Official Next Smash - Speculation & Discussion Thread

[Gengar84]

I don't want any indie characters in Smash. They are indie because they are not popular because they are indie. Smash is for video game all stars and not for table scrap meme lords.

Eh, as long as the character is cool looking and/or is fun to play, I’ve got no issues. Some indie characters like Shovel Knight, Sans, and Shantae are more widely recognized than many from more established companies.

For example, I’ve never heard of Umbra Claw until I decided to watch a random trailer on YouTube on impulse but I feel like it’s main character could be fun in Smash.

Mako from Brawlhala is another cool indie design that would make for a really unique fighter in Smash.

 

[Sucumbio]

I think Undertale is deserving of recognition and really shows that even indie development can result in quality gaming and popularity.

 

[Gengar84]

I think Steve started as an Indie character before being bought by Microsoft, correct?

 

[Opossum]

So I decided to challenge myself to make a roster based on this interview with Sakurai from The Verge. Feel free to play along if you'd like:

Masahiro Sakurai on the future of Smash: ‘I’ve been doing too much of the work myself’

Where does Smash go from here?

www.theverge.com

"I think we’ve reached the limit, at least in terms of volume of content and fighters. Basically, if I were to have the opportunity to work on another Super Smash Bros. game, that means we would have to shrink the roster, but we need to think about whether fans would be pleased about that."

The question for us, obviously, is how much shrinking are we talking about here? The thing is you have to make room for newcomers, so even if we merely cut the roster by 10 you'd have to cut around 20 if you wanted a decent number of new challengers (which I'm sure the developers would prefer).

Personally, I think Sakurai will try to lessen cuts as much as he can, so I think a character count around 73 is reasonable (of course it could be less gulp). Let's go ahead and throw in a bonus fighter and make it 74. 74 still sounds like a lot, but if it's split up with DLC I think it's more manageable.

I wish we could keep everyone, but for my roster I'll be cutting 23 characters (AH!) and adding 14. It's a bit of a mix of what I think will happen and what I want to happen. For fun, you can also list why you're cutting, keeping, and adding certain characters:

Cut:
Dr. Mario (We'll make him an alt)
Rosalina (The unique fighters are the toughest calls, but I tried to choose the least impactful ones)
Piranha Plant
Young Link
Toon Link
Zero Suit Samus
Falco (Oof. He's been here since Melee, but he can come back)
Wolf
Pichu
Incineroar
Lucas (I don't like cutting from Starfox and Earthbound, but again I'm going for the least impactful)
Ice Climbers
Roy
Ike
Corrin (Hardest FE cut since they're so unique)
Wii Fit Trainer
Mii Fighters x 3 (Not sure if they'll be cut due to Mii costume DLC)
Joker
Hero
Terry
Min Min
Kazuya

Keep:
Mario
Luigi
Peach/Daisy
Bowser
Bowser Jr.
Donkey Kong
Diddy Kong
King K. Rool
Link (Ocarina of Time version)
Sheik
Zelda
Ganondorf (Will have new appropriate specials)
Samus (Make her faster and with rapid fire shots)
Ridley
Yoshi
Kirby
King Dedede
Meta Knight
Fox
Pikachu
Jigglypuff
Mewtwo
Pokémon Trainer
Lucario (Was going to cut until I realized they're now one of the most popular Pokémon ever!)
Greninja
Marth/Lucina
Robin
Byleth (I think these three FE reps are the best to keep. Marth due to being the face of the series, Robin due to Awakening saving the series, and Byleth due to Three Houses being the best selling game of the series)
Mr. Game and Watch
Pit/Dark Pit
Palutena
Wario
Olimar (With Rock, Ice, and Glow Pikmin!)
R.O.B
Villager
Isabelle
Little Mac
Shulk
Pyra/Mythra
Duck Hunt
Inkling (With Octoling Alts)
Snake
Sonic
Mega Man
Pac-man
Ryu/Ken
Cloud
Sephiroth
Bayonetta
Simon/Richter
Banjo and Kazooie
Steve
Sora

Add:

Waluigi (Finally?)
Dixie Kong (Semi-clone)
BOTW/TOTK Link (Fully based around the runes, sage powers, and combat within the two games)
Bandanna Dee
Meowscarada (The most popular gen 9 starter and has a unique magician archetype. It's hard to know who the Pokémon, FE, and XB reps will be, but if Smash comes out around 2025 I think the most recent games are the best bet.)
Alear (Fire Emblem Engage)
Noah (Xenoblade 3)
Andy (Advance Wars)
Issac (Golden Sun)
Tails
Ryu Hayabusa
Jill Valentine/Leon Kennedy
Crash
Master Chief
Geno

Wow, that was rough. I'm mostly satisfied with my roster, but the future of Smash sure is a bit scary isn't it?

If it came down to Rosalina OR Bowser Jr. being kept, it would 99% be Rosalina that stays. We have precedent for this, too. Bowser Jr. was very close to being cut in Smash 4 due to time constraints, per Sakurai himself. That means Rosalina was already considered higher priority internally.

 

[True Blue Warrior]

And Min Min in particular has some real DLC priviledge going for her.

Mewtwo mains: So let me get this straight, Min Min gets no hurtboxes on her ARMS even though you can canonically disable them in her home game and she is a heavy weight?!?

 

[CapitaineCrash]

They are indie because they are not popular because they are indie.

That's not how it works. Popularity have nothing to do with them being indie.

 

[Speed Weed]

I don't want any indie characters in Smash. They are indie because they are not popular because they are indie. Smash is for video game all stars and not for table scrap meme lords.

This is a completely reductionist and regressive line of thinking that erases the many accomplishments achieved by indie devs over the past years

 

[TCT~Phantom]

I don't want any indie characters in Smash. They are indie because they are not popular because they are indie. Smash is for video game all stars and not for table scrap meme lords.

This is a bad argument. It’s super bad faith. Games like Undertale, Hades, Celeste, and more have been some of the biggest critical successes and have had plenty of commercial success. I’d wager Sans and Undertale are more engrained in our cultural consciousness than ~50% of all first party newcomer options.

 

[Venus of the Desert Bloom]

Sans will never be in before more deserving and likable reps like Master Chief or Rayman!!

 

[Perkilator]

Sans will never be in before more deserving and likable reps like Master Chief or Rayman!!

Yeah, as I suspected. You’re just saying this for the sake of a joke.

 

[Will]

I don't want any indie characters in Smash. They are indie because they are not popular because they are indie. Smash is for video game all stars and not for table scrap meme lords.

It is confirmed that the only way an indie character will get into Smash is if the dev beats Sakurai in a 1v1

Sans will never be in before more deserving and likable reps like Master Chief or Rayman!!

I love when mods get wasted and ****post, does that mean I can do it too?

 

[MrMcNuts]

Sans will never be in before more deserving and likable reps like Master Chief or Rayman!!

I know this is satire but you said the Rayman word so I have to unironically hope you right.

Jokes aside I do feel Shovel Knight, Sans, Hades, and maybe Cuphead are the few modern indies that have rose to icon status that I could see getting playable in a smash game one day.

 

[Speed Weed]

oh

oh was it a josh

damn

 

[CannonStreak]

Here is a long post to be had.

Spoiler: Long Post.

I want to say something, something a bit random, but something I think that is important in Smash Bros. speculation, nonetheless.

It does seem there are people who do not want a character in the game, a detractor, in other words; will try to use logic to prove that such a character will not get in. However, I have noticed something...

What exactly is logic without emotion to go along with it?

It seems to me some people don't consider emotions when trying to detract about a character. Key word, some. I know some people here who do it, but there are other sites, which may include GameFAQs? Either way, emotions are an important part of speculation and trying to get a character in Smash. You can't just discard it.

I mean, Sakurai, himself. He is a human, and thus he has emotions. His mind can change on things with those emotions to let any character in Smash as a playable, and that can sometimes exclude guidelines, both from himself and from fans. Emotions can help greatly in overcoming hurdles and even logic itself, just like the hero characters in many stories, whose will power and courage, and maybe teamwork and friendship, can overcome so many things and obstacles, and even logic itself. The same can happen for Smash Bros. and anyone who is a character that can get into it.

Take Ridley and King K. Rool, for example. They had detractors that had reasons why they could not get in, such as irrelevancy and other things. But, the logic on how they got in aside, the detractors nor their logic did not ultimately stop them from being playable in Ultimate; all because of the emotions and love from the fans behind those characters and their willingness to push for them that got them in despite all things the detractors, fan rules and any other thing against them. It's the same with Waluigi, who has yet to be playable, but there is much love for him, which lead to the backlash Sakurai got when Waluigi was not playable in Ultimate. The emotions behind that can get Sakurai's attention, and with that, Cloud had detractors and "apparent" factors against him, and though Sakurai said he was a "difficult request", he ultimately got him in.

So I would not just say the logic behind things alone would get characters in, but emotions, so I don't think it matters what circumstances different characters have compared to each other. Well, they can matter, but even they are things meant to be overcome by emotions, so things like irrelevancy, what company they are from, their status and such can only do so much.

And on top of that, hate, the opposite of love, is something that leads to bad things, and additionally, it can, and has been so many times now, be overpowered by love, including those for a character. But whether you hate a character or not, anyone can be proven wrong, and trying to use logic alone without considering anything emotion related will only get you so far.

So, with all that said, let people be optimistic, let them hope and have emotions for a character, even if you don't like them. I mean, it is not the end of the world if a character you hate or dislike does get in as a playable character in a Smash game, after all. Even if no one was trying to keep such fans from being happy and push for their favorite character, all the better to post this as a reminder. With just one half of essential speculation that is logic, you can't truly win. Well, the other way around is true for emotions, but remember, emotions can be a great thing, and can help get characters in Smash, regardless of what logic can be used against them.

That's all I have to say.

 

[Aligo]

I mean what a lot of fighting games do is give heavies dedicated moves to play around projectiles. The classic example being Zangief's double lariat. Tbh I think that's more interesting and intuitive then some passive buff, especially when heavies are supposed to be weak to projectile users.

Bowser, DK and Charizard don't need it as much because they're speedy. Although DK really struggles in other areas, Bowser and Zard are actually fairly good. Still projectile weak but not to the point where it's totally lopsided. I see this three almost as rushdown/heavy hybrids.

I think we already talked about Incin and revenge.

Dedede and King K.Rool have....really lousy relfectors. DDD's is probably one of the worst at "reflecting" in the game. But tbh these heavies are some of the ones I know the least about. And I guess K.Rool's armor helps.

And Ganondorf's wizard kick is supposed to be an anti-projectile move with its high priority, I think. But while the move has its strengths it's far from enough. But Ganondorf suffers from having a rushdown moveset slapped haphazardly onto a heavy and really needs an overhaul anyway.


Anyway uh "Heavies are all bad" is just rushdown propaganda from people who hate zoners and is liable get you side-b'd off the edge by LeoN's Bowser. /s

The crux of the problem is that unlike in standard fighters, projectiles have incredibly low risk due to faster movement and bigger stages (also projectiles in smash have much better frame data than other games). As such, they should also be low reward. Currently characters like samus can easily get 30+ percent from a single charge shot, and it also trivialises covering horizontal recoveries.

Pyra is absolutely devastating in late percents and with her up-b and side-b especially worrisome when you're within ko percentage which is not even that high depending on the stage... Mythra is great at racking quick damage in neutral and then switch to pyra for the ko which btw is usually a stray u-air or footstool combo so not sure where the idea came that she's lacks ko potential for stray hits since it's usually that which leads to a winning setup... I'd keep them paired tho. They really do compliment each other, and with the perfection of transformation techniques her recovery isn't even bottom 20.

Side special KOs at 160% on lightweights with DI and prominence revolt is both slow and incredibly unsafe (I think it is like -54 on sheild). Uair KOs pretty late as well unless followed up from another move midair. Pyra and Mythra are heavily dependent on switching, far more so than Pokémon trainer, but since the movesets complement each other so well, you get a highly effective overall character with many options due to a larger pool of moves to choose from, even if those options include photon edge.

 

[Will]

Side special KOs at 160% on lightweights with DI and prominence revolt is both slow and incredibly unsafe (I think it is like -54 on sheild). Uair KOs pretty late as well unless followed up from another move midair. Pyra and Mythra are heavily dependent on switching, far more so than Pokémon trainer, but since the movesets complement each other so well, you get a highly effective overall character with many options due to a larger pool of moves to choose from, even if those options include photon edge.

Elite Smash Pyra/Mythra is a different breed with the delay-based connection. They’re in my Top 3 of most difficult characters to fight online.

 

[Gengar84]

Here is a long post to be had.

Spoiler: Long Post.

I want to say something, something a bit random, but something I think that is important in Smash Bros. speculation, nonetheless.

It does seem there are people who do not want a character in the game, a detractor, in other words; will try to use logic to prove that such a character will not get in. However, I have noticed something...

What exactly is logic without emotion to go along with it?

It seems to me some people don't consider emotions when trying to detract about a character. Key word, some. I know some people here who do it, but there are other sites, which may include GameFAQs? Either way, emotions are an important part of speculation and trying to get a character in Smash. You can't just discard it.

I mean, Sakurai, himself. He is a human, and thus he has emotions. His mind can change on things with those emotions to let any character in Smash as a playable, and that can sometimes exclude guidelines, both from himself and from fans. Emotions can help greatly in overcoming hurdles and even logic itself, just like the hero characters in many stories, whose will power and courage, and maybe teamwork and friendship, can overcome so many things and obstacles, and even logic itself. The same can happen for Smash Bros. and anyone who is a character that can get into it.

Take Ridley and King K. Rool, for example. They had detractors that had reasons why they could not get in, such as irrelevancy and other things. But, the logic on how they got in aside, the detractors nor their logic did not ultimately stop them from being playable in Ultimate; all because of the emotions and love from the fans behind those characters and their willingness to push for them that got them in despite all things the detractors, fan rules and any other thing against them. It's the same with Waluigi, who has yet to be playable, but there is much love for him, which lead to the backlash Sakurai got when Waluigi was playable in Ultimate. The emotions behind that can get Sakurai's attention, and with that, Cloud had detractors and "apparent" factors against him, and though Sakurai said he was a "difficult request", he ultimately got him in.

So I would not just say the logic behind things alone would get characters in, but emotions, so I don't think it matters what circumstances different characters have compared to each other. Well, they can matter, but even they are things meant to be overcome by emotions, so things like irrelevancy, what company they are from, their status and such can only do so much.

And on top of that, hate, the opposite of love, is something that leads to bad things, and additionally, it can, and has been so many times now, be overpowered by love, including those for a character. But whether you hate a character or not, anyone can be proven wrong, and trying to use logic alone without considering anything emotion related will only get you so far.

So, with all that said, let people be optimistic, let them hope and have emotions for a character, even if you don't like them. I mean, it is not the end of the world if a character you hate or dislike does get in as a playable character in a Smash game, after all. Even if no one was trying to keep such fans from being happy and push for their favorite character, all the better to post this as a reminder. With just one half of essential speculation that is logic, you can't truly win. Well, the other way around is true for emotions, but remember, emotions can be a great thing, and can help get characters in Smash, regardless of what logic can be used against them.

That's all I have to say.

Yeah, I always try to stay positive and never put anyone down for wanting characters that don’t particularly interest me. There aren’t really any characters that I outright don’t want to get in. I know everyone has their own preferences and I don’t expect Smash to cater specifically to my tastes. I just try to be happy for the fans of the characters that do make it in. You never know, even a character you didn’t care about initially might be a lot of fun to play.

The closest I really have to a character I don’t want is Conker. Not because I hate him but because that would basically rule out a lot of my most wanted characters, seeing as he’s not only a Microsoft character, but also a RARE character. I don’t expect to get two or more RARE characters if we get any at all. I just never really got into Conker’s Bad Fur Day while Battletoads, Killer Instinct, and Perfect Dark were some of my favorite games ever. Still, even in the event that we do get Conker and none of my personal favorites, I’d still be okay with it because I know others would be happy.

 

[Venus of the Desert Bloom]

It is confirmed that the only way an indie character will get into Smash is if the dev beats Sakurai in a 1v1


I love when mods get wasted and ****post, does that mean I can do it too?

I’ve been sober for 3 months thank you very much!

Truth be told, I do not want indie reps in Smash but that’s partially because I don’t really go for indie games. I’m not opposed to their inclusion like how some people can be concerning characters they don’t want to see. That being said, from my perspective, I would rather prefer Master Chief over Sans any day. Both from my own personal perspective but also from a marketing and, yes I made this word up, deserveability factor.

I would be fine with an indie rep but I would also probably gripe for half the day after the reveal but not like a gripe that would cause me to be banned or anything. Just like a groaning gripe. I’m usually pretty cool when a character gets in Smash and will golf clap the fan base.

 

[Gengar84]

I’ve been sober for 3 months thank you very much!

Truth be told, I do not want indie reps in Smash but that’s partially because I don’t really go for indie games. I’m not opposed to their inclusion like how some people can be concerning characters they don’t want to see. That being said, from my perspective, I would rather prefer Master Chief over Sans any day.

I would be fine with an indie rep but I would also probably gripe for half the day after the reveal but not like a gripe that would cause me to be banned or anything. Just like a groaning gripe.

I’d accept it either way but my excitement would almost entirely depend on the character design and to a slightly lesser extent, moveset. I don’t play many indie games myself so I don’t really have a strong attachment to any of them. I’ll always be excited for a cool looking character with a fun moveset even if I never heard of them previously. It wouldn’t be the first time I didn’t know of a character before they made into Smash for me. I don’t think I knew about Marth, Roy, Mr. Game and Watch, Lucas, and the Ice Climbers. My favorite of these is Roy since I always thought he had a pretty cool design.

 

[MasterCheef]

Well this just made speculation waaay more exciting.

Nintendo's 10-Year Deal With Microsoft May Cover More Activision Games Than Just Call Of Duty

According to recent documents, Nintendo's deal with Microsoft might cover other future Activision Blizzard Games for the next ten years.

exputer.com

 

[RodNutTakin]

Something I've been thinking about, and I could be just reading into things way to deep here, but that Sakurai interview someone mentioned earlier about "the roster will have to be shrunk if I direct again", do you think he left the definition of "shrunk" vague on purpose?
It feels like it's worded in a way that would be exploitable. If Smash 6 shipped with only around 70 fighters total instead of Ultimate's 80+, that would still be technically "shrinking" the roster, even if it's only by a small amount. Even then, the wording can also be used to mean just for the base game, while DLC pours out a bunch of new and returning characters to offset the base cuts.
And of course, I also need a refresher of exactly when the interview he said that statement took place--if it was early on in the Ultimate cycle, then it's very possible that this outlook could've changed from then and now, especially considering how well Ultimate fared in terms of sales and advertising.

 

[Soy_Man]

Well this just made speculation waaay more exciting.

Nintendo's 10-Year Deal With Microsoft May Cover More Activision Games Than Just Call Of Duty

According to recent documents, Nintendo's deal with Microsoft might cover other future Activision Blizzard Games for the next ten years.

exputer.com

Does this actually change much? In terms of the likelihood of certain characters?

 

[MasterCheef]

Does this actually change much? In terms of the likelihood of certain characters?

it makes it much easier for Nintendo to get any ( Activision Blizzard moving to Microsoft ) character they want.

 

[SPEN18]

Can't say I'm a big fan of transformation characters. I just don't think the gimmick is worth the necessary resources and it often leads to characters getting in who wouldn't be in otherwise.

 

[Gengar84]

Can't say I'm a big fan of transformation characters. I just don't think the gimmick is worth the necessary resources and it often leads to characters getting in who wouldn't be in otherwise.

I think that’s a good thing. Sheik is one of the coolest characters in Smash and Zero Suit Samus is cool too. I also enjoy playing as Mythra, Ivysaur, and Squirtle. The last two being some of the most unique characters on the roster. We do still get unusual characters not tied to transformations like Piranha Plant so that wouldn’t mean we only get all stars with no transformations.

 

[Momotsuki]

It's obviously only a mod so I can't speak to what he'd be like in an official game, but i've played a bit of Sans in REMIX and he's honestly really fun. I was worried he'd just be a walking ****post in the "haha funny skeleton" vein but he's actually quite well-made and made with a fair amount of respect to the character and source material. And more importantly, he's fun to play as. It's pretty much sold me on the idea of him as a fighter, assuming an official game does as good a job.

I guess the main thing would be that he's a walking spoiler, but the things going on with Sans may be one of the worst-kept secrets in all of fiction. I genuinely don't know if a person exists who knows of Undertale but not of Sans' hidden depths. And it's not like Smash has ever cared about that anyway, with Sans' Mii costume literally having a Gaster Blaster strapped to it.

 

[SPEN18]

Whoever replaces Sakurai will have big shoes to fill, especially if they are someone much younger than him. Whether or not a new (possibly younger) director means more diversity in the roster or not is debatable. Personally I believe that, unless a Zelda newcomer does incredibly well in a hypothetical future ballot, the Zelda roster will most likely remain exclusively Triforce wielders.

I said before that we shouldn't just assume a particular trend would radically change if somebody else were to take on the reins from Sakurai.
But like I said, bias against non-Triforce characters either might not be an actual thing or, if it is, would be something that has a chance to resolve at some point. Either way, I don't think it's something that ought to stunt demand for such characters.

 

[Idon]

I said before that we shouldn't just assume a particular trend would radically change if somebody else were to take on the reins from Sakurai.
But like I said, bias against non-Triforce characters either might not be an actual thing or, if it is, would be something that has a chance to resolve at some point. Either way, I don't think it's something that ought to stunt demand for such characters.

It shouldn't but it does.

Perceived realistic odds for characters is absolutely vital in maintaining longstanding popularity. Wishing for an impossibility is nothing short of delusion and I think no clearer example exists is when someone is deconfirmed via Assist Trophy and its fanbase immediately shrinks and all that are left are those people that partake in such delusion.

Even when notions are not explicitly said or proven, decades of spirit-crushing reaffirments and waits without hope will wear down on a fanbase.

 

[True Blue Warrior]

What would you reaction be if we did get a Zelda newcomer that wasn’t a Triforce user and it was Urbosa?

I was worried he'd just be a walking ****post in the "haha funny skeleton"

This reminds me of how glad I am that not a single Smash character is modelled after online memes unlike Shaggy in Multiversus.

 

[fogbadge]

What exactly is logic without emotion to go along with it?

cybermen

 

[Laniv]

What would you reaction be if we did get a Zelda newcomer that wasn’t a Triforce user and it was Urbosa?

As long as she's fun to play, I'll take her

 

[Nabbitfan730]

Whoever replaces Sakurai will have big shoes to fill, especially if they are someone much younger than him. Whether or not a new (possibly younger) director means more diversity in the roster or not is debatable.

This. I never understood a certain section of fans who believe just by getting a new director, all their wants and wishes will magically come into place and that Old Sakurai is put in his place. I'm not saying Sakurai is infallible and he physically can't work on Smash forever but a finding a new director isn't easy or a quick fix as fan make it out to be.

There is a reason Nintendo at first was just going to port Melee on Wii instead if Sakurai and Sakurai does make remark on how tiresome it can be. If there is a successor, I hope it's someone handpicked by Sakurai himself. Maybe someone like Shinya Kumazaki.

I don't want any indie characters in Smash. They are indie because they are not popular because they are indie. Smash is for video game all stars and not for table scrap meme lords.

Like the other said, I highly disagree. I say that Smash 6 could benefit if Indie reps got a bigger focus. Since the Wii U days, Nintendo has maintained a strong relationships with the Indie Scene. They were basically the backbone for the Wii-U and early 2017 Switch until MK8D hit the selves. Picks like Shovel Knight, Sans, Quote, Shantae, Reimu etc would be nice to see.

 

[Oracle Link]

Huh okay another time i dont know why i even have to say this but Smash HAS to keep a small link because not everyone grew up on the 3d zeldas and link started out as a kid!
Heck Ganondorf consistently calls link a kid even in the non english versions of TOTK! Link is or gets retconned to a kid/ teen in every single top down Zelda! also having oot and champion link is double dipping in the adult link pool you can just have the classic link moveset be toon link!

 

[MasterCheef]

Huh okay another time i dont know why i even have to say this but Smash HAS to keep a small link because not everyone grew up on the 3d zeldas and link started out as a kid!
Heck Ganondorf consistently calls link a kid even in the non english versions of TOTK! Link is or gets retconned to a kid/ teen in every single top down Zelda! also having oot and champion link is double dipping in the adult link pool you can just have the classic link moveset be toon link!

LoL, Link has always been a , ( child / teenager ) , even in TOTK.

Link

"But then, when all hope had died, and the hour of doom seemed at hand... a young boy clothed in green appeared as if from nowhere. Wielding the blade of evil's bane, he sealed the dark one away and gave the land light." — The Wind Waker Prologue Link (リンク, Rinku?, ) is the main protagonist of...

zelda-archive.fandom.com

 

[Momotsuki]

To be quite honest I don't trust anyone other than Sakurai* to direct a Smash game. To quote Harada, he's probably the only one who could properly make that game.

But of course, there will be a Smash game without him one way or another. Perhaps he simply doesn't want to make the next one. Or perhaps we are reminded of the realities of the mortal coil. Either way, he won't be directing the series forever.

When it does happen - and again, it will - I suppose his successor will just have to prove themselves when the time comes.

*Besides me of course. Obviously I'm always right and would create a flawless Smash masterpiece were I the director. Naturally.

 

[Sucumbio]

He's only 52 he's got a least one if not 2 more Smash games in him though I think he's probably going to get way more help this next game since his biggest issue previously was having to do so many parts of the game. He even worked on the trailers and marketing and just everything every little detail, but it just shows HE didn't trust anyone to do those things justice.

 

[Will]

If any new director oversees Smash you’ll see a wave of elitists swearing they’ll never ever play Smash again.

Like cmon it can’t be that bad if it happens.

 

[Gengar84]

I imagine that Sakurai would remain on as an advisory role even if someone else took over as director.

 

[CannonStreak]

cybermen

Sorry, I just had to like that post of yours. It was good.

Of course, I really don’t have to apologize, but I wanted to say it that way, anyway.

 

[SPEN18]

It shouldn't but it does.

No argument there. I'm not unaware of the effect.



I know the wording was pretty blurry, but that's why I said I think it ought not affect things, at least not nearly as much as it inevitably does.

I will say, though, that a lot of fanbases are able to at least eventually recover from disconfirmations. And I think fans of, say, an AT character would be smarter to continue talking up their character and maintaining visibility for the sake of future speculation cycles, even though I know most fans don't have that amount of fortitude and forethought.
It's not delusional to support an unlikely occurrence as long as you're honest enough with yourself about the chances, and able to handle it maturely if it doesn't ultimately come to pass.



In the case of the Zelda reps, obviously continually not getting them is going to hamper hopes and increase traction for theories about Sakurai holding something specifically against that character type. That's why I said "I can understand not being optimistic" about them. But then I just left a reminder that we shouldn't assume a rule of "no non-Triforce reps" from the pattern of not having gotten them before, especially when, even if there is a rule, there is a non-negligible chance that it could soon lose relevance.
Again, I agree that we shouldn't assume certain issues will just suddenly go away if we "get rid of Sakurai," but something like this, i.e. some kind of fan-hypothesized bias from Sakurai himself, is the sort of thing that could plausibly, not outright surely, but plausibly, be affected by a change in leadership.