Official Next Smash - Speculation & Discussion Thread

[Will]

I haven't touched TF2 in more than half a decade, I'd honestly forgotten he was Scottish.

The TF2 devs probably know exactly how you feel.

 

[fogbadge]

There may be more BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP than there are the likes of him, but he's still a black Scottish cyclops.

Ah yes, avoiding the obvious stereotypes they made him a different stereotype

 

[Wonder Smash]

Hey guys, what do you think about a grand theft auto character or Tetris character getting in smash? I read that both titles were second and third of the highest selling right behind Minecraft. GTA has plenty of protag characters to use and while I understand the blocks in tetris can be difficult to craft a moveset for I believe it can be done. What about your thoughts on that?

I think maybe a Tetris block assist trophy can work. Like the blocks coming down the ground, doing damage the opponents.

As for GTA, I'm also not a fan of the idea and I can't picture Nintendo going for it. There's no way to get around the realistic depiction of weapons, the series image is just too different from Nintendo (and every other series that's represented), and it's from a western company that Nintendo doesn't really have much of a history with. They would just look so out of place in a Smash Bros game.

 

[Kirbeh]

As far as Western reps go, I think Microsoft (Halo + anything Rare or Blizzard), Ubisoft (Rayman/AC), Bethesda (TES/FO), and Embracer (Tomb Raider) are the best bets as far as major studios are concerned. Microsoft alone could fill multiple third-party base game slots and DLC fighters passes with all the properties they've acquired.

Despite how most people seem to treat them, my view on indies is also a bit more optimistic. They made a point of acknowledging games like Undertale, Shantae and Shovel Knight (and acknowledging that they're aware of the demand) so while I don't think their chances are particularly high, I do think they have a shot.

 

[DarthEnderX]

Sorry if it sounds a little rude, but I really hope people stop talking about porting Ultimate / Ultimate DX soon.

With the Switch successor presumably maintaining a similar model, if they don't want to let go of Smash Ultimate it would make much more sense to simply start a third wave of DLC.

That's what Ultimate Deluxe IS. Ultimate Deluxe comes out on Super Switch with all DLC included. Then they start adding more DLC.

AKA, the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe model. Only...without the 5 year wait this time.

if we're gonna have scottish characters in smash i'd rather it be a lemming

Good pick. But a better one is:

 

[UserKev]

People really underestimate the quirky aspect a GTA character would suddenly bring to Smash. Not that I necessarily approve the idea, but GTA's realism is HOW the right GTA rep would actually blend in like CJ due to his meme appeal, much like Solid Snake. Sakurai is a genius and if he and Rockstar shared interest, you can bet he'd work his magic in giving CJ a Smash incarnation.

 

[Gengar84]

As far as Western reps go, I think Microsoft (Halo + anything Rare or Blizzard), Ubisoft (Rayman/AC), Bethesda (TES/FO), and Embracer (Tomb Raider) are the best bets as far as major studios are concerned. Microsoft alone could fill multiple third-party base game slots and DLC fighters passes with all the properties they've acquired.

Despite how most people seem to treat them, my view on indies is also a bit more optimistic. They made a point of acknowledging games like Undertale, Shantae and Shovel Knight (and acknowledging that they're aware of the demand) so while I don't think their chances are particularly high, I do think they have a shot.

I feel like League of Legends is a bit underrated as far as western reps go. The Switch has had multiple LoL spinoff games and Riot helped with Pokemon Unite. Arcane was a hugely successful Netflix series with another season in production that might be out just in time for the next Smash. They also had a pretty successful digital card game in Legends of Runeterra that shows that the IP can see success across multiple genres.

As far as Embracer Group goes, I’d absolutely love to see something from Legacy of Kain or Darksiders but neither are particularly likely. Borderlands is another possibility though as the whole series was released on Switch and has also had multiple spinoff games. Tomb Raider is probably still the most likely from them though.

Finally, I think Mortal Kombat is more than iconic enough to get some content if they can work out some potential hurdles regarding the violent content. The MK cartoon, first two movies, and Injustice proves that gore isn’t essential to capture the essence of the characters. It’s just a question if Nintendo/Sakurai wants to bring them in despite the lack of presence in Japan.

 

[Louie G.]

That's what Ultimate Deluxe IS. Ultimate Deluxe comes out on Super Switch with all DLC included. Then they start adding more DLC.

But why even release this at all? Smash Ultimate will be playable on the next console, they will be selling Switch games into the distant future well after the next generation comes out. Why go through the trouble of convincing Square Enix, Disney etc to package their characters into a brand new release, when the whole reason some of these characters are playable at all was likely because they could be sold as DLC, if you can just make millions off the game that everyone already owns without needing to update any licenses? Wouldn't it be best to just update the existing title where there is already such a large playerbase? You can continue to update Smash Ultimate on new hardware, I'm sure.

I'm not even arguing against the idea of adding onto Ultimate, it's objectively the best case scenario. I don't think it's likely at all, but at that point just release separate DLC that all of the 32 million owners of Smash Ultimate can indulge in rather than upselling them and doing all the dirty work all over again. Most other fighting games that release these sort of deluxe packages do not have the same baggage that Smash does with its many, many licenses.

Now this, I can agree with.

 

[Wonder Smash]

People really underestimate the quirky aspect a GTA character would suddenly bring to Smash. Not that I necessarily approve the idea, but GTA's realism is HOW the right GTA rep would actually blend in like CJ due to his meme appeal, much like Solid Snake. Sakurai is a genius and if he and Rockstar shared interest, you can bet he'd work his magic in giving CJ a Smash incarnation.

I really don't see how. Wouldn't the realism be why a GTA character WOULDN'T blend in? And I also don't think Sakurai would misrepresent the series either. If he can't make get an accurate portrayal of how CJ plays in GTA, then he probably won't bother adding him in Smash.

 

[RileyXY1]

But why even release this at all? Smash Ultimate will be playable on the next console, they will be selling Switch games into the distant future well after the next generation comes out. Why go through the trouble of convincing Square Enix, Disney etc to package their characters into a brand new release, when the whole reason some of these characters are playable at all was likely because they could be sold as DLC, if you can just make millions off the game that everyone already owns without needing to update any licenses? Wouldn't it be best to just update the existing title where there is already such a large playerbase? You can continue to update Smash Ultimate on new hardware, I'm sure.

I'm not even arguing against the idea of adding onto Ultimate, it's objectively the best case scenario. I don't think it's likely at all, but at that point just release separate DLC that all of the 32 million owners of Smash Ultimate can indulge in rather than upselling them and doing all the dirty work all over again. Most other fighting games that release these sort of deluxe packages do not have the same baggage that Smash does with its many, many licenses.

We don't know if the next console will even have backwards compatibility.

 

[Sucumbio]

That's what Ultimate Deluxe IS. Ultimate Deluxe comes out on Super Switch with all DLC included. Then they start adding more DLC.

AKA, the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe model. Only...without the 5 year wait this time.

Good pick. But a better one is:

View attachment 381189

Super Foldable 4 screen Switch!

I think you've single handedly convinced me this would be the best pursuit. Now if only Nintendo figures it out...

 

[Louie G.]

Western reps

In my eyes there are two characters to watch - Sans and Master Chief.

Sans, or I suppose I can generalize to just say "Undertale content", is in about as perfect a scenario as you can be. A Mii Costume that has created an equivalent amount of buzz to a playable character, paired with a special acknowledgement of that character's popularity. A game whose reputation extends beyond the west well into Japan, where it has been immensely popular to the extent of receving an orchestral anniversary celebration. Toby Fox speaks Japanese and writes a column at Sakurai's old stomping grounds Famitsu, and has been in the man's house. The foot is in the door, the popularity is inarguable, it would likely be extremely easy and not all that expensive to negotiate. And when compared to the other indie candidates, no offense to Shovel Knight or Shantae, but it isn't even close - not that they're really in direct competition, but just since you mentioned them I think Undertale is in a world apart right now.

And then Master Chief kinda justifies himself, granted I think he would be DLC rather than base game. This is the BIG ONE, like one of the last remaining practical additions who could make those monumental headlines and get new heads turning toward Smash. I think Banjo and Steve are both relatively safe characters to see return, both of which are some of the most popular new additions from Ultimate and emblematic of a continual bond between Nintendo and Microsoft. But Microsoft is a big company, so if these two are negotiated to return in base game I could see a deal being struck to add a character later as DLC - similarly to what I presume has been going on with Square Enix. And Chief is the biggest slam dunk, even taking into account all the characters Microsoft has bought out. We're two characters in but neither of them are quite "Xbox" characters. I think it's probably time to give them their mascot.

Special mention to Rayman, who is a bit of a wildcard. The option is always there and now he's literally been in a kinda-sorta Mario game... not many characters can say that. The relationship with Ubisoft is a pretty strong one but Rayman's notoriety remains VERY heavily skewed toward western soil. We can only hope the recent uptick in his presence has fueled the fire to keep him in the public eye and give this campaign another wind. Other than these guys I'm not too confident in any western characters, although I'm sure the campaigns for Crash and Doom Slayer will carry on.

 

[Nickthebrick1]

What do you guys think about getting a Pokémon in smash that wasn't from the most recent starter line at the time of game's release? Like maybe we can get eevee to where their game mechanic would be transforming in its different evolutions mid-battle. Or maybe another legendary Pokémon such as Arceus? Maybe even a villainous character such as blue or even Giovanni?

 

[Swamp Sensei]

What do you guys think about getting a Pokémon in smash that wasn't from the most recent starter line at the time of game's release? Like maybe we can get eevee to where their game mechanic would be transforming in its different evolutions mid-battle. Or maybe another legendary Pokémon such as Arceus? Maybe even a villainous character such as blue or even Giovanni?

Ideas aside...

Blue isn't even remotely villainous.

 

[Sucumbio]

I predict Master Chief will be the 6th DLC.

 

[Nickthebrick1]

Ideas aside...

Blue isn't even remotely villainous.

Maybe antagonistic is a better word?

 

[SPEN18]

What do you guys think about getting a Pokémon in smash that wasn't from the most recent starter line at the time of game's release?

Honestly one of the streaks I'd like to see broken the most. Pokemon has a lot of great evergreen options to consider.

Generally, I think the targets for older-gen representatives should be those mons which are very consistently popular and promoted across their histories.

Like maybe we can get eevee to where their game mechanic would be transforming in its different evolutions mid-battle.

I don't think the mid-battle evolution mechanic would work, but Eevee has plenty of interesting potential on its own, even with a more "standard" kit focusing around playfully messing with its opponents. I've also seen movesets for Eevee where there is no evolution mechanic but the kit still focuses around Eevee as a multi-elemental user, possibly with its exclusive moves from Let's Go. So it has a few potential directions to take. And even with a less complicated moveset, its evolutions can still be referenced via the Final Smash and/or the palette swaps.

 

[Nickthebrick1]

Honestly one of the streaks I'd like to see broken the most. Pokemon has a lot of great evergreen options to consider.

Generally, I think the targets for older-gen representatives should be those mons which are very consistently popular and promoted across their histories.



I don't think the mid-battle evolution mechanic would work, but Eevee has plenty of interesting potential on its own, even with a more "standard" kit focusing around playfully messing with its opponents. I've also seen movesets for Eevee where there is no evolution mechanic but the kit still focuses around Eevee as a multi-elemental user, possibly with its exclusive moves from Let's Go. So it has a few potential directions to take. And even with a less complicated moveset, its evolutions can still be referenced via the Final Smash and/or the palette swaps.

I disagree on the mid-battle evolution mechanic not working. Sure it'll take a hefty amount of work for the developers compared to other fighters but I think it's possible. This guy managed to make it work and works similar to characters that have meters whenever they deal or dealt damage. Just tilt the joystick in a certain direction when its time and presto. This guy managed to make it work:

 

[Sucumbio]

Terastallizing mechanism maybe?

 

[SPEN18]

Terastallizing mechanism maybe?

Not what I would pick but I could imagine them doing something like that to represent SV with a mon like Eevee as a vessel, as Eevee fits the "can be any type" spirit of Tera

 

[DarthEnderX]

But why even release this at all? Smash Ultimate will be playable on the next console, they will be selling Switch games into the distant future well after the next generation comes out.

Remaster it for Super Switch's higher resolution I assume? Hopefully improve the netcode?

I doubt Nintendo will want one of it's flagship Switch 2 titles looking like a Switch 1 game.

 

[NintenZ]

Been playing Project X Zone

You know it comes to my attention these two would be absolutely RAW in Smash, sign me up for them.

 

[Kirbeh]

I disagree on the mid-battle evolution mechanic not working. Sure it'll take a hefty amount of work for the developers compared to other fighters but I think it's possible. This guy managed to make it work and works similar to characters that have meters whenever they deal or dealt damage. Just tilt the joystick in a certain direction when its time and presto. This guy managed to make it work:

I mean sure, input wise it "works" and it's a creative idea for sure, but in actual practice I don't see the benefits of this over just making them all separate semi-clones/echoes of one another. If I want to play as Vaporeon or Glaceon or whichever one specifically, I have to go through the extra step of playing Eevee for a bit for the chance to get to what I want?

A player could easily lose their stock before they get the chance to evolve, and if they just want to play as their preferred eeveelution that's not an option on its own. And they're not even proper upgrades? Defeats the purpose of making the evolution your reward for gaining that experience.

At least with transform/swap characters you can choose who you start the match as or swap freely at your leisure. I'm personally okay with stuff like or but a 9-in-1 character does push things way past simply being bloated to being kind of absurd.

With transform characters there's strategy in switching your character/playstyle throughout the match. With this you're locking in one choice anyway; you're just being forced to play Eevee first.

I'm not an Eevee supporter, but I think solo Eevee can be a perfectly fine character on their own. And at least for me, just Eevee on their own would be preferable to trying to stuff all of them into "one character". I mean, especially dev wise, that's 9 characters worth of work just for this concept.

I'd personally prefer if they just picked one and maybe gave them an echo as either Glaceon/Leafeon or Espeon/Umbreon. Or for the Super Smash Land fan in me; Vaporeon with no echo since it's the most unique in terms of what could be done with its body type. Solo Sylveon too actually. You could have it use its ribbons for attacks the others wouldn't be able to replicate as echoes.

Been playing Project X Zone

You know it comes to my attention these two would be absolutely RAW in Smash, sign me up for them.
View attachment 381190

Just scrap any ideas for a follow up to Lifelight and give us a cool intro like NxC with Brave New World as the main theme. I'm dead serious btw. Whether it's 3D or 2D I just want an actual intro movie that's not a gameplay montage. Also, Brave New World is too much of a banger to not use. Leagues better than Lifelight (no offense) and it's already a crossover song! I say just go all in and treat the new game's lore/aesthetic like an expanded PXZ.

And raise the game's CERO rating to C (15+) or at least B (12+) while they're at it. For one, I don't understand how they're getting away with an A rating, and second, I think trying to keep it at that is holding the series back in terms of content in some areas. For the record Namco x Capcom and Project X Zone are rated 12+. I really don't think that's a big ask, but then again Mario's on the cover so Nintendo's not going to have it.

 

[smashkirby]

Been playing Project X Zone

You know it comes to my attention these two would be absolutely RAW in Smash, sign me up for them.
View attachment 381190

Heck, yes! I'd love Reiji and Xiaomu as potential Namco characters!

Just scrap any ideas for a follow up to Lifelight and give us a cool intro like NxC with Brave New World as the main theme. I'm dead serious btw. Whether it's 3D or 2D I just want an actual intro movie that's not a gameplay montage. Also, Brave New World is too much of a banger to not use. Leagues better than Lifelight (no offense) and it's already a crossover song! I say just go all in and treat the new game's lore/aesthetic like an expanded PXZ.

And raise the game's CERO rating to C (15+) or at least B (12+) while they're at it. For one, I don't understand how they're getting away with an A rating, and second, I think trying to keep it at that is holding the series back in terms of content in some areas. For the record Namco x Capcom and Project X Zone are rated 12+. I really don't think that's a big ask, but then again Mario's on the cover so Nintendo's not going to have it.

Yeah, I do hope Smash gets a more 'hype' opening theme at some point. Lifelight was... NOT it.

 

[NintenZ]

Heck, yes! I'd love Reiji and Xiaomu as potential Namco characters!

I'd love to see them, Valkyrie, Yuri Lowell, or Cress Albane, I think Namco has some wonderful choices honestly!

 

[fogbadge]

That's what Ultimate Deluxe IS. Ultimate Deluxe comes out on Super Switch with all DLC included. Then they start adding more DLC.

AKA, the Mario Kart 8 Deluxe model. Only...without the 5 year wait this time.

Good pick. But a better one is:

View attachment 381189

no thanks

Ideas aside...

Blue isn't even remotely villainous.

and yet he's so much more hateable

 

[Lionfranky]

And then Master Chief kinda justifies himself, granted I think he would be DLC rather than base game. This is the BIG ONE, like one of the last remaining practical additions who could make those monumental headlines and get new heads turning toward Smash. I think Banjo and Steve are both relatively safe characters to see return, both of which are some of the most popular new additions from Ultimate and emblematic of a continual bond between Nintendo and Microsoft. But Microsoft is a big company, so if these two are negotiated to return in base game I could see a deal being struck to add a character later as DLC - similarly to what I presume has been going on with Square Enix. And Chief is the biggest slam dunk, even taking into account all the characters Microsoft has bought out. We're two characters in but neither of them are quite "Xbox" characters. I think it's probably time to give them their mascot.

Do you think Japan isn't that much of roadblock as other people think? During 360 era, Halo did pretty well there. And I listed bunch of stuff that kinda dispels "Halo is unknown in Japan" notion back in day.

I wonder whether Nintendo or Sakurai will match "Finish the Fight" tagline. I mean putting Chief as next last fighter. I know it just says "joined" in Japanese splash line, but Sakurai is very knowledgeable in gaming, so I think he should be aware of Halo 3 marketing and ferver.

 

[Gengar84]

Do people still believe that a character has to have had an appearance on a Nintendo console in order to be eligible for Smash? I ask because Master Chief is one of the most speculated characters but there has never been a Halo in a Nintendo console. The closest Master Chief has had on Nintendo is a skin in Minecraft but I’m not sure if that really counts as it wasn’t Chief himself, just a costume to resemble him. For that reason, I feel like other Microsoft characters with stronger ties to Nintendo should probably come before him. Chief seems like he’d be fun to play so I’ll be okay either way, those are just my thoughts.

 

[osby]

Do people still believe that a character has to have had an appearance on a Nintendo console in order to be eligible for Smash? I ask because Master Chief is one of the most speculated characters but there has never been a Halo in a Nintendo console. The closest Master Chief has had on Nintendo is a skin in Minecraft but I’m not sure if that really counts as it wasn’t Chief himself, just a costume to resemble him. For that reason, I feel like other Microsoft characters with stronger ties to Nintendo should probably come before him. Chief seems like he’d be fun to play so I’ll be okay either way, those are just my thoughts.

I'm pretty sure the Nintendo console appearance is mostly a courtesy thing at this point (you can't convince me that it played any part in the inclusions of CCloud and Joker) but also, having some sort of company connection with Nintendo obviously helps, and is the main reason I don't think we'll be getting Sony mascots in Smash anytime soon.

That being said, I doubt that Sakurai/Nintendo would just list eligible characters and compare their ties to Nintendo. Halo is easily big enough that even people without an Xbox would know about him so not having any games on first-party consoles won't be a dealbreaker for him imo.

 

[Gengar84]

I'm pretty sure the Nintendo console appearance is mostly a courtesy thing at this point (you can't convince me that it played any part in the inclusions of CCloud and Joker) but also, having some sort of company connection with Nintendo obviously helps, and is the main reason I don't think we'll be getting Sony mascots in Smash anytime soon.

That being said, I doubt that Sakurai/Nintendo would just list eligible characters and compare their ties to Nintendo. Halo is easily big enough that even people without an Xbox would know about him so not having any games on first-party consoles won't be a dealbreaker for him imo.

That’s a fair point. I’m not really opposed to Chief, I just wasn’t sure how much his lack of Nintendo presence would hold him back. I don’t think Halo is necessarily the biggest western property they could add though it’s certainly in contention. I feel like WarCraft, League of Legends, Mortal Kombat, Elder Scrolls and DOOM are all at least on the same level as Halo as far as general popularity goes. DOOM may not have hit quite the same heights as Halo but I think it’s two most recent games were received better than Halo’s. Not sure on that one though, those are just the vibes I get.

 

[fogbadge]

i'm opposed to chief

 

[Gengar84]

i'm opposed to chief

What’s you reasoning? That he hasn’t had a real appearance on Nintendo or that you just dislike the character? I don’t really care about Halo as a series but I think he could be fun to play with all his alien weaponry. There are a lot of characters I’d rather see before him though, even limited to Microsoft specifically.

 

[fogbadge]

What’s you reasoning? That he hasn’t had a real appearance on Nintendo or that you just dislike the character? I don’t really care about Halo as a series but I think he could be fun to play with all his alien weaponry. There are a lot of characters I’d rather see before him though, even limited to Microsoft specifically.

just don’t like it plus it was the game of choice of the jerks in high school

 

[Gengar84]

just don’t like it plus it was the game of choice of the jerks in high school

Fair enough. When I played with my friend years ago we played with some pretty rude people. I don’t think that’s a problem with the game specifically, just online gaming in general. I personally don’t put too much stock in the fanbase of any particular game and prefer to focus on the characters and games themselves. So even though I agree with you that online gamers can be toxic, I don’t really count that as a strike against any character. I do totally understand your point though which is why I quit online gaming many years ago.

 

[fogbadge]

Fair enough. When I played with my friend years ago we played with some pretty rude people. I don’t think that’s a problem with the game specifically, just online gaming in general. I personally don’t put too much stock in the fanbase of any particular game and prefer to focus on the characters and games themselves. So even though I agree with you that online gamers can be toxic, I don’t really count that as a strike against any character. I do totally understand your point though which is why I quit online gaming many years ago.

yeah I do hate online gaming as well but I wasn’t online with these people I was always school with them

 

[Amornal1]

As far as Western reps go, I think Microsoft (Halo + anything Rare or Blizzard), Ubisoft (Rayman/AC), Bethesda (TES/FO), and Embracer (Tomb Raider) are the best bets as far as major studios are concerned. Microsoft alone could fill multiple third-party base game slots and DLC fighters passes with all the properties they've acquired.

Despite how most people seem to treat them, my view on indies is also a bit more optimistic. They made a point of acknowledging games like Undertale, Shantae and Shovel Knight (and acknowledging that they're aware of the demand) so while I don't think their chances are particularly high, I do think they have a shot.

I would change bethesda with riot games, since now Microsoft now owns bethesda. Just like activision blizzard.

 

[Hadokeyblade]

What do you guys think about getting a Pokémon in smash that wasn't from the most recent starter line at the time of game's release? Like maybe we can get eevee to where their game mechanic would be transforming in its different evolutions mid-battle. Or maybe another legendary Pokémon such as Arceus? Maybe even a villainous character such as blue or even Giovanni?

I want Blaziken.

Been playing Project X Zone

You know it comes to my attention these two would be absolutely RAW in Smash, sign me up for them.
View attachment 381190

I'm like the only guy asking for this but I want a rep from the SRW games, which is the parent series for Project x zone.

They could both be represented via music and spirits since these two have shown up in SRW games before.

 

[Gengar84]

What do you guys think about getting a Pokémon in smash that wasn't from the most recent starter line at the time of game's release? Like maybe we can get eevee to where their game mechanic would be transforming in its different evolutions mid-battle. Or maybe another legendary Pokémon such as Arceus? Maybe even a villainous character such as blue or even Giovanni?

There are a ton of Pokemon I’d love to see in Smash other than starters. Other than my obvious namesake, every generation has many Pokemon that I like a lot and would love to see. I’ve posted this a few times before but here are my top three favorites from each generation:

Gen 1: Gengar, Electabuzz, Kabutops
Gen 2: Houndoom, Sneasel, Gligar
Gen 3: Zangoose, Seviper, Deoxys A
Gen 4: Gliscor, Toxicroak, Garchomp
Gen 5: Cofagrigus, Zoroark, Kyurem
Gen 6: Clawitzer, Malamar, Noivern
Gen 7: Golisopod, Lycanroc, Necrozma
Gen 8: Orbeetle, Toxtricity, Corviknight
Gen 9: Great Tusk, Ceruledge, Lokix
Other: Hisuian Zoroark, Sneasler

No clue if any of those have much a chance at all but I’d be hyped if even one ever made it in. Lucario probably would have made my top three for Gen 4 somewhere but it’s already in so I left it out.

As far as human characters from Pokemon go, I’d really love to see Jessie and James from the anime series make it in. I envision them playing more like Yuna from Dissidia than Pokemon Trainer in Smash. It would be cool to have a trainer character mix it up with the roster and summon various Pokemon for specials. Team Rocket have a ton of fun gadgets the could work with and they have been known to get physical on occasion. James famously kicked a Magikarp and Jessie brawled with a Seviper so there’s at least some precedence for that.

 

[CapitaineCrash]

And then Master Chief kinda justifies himself, granted I think he would be DLC rather than base game. This is the BIG ONE, like one of the last remaining practical additions who could make those monumental headlines and get new heads turning toward Smash. I think Banjo and Steve are both relatively safe characters to see return, both of which are some of the most popular new additions from Ultimate and emblematic of a continual bond between Nintendo and Microsoft. But Microsoft is a big company, so if these two are negotiated to return in base game I could see a deal being struck to add a character later as DLC - similarly to what I presume has been going on with Square Enix. And Chief is the biggest slam dunk, even taking into account all the characters Microsoft has bought out. We're two characters in but neither of them are quite "Xbox" characters. I think it's probably time to give them their mascot.

I think those are very fair points and I do agree that Microsoft having another round of dlc in the next Smash feel very likely. But the thing is imo, it feels that the Activision buyout will indirectly hurt Master chief chances, because I could see Crash Bandicoot being chosen before Chief because of how popular he was back in Ultimate dlc discussion and he has a bigger connection with Nintendo with the Crash trilogy and Crash 4 on Switch being a pretty big deal (and I know that having a Ninendo connection isn't a prerequisites, but it does seems that it helps, otherwise we wouldn't have Banjo and Steve before Chief in the first place).

 

[RileyXY1]

I think those are very fair points and I do agree that Microsoft having another round of dlc in the next Smash feel very likely. But the thing is imo, it feels that the Activision buyout will indirectly hurt Master chief chances, because I could see Crash Bandicoot being chosen before Chief because of how popular he was back in Ultimate dlc discussion and he has a bigger connection with Nintendo with the Crash trilogy and Crash 4 on Switch being a pretty big deal (and I know that having a Ninendo connection isn't a prerequisites, but it does seems that it helps, otherwise we wouldn't have Banjo and Steve before Chief in the first place).

Of the two of them only Banjo was chosen based on past affiliation with Nintendo and fan demand. Steve is the star of the literal best selling video game ever.