Listen, normally I'm all for restraint when it comes to calling characters "locks", but when a series can sell around five million out of the gate, and has a feasible character to add, they're getting in. Even as far back as Smash 4 they probably would've gotten in. Now the bar is that much lower.
At this point the biggest draws for first-party (with very few exceptions) are going to come from the new IPs that hit it big.
Ring Fit has sold better than any Metroid game, any Kirby game, any Fire Emblem game, any Star Fox game, etc. etc. It's on track to be like Splatoon's initial performance. And while it lacks the fanbase popularity Inkling had, Inkling didn't get in based on demand anyway.
Assuming the next Smash arrives within a normal timeframe, the only situation in which I don't see the Ring Fit character getting in next time is if there is a complete paradigm shift in how they choose characters for the future instalment.
At this point the biggest draws for first-party (with very few exceptions) are going to come from the new IPs that hit it big.
Ring Fit has sold better than any Metroid game, any Kirby game, any Fire Emblem game, any Star Fox game, etc. etc. It's on track to be like Splatoon's initial performance. And while it lacks the fanbase popularity Inkling had, Inkling didn't get in based on demand anyway.
Assuming the next Smash arrives within a normal timeframe, the only situation in which I don't see the Ring Fit character getting in next time is if there is a complete paradigm shift in how they choose characters for the future instalment.