Official Next Smash - Speculation & Discussion Thread

[RileyXY1]

I think Embracer getting a character in the next Smash game is somewhere between "likely" and "a sure thing". People talk about Microsoft and Sony being the big players in the purchasing game, and they are, but Embracer is catching up to them fast. Instead of going for big studios, they're picking up dead, dying, and newborn studios and nursing them (and their IP) back to life. And while Sony and Microsoft have 20-30 studios a piece, Embracer has over 100 (so far).

Embracer Group - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I've only heard of a handful of them, and most of them don't even have a wikipedia page, but that's still an massive number. And Embracer only started in 2017, they're still in the early phase. Once these studios start releasing their games, things are going to go crazy. We have a new Timesplitters in development, a new Tomb Raider, a sequel to Battle for Bikini Bottom, and that's just off the top of my head. With the money coming in from their big games, they'll be able to give the smaller studios a bigger budget, hopefully giving them more attention, further bettering the company. Embracer isn't too relevant now, but I fully expect them to be massive in the next decade.

When it comes to a smash character, Lara Croft is the first character that comes to mind, and for obvious reasons. There's also Sergent Cortez, the Borderlands guy, and a few other well established characters. But since they have yet to fully mature, I think their biggest IPs might not yet exist, or are languishing in obscurity. Even if 1% of their smaller output is a hit, with 115+ studios that's at least one game that gets a big boost.

We don't know if Embracer Group would want to be involved in Smash. They might want to jump into the platform fighter scene with a platform fighter of their own.

 

[chocolatejr9]

I think Embracer getting a character in the next Smash game is somewhere between "likely" and "a sure thing". People talk about Microsoft and Sony being the big players in the purchasing game, and they are, but Embracer is catching up to them fast. Instead of going for big studios, they're picking up dead, dying, and newborn studios and nursing them (and their IP) back to life. And while Sony and Microsoft have 20-30 studios a piece, Embracer has over 100 (so far).

Embracer Group - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I've only heard of a handful of them, and most of them don't even have a wikipedia page, but that's still an massive number. And Embracer only started in 2017, they're still in the early phase. Once these studios start releasing their games, things are going to go crazy. We have a new Timesplitters in development, a new Tomb Raider, a sequel to Battle for Bikini Bottom, and that's just off the top of my head. With the money coming in from their big games, they'll be able to give the smaller studios a bigger budget, hopefully giving them more attention, further bettering the company. Embracer isn't too relevant now, but I fully expect them to be massive in the next decade.

When it comes to a smash character, Lara Croft is the first character that comes to mind, and for obvious reasons. There's also Sergent Cortez, the Borderlands guy, and a few other well established characters. But since they have yet to fully mature, I think their biggest IPs might not yet exist, or are languishing in obscurity. Even if 1% of their smaller output is a hit, with 115+ studios that's at least one game that gets a big boost.

I may be reading this the wrong way, but the way you described it makes me think of a combination of both Nintendo's and Microsoft/Sony's approach to acquisitions: obviously, they make sure to set money aside so that they can actually DO the buying, but they also make sure to funnel some of that money back into themselves, so that they can improve themselves and thus, they won't necessarily HAVE to buy other companies.

 

[dream1ng]

We don't know if Embracer Group would want to be involved in Smash. They might want to jump into the platform fighter scene with a platform fighter of their own.

Unless you're Sony you're probably not turning down the chance to be in Smash. Many companies have accepted simply being Mii costumes, let alone characters. Embracer has a few noteworthy characters, but if they made their own version, it'd be nowhere near Smash's level. And even if it was, Smash is a juggernaut that benefits all included.

This idea of mutual exclusivity in fighters is way overblown. You think Brawlhalla would stop Ubisoft from wanting to be in Smash? They are in Smash, and presumably they would've been even happier to actually get a character.

That said, I do not find Embracer's chances to be between "likely" and "a sure thing". Just being big doesn't make you likely. Look at Take-Two and EA. Other than Lara Croft they don't own any characters that seem like ones Nintendo would seek out for Smash. And even then it doesn't seem like Lara is a priority of theirs.

 

[PeridotGX]

Unless you're Sony you're probably not turning down the chance to be in Smash. Many companies have accepted simply being Mii costumes, let alone characters. Embracer has a few noteworthy characters, but if they made their own version, it'd be nowhere near Smash's level. And even if it was, Smash is a juggernaut that benefits all included.

This idea of mutual exclusivity in fighters is way overblown. You think Brawlhalla would stop Ubisoft from wanting to be in Smash? They are in Smash, and presumably they would've been even happier to actually get a character.

That said, I do not find Embracer's chances to be between "likely" and "a sure thing". Just being big doesn't make you likely. Look at Take-Two and EA. Other than Lara Croft they don't own any characters that seem like ones Nintendo would seek out for Smash. And even then it doesn't seem like Lara is a priority of theirs.

That's fair, I was probably a bit hyperbolic. I do think there's still a solid chance that they get something in a future game, purely based on how much they've expanded as of late. Eventually they'll have at least one IP that deserves to be in.

 

[dream1ng]

That's fair, I was probably a bit hyperbolic. I do think there's still a solid chance that they get something in a future game, purely based on how much they've expanded as of late. Eventually they'll have at least one IP that deserves to be in.

The chance is always there, but Embracer seems to have built their catalogue largely on acquiring b and c-tier western franchises, and those... just have a lot of work to do to get into Smash. That's why Tomb Raider, being an exception to that, seems like the only one that could plausibly do it.

But even still, the west is still a pretty untapped well when it comes to playable characters. There's enough to build entire rosters from what's left, so with the presumable limited number of slots that will go to this kind of inclusion, Lara just seems like one of many possible options to nab an elusive invitation.

 

[Wonder Smash]

Not sure how they can work around Lara Croft using real-world weapons.

Third party games that are published by Nintendo outside of Japan don't really get a whole ton of recognition in Smash tbh, even something like Hyrule Warriors (which is published by Koei Tecmo in Japan) had to wait until post-release to get some spirits for AOC.

Inversely, third party games that were published by Nintendo in Japan are more likely to get noticed. Like Rayman Legends or Culdcept.

Then again, Age of Calamity came out in 2020, so it's no surprise that content from that game was included in Smash later.

 

[PeridotGX]

Not sure how they can work around Lara Croft using real-world weapons.

There's a simple solution: they don't. Just let her use guns.

 

[Wonder Smash]

There's a simple solution: they don't. Just let her use guns.

Real-world guns?

 

[PeridotGX]

Real-world guns?

Joker also uses real guns, if i'm not mistaken. And the "innocent children" that you're pearl clutching on behalf of aren't going to be comforted by the knowledge that "actually Joker's gun is a model decoy".

 

[Gengar84]

Real-world guns?

Joker and Bayonetta’s guns are close enough to real guns. Bayonetta’s are pretty stylized but still a lot closer to normal guns than previous characters like Fox and ZSS. People that didn’t play Persona 5 would have no way of knowing that Joker’s guns are just replicas. They look pretty much identical to normal guns so I doubt that’s an issue anymore.

 

[Verde Coeden Scalesworth]

Snake also uses real guns. An explosive-based one is no less real. Missile Launchers are still a gun type. The notion of it being an issue was dropped after Melee(and there was more issues beyond that, of course).

The only gun that's reasonably fantastical in Smash is the Ray Gun, and only barely.

 

[Wonder Smash]

Snake doesn't use regular pistols or knives, which is likely what Sakurai or Nintendo doesn't want in Smash. He can easily get away with explosives.

Joker and Bayonetta’s guns are close enough to real guns. Bayonetta’s are pretty stylized but still a lot closer to normal guns than previous characters like Fox and ZSS. People that didn’t play Persona 5 would have no way of knowing that Joker’s guns are just replicas. They look pretty much identical to normal guns so I doubt that’s an issue anymore.

It's not a matter of looks. It's whether or not if these guns actually exist in real life. I don't think Sakurai has changed his mind on that. Plus, Bayonetta's gunshots are enhanced with her powers, so that's already a much different case compared to Snake, who doesn't have such abilities.

Joker also uses real guns, if i'm not mistaken. And the "innocent children" that you're pearl clutching on behalf of aren't going to be comforted by the knowledge that "actually Joker's gun is a model decoy".

If it's just a model decoy, then it's not even a real gun in the first place, so that's different.

 

[dream1ng]

If it's just a model decoy, then it's not even a real gun in the first place, so that's different.

If the game makes no distinction between a model and a legitimate gun, which Smash doesn't, the rating board won't either. And they've allowed Joker's. Ipso facto, pistols are acceptable in Smash.

 

[Verde Coeden Scalesworth]

...Missile Launchers are guns. Joker and Bayonetta's guns are not fantastical designs. The only one that is a legitimate fantasy gun is the Ray Gun(and again, barely). They're all real guns otherwise. The problem is not with the designs.

He might not be a fan of regular bullets, but guns themselves are not legitimately a problem. Lara Croft at worst would have to have her bullets look more fantasy-based, but she herself is not an issue. Not sure how he'd react to a more realistic knife, though. That's actually something he has yet to subvert. Joker's is definitely not realistic, unlike his gun.

 

[PeridotGX]

Snake doesn't use regular pistols or knives, which is likely what Sakurai or Nintendo doesn't want in Smash. He can easily get away with explosives.



It's not a matter of looks. It's whether or not if these guns actually exist in real life. I don't think Sakurai has changed his mind on that. Plus, Bayonetta's gunshots are enhanced with her powers, so that's already a much different case compared to Snake, who doesn't have such abilities.



If it's just a model decoy, then it's not even a real gun in the first place, so that's different.

Joker's gun is a model - of a real gun.

TT pistol - Wikipedia

en.m.wikipedia.org

And again, I don't think a six year old is going particularly care if a gun is a real brand or not, or if the lore (not mentioned in Smash, only in the M rated JRPG on another console) says that it's only a decoy.

 

[chocolatejr9]

Man, and they said Fire Emblem discourse got annoying after awhile...

Wait, that came out wrong. Sorry. I just don't get why we're talking about the GUNS of all things in Smash.

 

[Wonder Smash]

If the game makes no distinction between a model and a legitimate gun, which Smash doesn't, the rating board won't either. And they've allowed Joker's. Ipso facto, pistols are acceptable in Smash.

If it's a model gun in the game it's from, then it's a model gun in Smash too. It doesn't have to be mentioned in Smash.

...Missile Launchers are guns. Joker and Bayonetta's guns are not fantastical designs. The only one that is a legitimate fantasy gun is the Ray Gun(and again, barely). They're all real guns otherwise. The problem is not with the designs.

Missile Launchers are explosives, not regular pistols. Two very different things. It's easy to get around explosives but regular pistols and knives working like regular pistols and knives? That's a problem.

I really don't know why Bayonetta is brought up in the first place. Her guns are not even real, so she's irrelevant to this issue.

Joker's gun is a model - of a real gun.

And again, I don't think a six year old is going particularly care if a gun is a real brand or not, or if the lore (not mentioned in Smash, only in the M rated JRPG on another console) says that it's only a decoy.

It's a model gun, so it's not technically a real gun. Also, like Bayonetta, the bullets are enhanced by his powers, if I'm not mistaken, further making it less of a real-world weapon. It's something characters like Snake and Lara Croft don't have.

And with the image Nintendo has, I'm pretty sure THEY care if they see their characters being attacked by something that real. Seeing characters like Mario or Pikachu, or Ness being shot or cut by something that realistic? That would definitely be uncomfortable for some people.

 

[dream1ng]

I do believe there is a gradation of firearms that affect the rating differently. I think the cartoony stuff is on one end of the spectrum, and then you have the stuff that's a bit more... theatrical like rocket launchers and grenades (which is where I think the rating board used to draw the line, hence Snake's moveset), then there's the less... extreme guns like pistols and maybe shotguns, and at the other end you'd probably have the stuff like realistic assault rifles, which I wouldn't be surprised were those still prohibited in an E10 game.

And of course, how the bullets work also matters. In Smash, getting shot with a pistol seems tantamount to getting flicked.

Man, and they said Fire Emblem discourse got annoying after awhile...

Wait, that came out wrong. Sorry. I just don't get why we're talking about the GUNS of all things in Smash.

Because it's a potentially prohibiting factor? Same reason we've spent any time at all talking about how to alter potential victims of the pantyshot.

 

[Lionfranky]

If it's a model gun in the game it's from, then it's a model gun in Smash too. It doesn't have to be mentioned in Smash.



Missile Launchers are explosives, not regular pistols. Two very different things. It's easy to get around explosives but regular pistols and knives working like regular pistols and knives? That's a problem.

I really don't know why Bayonetta is brought up in the first place. Her guns are not even real, so she's irrelevant to this issue.



It's a model gun, so it's not technically a real gun. Also, like Bayonetta, the bullets are enhanced by his powers, if I'm not mistaken, further making it less of a real-world weapon. It's something characters like Snake and Lara Croft don't have.

And with the image Nintendo has, I'm pretty sure THEY care if they see their characters being attacked by something that real. Seeing characters like Mario or Pikachu, or Ness being shot or cut by something that realistic? That would definitely be uncomfortable for some people.

Ffs, show me ANY game rating agency that has realistic firearms as content descriptor. You can't.
Brawlhalla has same age rating as Ultimate. Lara can fire her pistols in that game without raising rating.

 

[dream1ng]

If it's a model gun in the game it's from, then it's a model gun in Smash too. It doesn't have to be mentioned in Smash.

That's not how the rating board works. They're not going to give a rating to something potentially sensitive in one game based on clarification given in another, separate game. They're going to rate the game solely with the context provided by that game.

And Smash clearly could've clarified it was a model if that's what it took to make it acceptable for E10, but they didn't even need to do that, because pistols, as they were implemented in Smash, are now within the realm of what's acceptable to maintain that rating.

 

[Yamat08]

I'm aware, but clearly that doesn't seem to count, which is understandable.

"Who's this samurai guy?"
"What, you didn't play the submode of the Wii version of Samurai Warriors 3?"

I think what Sakurai is looking for is an actual new game in the series.

I mean, can't be any worse than "Who's this blazing sword guy?" "What, you didn't play the Japan-only game that isn't even out yet?"

Nintendo tends to be a conservative company with their financials (a recent report on the number of actual employees there was fairly modest compared to others, particularly in the West) and doesn't tend to acquire developers unless the working relationship is so strong and the one in question fits perfectly in their general gaming strategy.

Particularly now, buying companies to get some sort of exclusivity wouldn't make much sense anyway. Many of the big Western ones tend to focus on big AAA projects with major costs, which aren't the kind of games Nintendo would want/need to have only be on their consoles. And with many of the ones in Japan, quite frankly the big N has just a strong control on that market, that they don't need to even to demand exclusivity, let alone purchase a company to get it. Many smaller developers are at the point where their releases won't do solid numbers back home unless there's a Switch version, and even a fairly wealthy corporation like Konami has gone all in on it because moderately budgeted Japanese only games on Nintendo are much safer releases financially than most big hypothetical Western oriented projects would be.

Put that way, it does make the acquisitions they actually have had, such as Monolith, seem all the more like a big deal.

5 - English Training: Have Fun Improving Your Skills! (…seriously, this was a best seller? This doesn't even have a Wikipedia page. At least this counts as an appearance for someone as it is taught by Barbra the Bat...)

It does have a Wiki page..... just not in English. Also, for what it's worth, you could just count the game as being part of Nintendo's Touch! Generations label (though if you count that as a "series", it'd also overlap with other series like Rhythm Heaven and Brain Age).

As for Smash, I don't think it change too much Lara Croft chances. Crystal dynamics always had partial rights to Tomb raider, so if Smash wanted the character they had to deal with a western studios either way even with Square.

Honestly how I feel. I never particularly saw Lara's chances as being particularly high just because Square Enix was on board, and the overseas negotiation in particular seems like a massive obstacle for her.

Well, yeah. That's because they're owned by Level 5.

Third party games that are published by Nintendo outside of Japan don't really get a whole ton of recognition in Smash tbh, even something like Hyrule Warriors (which is published by Koei Tecmo in Japan) had to wait until post-release to get some spirits for AOC.

And sadly, I'm willing to bet that Age of Calamity only got Spirits simply for the sake of promotion. The games may be published by Koei Tecmo in Japan, but you'd still think that Smash could feature them given that they are Nintendo's IPs all the same (again, I'm massively disappointed by the lack of content from the original Hyrule Warriors, even if it were just a Spirit or two, and Fire Emblem Warriors to a lesser extent).

Inversely, third party games that were published by Nintendo in Japan are more likely to get noticed. Like Rayman Legends or Culdcept.

Can't forget about Shovel Knight.

I don’t know what kind of world I’m living in lol. Gex hasn’t been relevant in forever. How is that IP so expensive?

Even crazier considering that the only attention it seems to have gotten in the past 20 years were digital re-releases on PSN and GOG. Though as was mentioned, it has become meme material lately (in fact, I think I posted a Scott the Woz video making reference to it a while back).

I do believe there is a gradation of firearms that affect the rating differently. I think the cartoony stuff is on one end of the spectrum, and then you have the stuff that's a bit more... theatrical like rocket launchers and grenades (which is where I think the rating board used to draw the line, hence Snake's moveset), then there's the less... extreme guns like pistols and maybe shotguns, and at the other end you'd probably have the stuff like realistic assault rifles, which I wouldn't be surprised were those still prohibited in an E10 game.

And of course, how the bullets work also matters. In Smash, getting shot with a pistol seems tantamount to getting flicked.

Pretty much this. Also, you gotta consider that no kid's going to grab a missile launcher or bazooka haphazardly hidden in their parents' dresser. On the other hand, stating this again, it's the Japanese CERO A rating that seems to be a bigger issue than the American ESRB E10+ rating (with the former appealing to younger audiences albeit in a different culture). Gun violence is an issue in America due to how easily accessible guns are and how some lazy parents could just leave them lying around the house. In Japan, civilian firearms are completely outlawed with the exception of hunting rifles, and even those are excruciatingly regulated (I think the permit needs to be renewed annually, and they're supposed to be locked up any time they're not in use).

 

[Mamboo07]

I would absolutely love to see Big Rig Mouth being Kirby's new Final Smash.

The idea of him inhaling a semi truck and using it to run over opponents is just ridiculous.

 

[fogbadge]

...Missile Launchers are guns. Joker and Bayonetta's guns are not fantastical designs. The only one that is a legitimate fantasy gun is the Ray Gun(and again, barely). They're all real guns otherwise. The problem is not with the designs.

He might not be a fan of regular bullets, but guns themselves are not legitimately a problem. Lara Croft at worst would have to have her bullets look more fantasy-based, but she herself is not an issue. Not sure how he'd react to a more realistic knife, though. That's actually something he has yet to subvert. Joker's is definitely not realistic, unlike his gun.

wait when did the real world get guns that get stronger the more damage you take?

 

[JOJONumber691]

Let me explain why Snake, Joker, and Bayonetta are allowed in with their Weapons.
Snake uses his improperly half the time, with his Weapons also being stuff an Average Joe on the Streets can’t really buy… at all. Not to mention how Snake actually got his Landmine changed during Brawl’s Development, so CERO stepped in and told Sakurai to change it.
Bayonetta’s Guns look very fantastical and function very differently in game than a typical, realistic gun, what with having four of them, half of them on your feet being pretty obviously impossible, likely giving Bayonetta a Pass by CERO considering her sex appeal was also censored as well.
Joker is a little trickier, but Joker actually does use his gun very improperly in Smash. Joker’s Gun in P5 is the TT-33 handgun, which is normally used like this, and is used with one hand, a more traditional way to hold a gun, even if still inaccurate in P5 anyways, but Smash exaggerates it far more, with the posing and especially Arsene’s Powerup making it clear that this gun is more fantastical in nature than its TT-33 Inspiration. Essentially, Joker did just enough to maintain a CERO A that honestly I’m genuinely shocked that it wasn’t cut entirely lmao.

 

[Verde Coeden Scalesworth]

wait when did the real world get guns that get stronger the more damage you take?

That has nothing to do with what I said, as I was talking about the design of the guns. Joker uses a realistically designed gun. That doesn't mean it works in all realistic ways.

 

[fogbadge]

That has nothing to do with what I said, as I was talking about the design of the guns. Joker uses a realistically designed gun. That doesn't mean it works in all realistic ways.

oh i misunderstood

on a side note thank goodness for that

 

[Sucumbio]

Man, and they said Fire Emblem discourse got annoying after awhile...

Wait, that came out wrong. Sorry. I just don't get why we're talking about the GUNS of all things in Smash.

... For Smash!

 

[Gengar84]

View attachment 351704

... For Smash!

Am I the only one that always thinks of Duke Nukem from Captain Planet when I see this guy? (probably lol)

 

[UberPyro64]

What are your guy's thoughts on the rumor or Sony buying Square Enix?

It would certainly be a big deal. In the context of Smash, we'd likely lose Cloud, Hero, Sephiroth, and possibly even Sora. And characters like Crono and Geno would never happen.

 

[Gengar84]

What are your guy's thoughts on the rumor or Sony buying Square Enix?

It would certainly be a big deal. In the context of Smash, we'd likely lose Cloud, Hero, Sephiroth, and possibly even Sora. And characters like Crono and Geno would never happen.

I would hate that because Square-Enix is one of my favorite developers ever and the thought of never getting any content in Smash or on Nintendo consoles again would really suck.

 

[Perkilator]

What are your guy's thoughts on the rumor or Sony buying Square Enix?

It would certainly be a big deal. In the context of Smash, we'd likely lose Cloud, Hero, Sephiroth, and possibly even Sora. And characters like Crono and Geno would never happen.

I remember seeing something about SE not being for sale at all, so I certainly don’t see Sony buying them any time soon.

 

[RileyXY1]

Although I don't think that Sony is done with buyouts after they got Bungie.

 

[UberPyro64]

I remember seeing something about SE not being for sale at all, so I certainly don’t see Sony buying them any time soon.

I was referring to this current rumor:

There was a problem fetching the tweet

It's not confirmed by any stretch, but it's been going around.

 

[RileyXY1]

I could see Sony buying SE. SE has been a loyal supporter of the Playstation since the PS1, after they jumped ship from Nintendo because Nintendo refused to embrace the then-new compact disc technology and continued to use cartridges. And it gives Sony full IP control of a variety of iconic IPs, particularly in the field of JRPGs, including Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Kingdom Hearts, Chrono Trigger, the World Ends With You, and more,

 

[PeridotGX]

I was referring to this current rumor:

There was a problem fetching the tweet

It's not confirmed by any stretch, but it's been going around.

None of the major purchases as of late have leaked. We didn't hear a peep about Bethesda, ActiBlizz, Bungie, not even the Eidos sale. I would take anyone claiming to know what's happening next with a hearty grain of salt.

 

[chocolatejr9]

What are your guy's thoughts on the rumor or Sony buying Square Enix?

It would certainly be a big deal. In the context of Smash, we'd likely lose Cloud, Hero, Sephiroth, and possibly even Sora. And characters like Crono and Geno would never happen.

IDK. Like, it makes sense, but at the same time it doesn't? I don't know if SE is the kind of company Sony would be looking for.

 

[NonSpecificGuy]

I think Embracer getting a character in the next Smash game is somewhere between "likely" and "a sure thing". People talk about Microsoft and Sony being the big players in the purchasing game, and they are, but Embracer is catching up to them fast. Instead of going for big studios, they're picking up dead, dying, and newborn studios and nursing them (and their IP) back to life. And while Sony and Microsoft have 20-30 studios a piece, Embracer has over 100 (so far).

Embracer Group - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

I've only heard of a handful of them, and most of them don't even have a wikipedia page, but that's still an massive number. And Embracer only started in 2017, they're still in the early phase. Once these studios start releasing their games, things are going to go crazy. We have a new Timesplitters in development, a new Tomb Raider, a sequel to Battle for Bikini Bottom, and that's just off the top of my head. With the money coming in from their big games, they'll be able to give the smaller studios a bigger budget, hopefully giving them more attention, further bettering the company. Embracer isn't too relevant now, but I fully expect them to be massive in the next decade.

When it comes to a smash character, Lara Croft is the first character that comes to mind, and for obvious reasons. There's also Sergent Cortez, the Borderlands guy, and a few other well established characters. But since they have yet to fully mature, I think their biggest IPs might not yet exist, or are languishing in obscurity. Even if 1% of their smaller output is a hit, with 115+ studios that's at least one game that gets a big boost.

What they’ll likely do is reestablish Eidos as it’s own brand and have the studios they acquired from Square operate underneath that. Much like they did before Square owned them and essentially liquidated Eidos.

This could be a good thing. Or it could be a bad thing. It’s a wait and see approach. The main takeaway tho is that. Embracer really doesn’t interfere with its studios. Koch Media (which is the parent of Deep Silver), Gearbox, THQNordic, and Saber are rather independent of EG which is, in itself, originally THQNordic AB ,the parent organization of THQNordic whom have a pretty lenient outlook on game development.

 

[Perkilator]

HWYR if Sephiroth's down air and down special were switched?

• Scintilla as a down air would have Sephiroth summoning a honeycomb below himself that would then gleam to damage opponents
• Hell's Gate as a down special would have Sephiroth teleport from the sky and using Masamune to bury/meteor opponents. However, this isn't as broken as you may think it is:
  • Using this in the air has you teleport less distance than on the ground
  • You can't cancel out of it nor can you move Sephiroth in the direction you tilt on the control stick

 

[Diddy Kong]

What are your guy's thoughts on the rumor or Sony buying Square Enix?

It would certainly be a big deal. In the context of Smash, we'd likely lose Cloud, Hero, Sephiroth, and possibly even Sora. And characters like Crono and Geno would never happen.

It seems the most likely scenario honestly, Square and Sony always had the best bond, business wise. I could see them (Sony) allow Hero to stay, but Cloud, Sephiroth and Sora always seemed to me as the most shakey newcomers in terms of staying for the long-term. I refrain from saying this cause people are (understandably) passionate about them.

 

[Dan Quixote]

It seems the most likely scenario honestly, Square and Sony always had the best bond, business wise. I could see them (Sony) allow Hero to stay, but Cloud, Sephiroth and Sora always seemed to me as the most shakey newcomers in terms of staying for the long-term. I refrain from saying this cause people are (understandably) passionate about them.

Perhaps this doomed timeline could become more based if we get Black Mage in return.