmo other series like Ninja Gaiden, Musou/Warriors, Atelier, Fatal Frame, Nobunaga's Ambition, and along with other fighting game series characters. I also think Ayane's tragic backstories and her appearance might be a factor as well. Though her backstories might not be spoken at all, and her appearance could be based on Dead or Alive 6 instead of her earliest appearance in the DoA/NG franchise.

 

[SharkLord]

All of my Most Wanteds are practically guarantees at this point, trust me...my dog's uncle works at Nintendo('s lunchroom)!

K but seriously though I'm not really expecting anyone per se, but I do think Elma does have a decent shot. There's a lot that can be argued against her such as X not selling all that well, and being a previous gen game, XC2 being a more recent with Rex being a lot more popular and relevant now, supposed licensing issues with music (although that really shouldn't affect the character's chances tbh)

I just can't stress how odd it is for the base game of Smash to feature so much content from the Wii U, but X (a game that Nintendo pushed heavily before it's release mind you) has next to nothing besides a handful of spirits no music no stages, Elma was literally in a perfect position to be a base game addition (I actually think she would have been added in the base game if not for "EVERYONE IS HERE!" since Sakurai did mention there'd be less newcomers because he prioritized getting all the veterans, Elma may have missed the mark because of that) as we see with Hero they can add planned characters later for DLC, and considering X was a highly ambitious title that Monolith worked on during the Wii U's cycle as well as them having possible plans later to continue the story based on the cliffhanger ending. Elma actually makes a lot of sense to promote in Smash since she'll likely be a recurring character which is something that is less likely to happen for Rex and even Shulk (discounting DLC and cameos obviously)...plus Monolith themselves seems to recognize her popularity considering she's being added to various promotional material for Xenoblade such as XC2 DLC (getting her own stand alone trailer to boot) and a suspiciously prominent position in the 10th anniversary artwork's composition (which actually leads me to a certain theory that's irrelevant to Smash so I won't digress) and as we see with Min Min's inclusion maayybe the developers can push her for Smash DLC. Xenoblade as a series could use another character be it Rex or Elma. As mentioned she does appear in XC2 as DLC so her inclusion can still promote that title in a way (of course not as much as Rex himself, but still she is in the game) Her moveset potential and ability to bring in a couple possible new mechanics, such as her weapon switching and overdrive, maybe even the use of her Skell, fits well with what Sakurai mentioned about the remaining DLC fighters bringing something unique to the roster. Like she would almost be perfect as a DLC fighter considering all of the above. And if a port or sequel is in the works, then that makes even more sense to add her as a promo.

Of course XCX happens to be one of my favourite games and Elma happens to be my second most wanted newcomer....so bias might play a miniscule role in my reasoning. But that gut feeling is there regardless. I do consider her a darkhorse because it seems that those who don't specifically support Elma or any Xenoblade character, immediately look at Rex as being the favourite newcomer for the series. For understandable reasons of course he's the protag of the most recent game as well as being one of the most popular characters overall for Smash. But for me personally Xenoblade 2 did already get it's DLC moment in the game and I do indeed think that the Mii costume may play a hindrance to his chances of becoming DLC not necessarily because Sakurai is against adding him as a fighter with the costume but because THAT was him putting in his work for that character and now he's moved on, and as mentioned before if the devs at Monolith push for someone else for whatever reason then there's that as well. I mean to me this feels like K Rool's Mii costume in Smash 4 all over again as I thought once that it actually helped his chances back then but it was the opposite, I'm hesitant to make that same judgement this time. Of course now that's moot since he's a playable fighter but I'm talking specifically for Smash 4's DLC. I do understand that it's a different DLC cycle as well but going through the notion of adding in content from different worlds XC2 has Rex's Mii and (if Elma's added as a fighter) then XCX would get some representation as well.

Elma's interesting to me, since we might be getting a XCX remaster, but I'm not sure how far in advance Nintendo would plan for that. I also believe Rex would also bring something unique with MY STAND, STAR PYRATINUM the Blades, though uniqueness is subjective; We got Terry and Byleth back to back, after all. I personally lean towards Rex on that basis that he's more popular and would have a closer link to the Switch's Xeno games, but my opinion may shift towards Elma if XCX gets a remaster.
I don't think the Mii Costume hinders Rex in any way, though. That was decided during the base game, and has about as much weight as any other base game content. Don't know if anyone at MonoSoft prefers Rex or Elma-If anything, they'd probably want KOS-MOS, since she's their mascot-But I don't work there, so I can't really say one way or the other. I can't say if she'll really be recurring, since again, we don't know if an XCX remaster or sequel is actually happening. Guess we'll just have to wait and see.
I think Elma's XC2 trailer was because she'd have a bigger impact. Rex is already in the game and most people know Shulk because A: First game's protagonist, and B: He's in Smash. Elma would have more weight behind her. As for the 10th anniversary art, I think it's just because Rex and Shulk sync up better than with her and she has two swords, so she'd be centered easier.

 

[Perkilator]

Are there any gut feelings you have? Potential darkhorses that logically have the odds stacked against them, but you just really think are happening? Bias may play a part in these gut feelings, so don't feel ashamed to admit it if you have any.

As for me? I'm really expecting Reimu, though you may have picked up on that in RTC...

As for a bigger example of a dark horse, I do see Sakura Wars filling that niche.

 

[Simplythe1]

Adol Christin from Ys, Quote from Cave Story, and Laharl from Disgaea, those are my niche, totally biased dark horse picks that only have a small chance of getting into smash

 

[Deleted member]

they're gonna add sephiroth solely so we can have more ff7 music

personally, i think that is pretty """poggers"""

 

[Idon]

I GOT YOUR "DARK HORSE" RIGHT HERE:

 

[Thewafflemaker2000]

Every time these nintendo leaks happen, it feels like Christmas morning.

 

[Icedragonadam]

A darkhorse pick would be Sol Badguy of course. Guilty Gear gets overlooked for other more popular fighting games like Tekken, but Guilty Gear has a dedicated playerbase and legacy to make it a deserving franchise to be in Smash.

 

[Animegamingnerd]

Are there any gut feelings you have? Potential darkhorses that logically have the odds stacked against them, but you just really think are happening? Bias may play a part in these gut feelings, so don't feel ashamed to admit it if you have any.

As for me? I'm really expecting Reimu, though you may have picked up on that in RTC...

I think Demi fiend might be the biggest dark horse, especially if Nintendo ends up marketing and promoting SMTV in the same way they did DQ11.

 

[NintenRob]

Would a Zelda character be considered a dark horse pick, (aside from Ganondorfs actual dark horse)

Because I'm kinda expecting one of those

 

[Will]

Would a Zelda character be considered a dark horse pick, (aside from Ganondorfs actual dark horse)

Because I'm kinda expecting one of those

As long as it isn't pig Ganon I will show no disappointment for another Zelda character.

 

[NintenRob]

As long as it isn't pig Ganon I will show no disappointment for another Zelda character.

I can see two routes.

1. And the one I unfortunately think might be more likely is Botw Zelda, perhaps called Wild Zelda, or maybe simply Zelda.

2. The other and this is completely Bias is Skull Kid. I think he's inevitable at this point, maybe not this game, but the next. But I think we're getting Skull Kid. The Smash development team has already shown favor towards him with his Mii Costume, and now he's getting his own adventure. I know assist trophy. But that's why I consider the above more likely

 

[DaybreakHorizon]

Are there any gut feelings you have? Potential darkhorses that logically have the odds stacked against them, but you just really think are happening? Bias may play a part in these gut feelings, so don't feel ashamed to admit it if you have any.

As for me? I'm really expecting Reimu, though you may have picked up on that in RTC...

I feel like a lot of JRPG protags are underrated within our little bubble here. Like, Ryza (Atelier Ryza), Adol (Ys Series), a Shin Megami Tensei character (either Demi Fiend or the cutie from SMTV), and Sakura Shinguji (Sakura Wars) all get some mention here, but you don't see many people.

I think in general a Falcom rep is something that's pretty likely but massively overlooked.

I can see two routes.

1. And the one I unfortunately think might be more likely is Botw Zelda, perhaps called Wild Zelda, or maybe simply Zelda.

Please never seriously suggest the name "Wild Zelda" ever again. This goes for you and anyone else.

It honestly sounds like a pornstar's name; if BotW Zelda were to get in and were seriously called "Wild Zelda" I'd lose all respect for the localization team.

 

[GaroMaster]

Please never seriously suggest the name "Wild Zelda" ever again. This goes for you and anyone else.

It honestly sounds like a pornstar's name; if BotW Zelda were to get in and were seriously called "Wild Zelda" I'd lose all respect for the localization team.

I'm honestly surprised people don't mention the name "Champion Zelda" considering her relation to the Champions in BOTW.
I think that's a more fitting name, imo.

 

[DaybreakHorizon]

All of my Most Wanteds are practically guarantees at this point, trust me...my dog's uncle works at Nintendo('s lunchroom)!

K but seriously though I'm not really expecting anyone per se, but I do think Elma does have a decent shot. There's a lot that can be argued against her such as X not selling all that well, and being a previous gen game, XC2 being a more recent with Rex being a lot more popular and relevant now, supposed licensing issues with music (although that really shouldn't affect the character's chances tbh)

I just can't stress how odd it is for the base game of Smash to feature so much content from the Wii U, but X (a game that Nintendo pushed heavily before it's release mind you) has next to nothing besides a handful of spirits no music no stages, Elma was literally in a perfect position to be a base game addition (I actually think she would have been added in the base game if not for "EVERYONE IS HERE!" since Sakurai did mention there'd be less newcomers because he prioritized getting all the veterans, Elma may have missed the mark because of that) as we see with Hero they can add planned characters later for DLC, and considering X was a highly ambitious title that Monolith worked on during the Wii U's cycle as well as them having possible plans later to continue the story based on the cliffhanger ending. Elma actually makes a lot of sense to promote in Smash since she'll likely be a recurring character which is something that is less likely to happen for Rex and even Shulk (discounting DLC and cameos obviously)...plus Monolith themselves seems to recognize her popularity considering she's being added to various promotional material for Xenoblade such as XC2 DLC (getting her own stand alone trailer to boot) and a suspiciously prominent position in the 10th anniversary artwork's composition (which actually leads me to a certain theory that's irrelevant to Smash so I won't digress) and as we see with Min Min's inclusion maayybe the developers can push her for Smash DLC. Xenoblade as a series could use another character be it Rex or Elma. As mentioned she does appear in XC2 as DLC so her inclusion can still promote that title in a way (of course not as much as Rex himself, but still she is in the game) Her moveset potential and ability to bring in a couple possible new mechanics, such as her weapon switching and overdrive, maybe even the use of her Skell, fits well with what Sakurai mentioned about the remaining DLC fighters bringing something unique to the roster. Like she would almost be perfect as a DLC fighter considering all of the above. And if a port or sequel is in the works, then that makes even more sense to add her as a promo.

Of course XCX happens to be one of my favourite games and Elma happens to be my second most wanted newcomer....so bias might play a miniscule role in my reasoning. But that gut feeling is there regardless. I do consider her a darkhorse because it seems that those who don't specifically support Elma or any Xenoblade character, immediately look at Rex as being the favourite newcomer for the series. For understandable reasons of course he's the protag of the most recent game as well as being one of the most popular characters overall for Smash. But for me personally Xenoblade 2 did already get it's DLC moment in the game and I do indeed think that the Mii costume may play a hindrance to his chances of becoming DLC not necessarily because Sakurai is against adding him as a fighter with the costume but because THAT was him putting in his work for that character and now he's moved on, and as mentioned before if the devs at Monolith push for someone else for whatever reason then there's that as well. I mean to me this feels like K Rool's Mii costume in Smash 4 all over again as I thought once that it actually helped his chances back then but it was the opposite, I'm hesitant to make that same judgement this time. Of course now that's moot since he's a playable fighter but I'm talking specifically for Smash 4's DLC. I do understand that it's a different DLC cycle as well but going through the notion of adding in content from different worlds XC2 has Rex's Mii and (if Elma's added as a fighter) then XCX would get some representation as well.

This is pretty much all bias to me.

You've got some good points on Elma's prominence in the series, but she always headlines alongside Shulk and Rex (aside from in her own game of course). Shulk and Fiora also got a trailer for XC2 since they were part of another DLC pack. Does that mean Fiora has a chance since she headlined alongside the series' pseudo-mascot?

A lot of this reads like conjecture to, such as the devs pushing for her specifically (when they've indicated no previous bias like the ARMS Director Kosuke Yabuki had for Min Min) or her moveset potential (which can be argued for any character honestly, except Euden), or Rex's Mii Costume disconfirming when another special case like Min Min could hypothetically arise and lead to his inclusion.

If Sakurai is told by Nintendo to advertise Xenoblade and Monolith Soft suddenly got the funds and resources to port XCX (which they did not have as of October 2018) or are working on a sequel to XCX, then I'd say Elma has a chance. I'd say the latter two possibilities are unlikely, however, as Monolith is already incredibly busy with their New IP, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 (if I recall correctly–this could be XCX 2 if it gets a name change, but I doubt it given the tepid reception to the original XCX, which is a valid point), and whatever the hell Nintendo has them working on in addition (BotW 2 likely, maybe something else).

Don't get me wrong, if you want Elma in then I support you wholeheartedly. But don't try to pass off a biased argument as objective fact.

 

[Will]

I'm honestly surprised people don't mention the name "Champion Zelda" considering her relation to the Champions in BOTW.
I think that's a more fitting name, imo.

Yeah but that takes too long to say, just call her Zelda.

 

[Cutie Gwen]

All of my Most Wanteds are practically guarantees at this point, trust me...my dog's uncle works at Nintendo('s lunchroom)!

K but seriously though I'm not really expecting anyone per se, but I do think Elma does have a decent shot. There's a lot that can be argued against her such as X not selling all that well, and being a previous gen game, XC2 being a more recent with Rex being a lot more popular and relevant now, supposed licensing issues with music (although that really shouldn't affect the character's chances tbh)

I just can't stress how odd it is for the base game of Smash to feature so much content from the Wii U, but X (a game that Nintendo pushed heavily before it's release mind you) has next to nothing besides a handful of spirits no music no stages, Elma was literally in a perfect position to be a base game addition (I actually think she would have been added in the base game if not for "EVERYONE IS HERE!" since Sakurai did mention there'd be less newcomers because he prioritized getting all the veterans, Elma may have missed the mark because of that) as we see with Hero they can add planned characters later for DLC, and considering X was a highly ambitious title that Monolith worked on during the Wii U's cycle as well as them having possible plans later to continue the story based on the cliffhanger ending. Elma actually makes a lot of sense to promote in Smash since she'll likely be a recurring character which is something that is less likely to happen for Rex and even Shulk (discounting DLC and cameos obviously)...plus Monolith themselves seems to recognize her popularity considering she's being added to various promotional material for Xenoblade such as XC2 DLC (getting her own stand alone trailer to boot) and a suspiciously prominent position in the 10th anniversary artwork's composition (which actually leads me to a certain theory that's irrelevant to Smash so I won't digress) and as we see with Min Min's inclusion maayybe the developers can push her for Smash DLC. Xenoblade as a series could use another character be it Rex or Elma. As mentioned she does appear in XC2 as DLC so her inclusion can still promote that title in a way (of course not as much as Rex himself, but still she is in the game) Her moveset potential and ability to bring in a couple possible new mechanics, such as her weapon switching and overdrive, maybe even the use of her Skell, fits well with what Sakurai mentioned about the remaining DLC fighters bringing something unique to the roster. Like she would almost be perfect as a DLC fighter considering all of the above. And if a port or sequel is in the works, then that makes even more sense to add her as a promo.

Of course XCX happens to be one of my favourite games and Elma happens to be my second most wanted newcomer....so bias might play a miniscule role in my reasoning. But that gut feeling is there regardless. I do consider her a darkhorse because it seems that those who don't specifically support Elma or any Xenoblade character, immediately look at Rex as being the favourite newcomer for the series. For understandable reasons of course he's the protag of the most recent game as well as being one of the most popular characters overall for Smash. But for me personally Xenoblade 2 did already get it's DLC moment in the game and I do indeed think that the Mii costume may play a hindrance to his chances of becoming DLC not necessarily because Sakurai is against adding him as a fighter with the costume but because THAT was him putting in his work for that character and now he's moved on, and as mentioned before if the devs at Monolith push for someone else for whatever reason then there's that as well. I mean to me this feels like K Rool's Mii costume in Smash 4 all over again as I thought once that it actually helped his chances back then but it was the opposite, I'm hesitant to make that same judgement this time. Of course now that's moot since he's a playable fighter but I'm talking specifically for Smash 4's DLC. I do understand that it's a different DLC cycle as well but going through the notion of adding in content from different worlds XC2 has Rex's Mii and (if Elma's added as a fighter) then XCX would get some representation as well.

Pretty sure the reason X barely has content is because they'd have to pay Sawano for royalties as he owns the songs outright

 

[ZelDan]

I doubt they'd add BotW Zelda regardless of what they'd call her.

If they wanted to add her wouldn't they have just done it base game instead of ALttP/ALBW Zelda? They had no issue giving Link his BotW look...

 

[Will]

I doubt they'd add BotW Zelda regardless of what they'd call her.

If they wanted to add her wouldn't they have just done it base game instead of ALttP/ALBW Zelda? They had no issue giving Link his BotW look...

They could've even given her the Champion Abilities that they chose to not give Link at all.

Like seriously Revali's Gale + Handglider was untapped potential.