I would like to know multiple recent instances where Nintendo and Disney’s relationship specifically have faltered to a point where they have cancelled projects or content for a game that led to a separation of the two companies partnership for a while. Disney might have problems with Capcom and Junction Point Studios, but it does not directly correlate to Nintendo and Disney's actual relationship. And that relationship thus far, has been solid with the multiple 3DS games that Nintendo helps publish. I have yet to see that.
Can you prove that the publishing is anything even remotely similar? Again I ask you, how much involvement do you think Nintendo had with a painting program and an Animal Crossing clone?
We're not exactly saying the relationship is bad, but rather publishing the games isn't exactly the same as them working hard together either.
What I think is that it is not a problem. Smash Bros. is not a gory fighting game where heads and feet falter off like in Mortal Kombat. That kind of content is something that Disney would have legitimate strictness of because how it would make people perceive their properties. Smash Bros. is of same level of violence as most of the Kingdom Hearts franchise. Smash Bros. is a cartoony fighting party game. Sora being featured in that kind of game is not going to be a major problem.
Is it really, though?
What if they state that Sora's move set needs to have this move over that move, or XYZ should be more powerful, or he is too complex to play, etc. He needs to fight like Sora does in Disney's eyes, not necessarily in the way Sakurai may envison him.
Game play needs and characterization don't always see eye to eye.
it would be portraying Sora correctly characterization wise, much like with Nintendo when they were concerned about Bowser's characterization in Wreck-it-Ralph.
Let me put it this way: When Wreck-it-Ralph's bad-guy-anon meeting was taking place, almost every company wanted their bad guy to be bigger than others. They had to constantly resize everyone until it came to the point where Ralph, who was supposed to be one of the biggest characters in the room, was regularly getting dwarfed.
While obviously they made it work in the movie, but you have to keep this in mind that this kind of oversight will have to happen regularly for almost everything Sora does.
And even if Sakurai is willing to go through all of this, how much oversight will Sora need? How much oversight do you think Disney will require, and how much free reign will Sakurai get? Do you think Sakurai will be willing to go through all of this, just for a chance?
Even if Disney was strict with allowing Disney characters present and not Sora, there is enough interesting original content in the KH series for Sakurai to get a substantial amount of solid representation of the franchise. Sora characterization wise, personality wise, and gameplay wise provides enough tools like magic, his variety of keyblade moves, and drive forms to be a stand-out and fun character in Smash. Disney content is not integral to implementing Sora correctly. I would not fear about that in that specific scenario.
Even if it's possible, do you think they would? Does Sakurai think that Disney is one of the main draws of the series? If not, how much will be lost?
Let's face it, Disney characters are one of the main draws of the franchise. Even if there was no Disney content needed to make Sora work, it's hard to say if the franchise is still reasonably well represented in this scenario. If Sakurai views Disney as too much of Kingdom Hearts's core values, it doesn't look good for him.
