Shantae, the Half Genie Protector of Scuttle Town! (A Switch To A New WayForward)

[EarlTamm]

I just thought about how if Shantae was disconfirmed, all the people who said she couldn't be playable and that Indies don't deserve/ can't get a spot would be right. It'll be great if Shantae proves them wrong

I don't think proven right would be the right words. They do deserve to be represented. Those people will just be temporarily sure of themselves.

 

[Makai Wars]

I just thought about how if Shantae was disconfirmed, all the people who said she couldn't be playable and that Indies don't deserve/ can't get a spot would be right. It'll be great if Shantae proves them wrong

Shantae is the current whipping boy of the Smash speculation hype train now that people are bored with flaming Bandana Dee, it really sucks to not only see that she has next to no support outside of these threads, but tons of people adamantly rooting against her as well. I'm personally happy with her being in the game in literally any capacity but others will likely just see her getting in as an Assist as an opportunity to mock Shantae fans.

If she gets in though we poppin the biggest bottles

 

[Shadow Novus]

Yarr mateys, Captain Bozon be tweetin' some things to keep yer spirits soaring!

Ok, since you're asking... #TalkLikeAPirateDay pic.twitter.com/hPMBCXftB0

— Matt Bozon (@MrBozon) September 20, 2018

 

[meleebrawler]

The thing is that the person there was Chrom. The basic idea was there, just the wrong character.

In his words, "Anything can change!".

A lack of precedent means nothing on how likely or unlikely a scenario is. There's no concrete reason assists can't be made playable nor any that indies can't. Whatever happens your support must remain strong, otherwise the things you merely imagine as barriers become self-fulfilling prophecies. Still, if it's precedent you want, they literally rewrote the code of Smash 4 just to allow Ryu to join. Think about that for a bit.

One thing I tend to notice is a gross underestimation of the time it takes to develop and test a character. In hindsight, could we really have expected the winner(s) of the ballot to be selected and developed for Smash 4 in any reasonable amount of time?

 

[WingedSupernova]

To keep positivity on this thread...

Ray Narvaez Jr (a.k.a Brownman, a former Rooster Teeth/Achievement Hunter member) recently hit 1 million Xbox Live gamerscore with... Shantae Half Genie Hero Ultimate Edition!

I love that man. Another big reason I want Shantae in the game is to see his reaction.

 

[IGuessItsOver]

I just thought about how if Shantae was disconfirmed, all the people who said she couldn't be playable and that Indies don't deserve/ can't get a spot would be right. It'll be great if Shantae proves them wrong

If she actually gets in, i'll tag so many people just to dab on 'em.

 

[meleebrawler]

Yarr mateys, Captain Bozon be tweetin' some things to keep yer spirits soaring!

Ok, since you're asking... #TalkLikeAPirateDay pic.twitter.com/hPMBCXftB0

— Matt Bozon (@MrBozon) September 20, 2018

Shantae and Toon Link: The Pirates Who Don't Cut Throats.

 

[Mrs.Milky]

Shantae is the current whipping boy of the Smash speculation hype train now that people are bored with flaming Bandana Dee, it really sucks to not only see that she has next to no support outside of these threads, but tons of people adamantly rooting against her as well. I'm personally happy with her being in the game in literally any capacity but others will likely just see her getting in as an Assist as an opportunity to mock Shantae fans.

If she gets in though we poppin the biggest bottles

That's what I'm kinda afraid of? Afraid people will say that Indies can't get in as a playable character and only assist at best, but yeah I have high hopes for shantae :D

 

[maf91186]

Count me in the list of supporters please!

 

[TJKBird]

So regarding the Indie fighters, do we know if Wayforward was actually approached in regards to including Shantae? While I think it is one of the better pieces of evidence for her inclusion, if she isn't included simply because Wayforward was never asked to have Shantae in them then it really doesn't point towards a non-compete clause or anything like that. Do we have any sources stating one way or the other on this?

On a more positive note I watched a video from Source Gaming where they bring on Wayforwards lead developer James Montanga to discuss Indie characters making into Smash. While the conversation itself is interesting the main thing that really caught my eye was around the 18 minute mark where James says that the reason Commander Video got a trophy in Smash 4, or at least as far as he's heard, was due to the company reaching out to Nintendo about it. Given how much effort Wayforward and Matt put into advertising/pushing for backers and fans to request Shantae and the relationship they have with Nintendo being a good one it would make sense to me that Wayforward would have personally reached out to Sakurai (assuming it was a feasible thing they could do) and maybe used all of the fan support as a way to support their request. Bit of a reach I'm sure but I thought it was something interesting to think about. You can catch the video below.

 

[Mrs.Milky]

If she actually gets in, i'll tag so many people just to dab on 'em.

Dab on those H a t e r s

 

[WiredRM]

Hmm... I don't have any real thing to talk about. Anyone here actually got a Shantae T-Shirt?

Yup, I got mine as a Kickstarter reward somewhat recently. I really like it!

 

[Shinuto]

If we could find where and when he said that, it would be a huge development. It wouldn't prove anything, he could have just changed his mind, but it would boost her odds. Because, IF she IS an assist trophy it would be her first Non-playable guest appearance. While WF doesn't seem too picky about Shantae's appearances it does seem like they atleast want her playable in some capacity.

Yeah...but this is Smash...you take what you can ******* get mate. I mean its hard enough to get any recognition in Smash at all.

 

[Deleted member]

OKAY, so I've put fourth a MEGA effort in the RTC thread and I feel just a little bit entitled to some support from you guys.

So please get in here and give me some likes for visibility. I spent a lot of time making sure it was a good post.

Freelance spy has a point y’all please don’t give up hope please most of the vote is also losing hope

 

[TheRandomCities4]

So regarding the Indie fighters, do we know if Wayforward was actually approached in regards to including Shantae? While I think it is one of the better pieces of evidence for her inclusion, if she isn't included simply because Wayforward was never asked to have Shantae in them then it really doesn't point towards a non-compete clause or anything like that. Do we have any sources stating one way or the other on this?

We do not. However, unlike what happened with Dante from DMC (said explicitly that he would not be in) and even Banjo Kazooie (expressed interest, which is something), Matt Bozon or anyone else important at WayForward has not said anything regarding Shantae's potential inclusion in Smash. They're avoiding the topic altogether. Personally, considering all the legal things that companies need to abide with these sort of things, I think it's better that we do not know whether they were approached.

Heck, even Yacht Club has stated on Twitter, explicitly, that Shovel Knight has a "0.001% chance of getting in Smash" back either late 2016 or early 2017--which would be a strike against potential NDA on their part as you could not state either way if you were under such an agreement. And as we know, Shovel Knight is an assist trophy (which could have happened in between their statement and now considering ATs take less time to develop, or companies whose characters are getting in as ATs do not have as strict conditions on their agreements, or a combination of the two). One interesting point to consider here is that WayForward have been quiet about Shantae in Smash (late 2015 / early 2016) much longer than Yacht Club has regarding Shovel Knight in Smash (late 2016 / early 2017). I think the time period is something definitely worth considering. This could potentially mean WayForward was approached by Nintendo around the theorized "critical time period" for early development on Smash Ultimate (late 2015 / early 2016).

If Shantae is not playable or an AT, or even included in Smash for that matter, there would be no reason for WF to avoid even talking about Smash. This is especially true because we have plenty of counter examples (as mentioned above: Dante, Banjo Kazooie, and Shovel Knight). WayForward could have told us a thousand times over: "Shantae is not in Smash", just like what happened with Dante.

 

[Teeb147]

Shantae is the current whipping boy of the Smash speculation hype train now that people are bored with flaming Bandana Dee, it really sucks to not only see that she has next to no support outside of these threads, but tons of people adamantly rooting against her as well. I'm personally happy with her being in the game in literally any capacity but others will likely just see her getting in as an Assist as an opportunity to mock Shantae fans.

If she gets in though we poppin the biggest bottles

I've said this before in the past but I dont think she's as hated as some people make it out to be.
I think it's just select bandwagon ideas that come from those that support other characters adamantly. It may affect some other people too, but I think focusing on how much support she does have will yield better energy for growing the support,

But you're right that some think she can just be an assist trophy, with some bogus excuses as to why, usually salty shovel knight fans. It'll be interesting to see what happens if she does get in. There might be a little bit of hate but overall I think lots of people will be happy

 

[Makai Wars]

So regarding the Indie fighters, do we know if Wayforward was actually approached in regards to including Shantae?

Yes, Indie Pogo devs were turned down by Wayforward when asked about including her.

 

[PichuMain]

Yes, Indie Pogo devs were turned down by Wayforward when asked about including her.

Source?? I would love to see this and add this to our lil collection of evidence. I genuinely do. This could be something.

Holy crap, after a week of fading in and out, we're back in this bois!

 

[EarlTamm]

You know, we are very close to having 10,000 replies! And although this thread will likely never catch up to Issac, I do think we have the faster reply rate.

 

[Teeb147]

who thinks we'll get a smash direct in early october? mid maybe?

 

[TJKBird]

We do not. However, unlike what happened with Dante from DMC (said explicitly that he would not be in) and even Banjo Kazooie (expressed interest, which is something), Matt Bozon or anyone else important at WayForward has not said anything regarding Shantae's potential inclusion in Smash. They're avoiding the topic altogether. Personally, considering all the legal things that companies need to abide with these sort of things, I think it's better that we do not know whether they were approached.

Heck, even Yacht Club has stated on Twitter, explicitly, that Shovel Knight has a "0.001% chance of getting in Smash" back either late 2016 or early 2017--which would be a strike against potential NDA on their part as you could not state either way if you were under such an agreement. And as we know, Shovel Knight is an assist trophy (which could have happened in between their statement and now considering ATs take less time to develop, or companies whose characters are getting in as ATs do not have as strict conditions on their agreements, or a combination of the two). One interesting point to consider here is that WayForward have been quiet about Shantae in Smash (late 2015 / early 2016) much longer than Yacht Club has regarding Shovel Knight in Smash (late 2016 / early 2017). I think the time period is something definitely worth considering. This could potentially mean WayForward was approached by Nintendo around the theorized "critical time period" for early development on Smash Ultimate (late 2015 / early 2016).

If Shantae is not playable or an AT, or even included in Smash for that matter, there would be no reason for WF to avoid even talking about Smash. This is especially true because we have plenty of counter examples (as mentioned above: Dante, Banjo Kazooie, and Shovel Knight). WayForward could have told us a thousand times over: "Shantae is not in Smash", just like what happened with Dante.

I meant in regards to the Indie fighting games like Blade Strangers and Indie Pogo. We are using her absence from these games to point towards her inclusion in Smash, and I really do think it is one of our best pieces of evidence, but if Wayforward was never approached to have her in either of those games then the point is moot. She wouldn't be included in those games if the creators never approached Wayforward to ask for her inclusion.

 

[PichuMain]

who thinks we'll get a smash direct in early october? mid maybe?

Early, but either the first week or the second week is what I'm guessing. October 4th or October 11th seems super appropriate. Gotta take account of the earthquake. It may have been pushed back a week.

EDIT: Maaaaaybe October 18th if its super late.

 

[Teeb147]

Early, but either the first week or the second week is what I'm guessing. October 4th or October 11th seems super appropriate. Gotta take account of the earthquake. It may have been pushed back a week.

Well it's not like it stalled entire workloads, I think it just added one for rescheduling and editing the video if they needed to. Maybe a little more, but definitely not enought to push it back that much. 1-2 days if anything, just guessing though.

 

[AngrySun88]

We do not. However, unlike what happened with Dante from DMC (said explicitly that he would not be in) and even Banjo Kazooie (expressed interest, which is something), Matt Bozon or anyone else important at WayForward has not said anything regarding Shantae's potential inclusion in Smash. They're avoiding the topic altogether. Personally, considering all the legal things that companies need to abide with these sort of things, I think it's better that we do not know whether they were approached.

Heck, even Yacht Club has stated on Twitter, explicitly, that Shovel Knight has a "0.001% chance of getting in Smash" back either late 2016 or early 2017--which would be a strike against potential NDA on their part as you could not state either way if you were under such an agreement. And as we know, Shovel Knight is an assist trophy (which could have happened in between their statement and now considering ATs take less time to develop, or companies whose characters are getting in as ATs do not have as strict conditions on their agreements, or a combination of the two). One interesting point to consider here is that WayForward have been quiet about Shantae in Smash (late 2015 / early 2016) much longer than Yacht Club has regarding Shovel Knight in Smash (late 2016 / early 2017). I think the time period is something definitely worth considering. This could potentially mean WayForward was approached by Nintendo around the theorized "critical time period" for early development on Smash Ultimate (late 2015 / early 2016).

If Shantae is not playable or an AT, or even included in Smash for that matter, there would be no reason for WF to avoid even talking about Smash. This is especially true because we have plenty of counter examples (as mentioned above: Dante, Banjo Kazooie, and Shovel Knight). WayForward could have told us a thousand times over: "Shantae is not in Smash", just like what happened with Dante.

This is what probably makes me raise the most eyebrows. WF is acting so out of character. Back during the ballot days they talked about Shantae in Smash non-stop. Now they go out of their way to ignore any Smash related tweets. Why would they be acting so out of character?

Also, why did the Jammies mode trailer so blatantly reference Smash right down to "everyone is here"? Things just aren't adding up which makes me think that she is in the game in some form or another.

 

[TheRandomCities4]

Yes, Indie Pogo devs were turned down by Wayforward when asked about including her.

I forgot about this.

On a somewhat related note, we also know NiCALIS expressed interest in having Shantae appear in Blade Strangers, another indie crossover fighting game, but Shantae is obviously not in. We do not know if this is because WF is being protective of their IP, or something else is brewing (which espoused the Non-Compete Clause theory to begin with).

Both Indie Pogo and Blade Strangers feature Shovel Knight, and he's an AT in Smash. Because of this, we at least know ATs cannot be under any NCC just by being ATs in Smash. However, the possibility still exists that fighters in Smash Ultimate are under NCCs regarding their appearance in other fighter games (under the guise that there may be some possible interference in sales between Smash and the other fighting games that feature the same playable characters). Again, this is a very special circumstance that would not affect most characters. In other words, there aren't any other fighting games that would potentially feature most (if not all) characters who are in Smash Brothers currently. As far as I can tell, this is a situation that affects Shantae (and could have potentially affected Shovel Knight, had he not appeared in those games).

Then there's that theory that states K. Rool was also a part of some NCC, which is why Retro Studios could not use him in their recent DK "revival" games. I'm less confident about this, but it's interesting nonetheless.

 

[EarlTamm]

I forgot about this.

On a somewhat related note, we also know NiCALIS expressed interest in having Shantae appear in Blade Strangers, another indie crossover fighting game, but Shantae is obviously not in. We do not know if this is because WF is being protective of their IP, or something else is brewing (which espoused the Non-Compete Clause theory to begin with).

Both Indie Pogo and Blade Strangers feature Shovel Knight, and he's an AT in Smash. Because of this, we at least know ATs cannot be under any NCC just by being ATs in Smash. However, the possibility still exists that fighters in Smash Ultimate are under NCCs regarding their appearance in other fighter games (under the guise that there may be some possible interference in sales between Smash and the other fighting games that feature the same playable characters). Again, this is a very special circumstance that would not affect most characters. In other words, there aren't any other fighting games that would potentially feature most (if not all) characters who are in Smash Brothers currently. As far as I can tell, this is a situation that affects Shantae (and could have potentially affected Shovel Knight, had he not appeared in those games).

Then there's that theory that states K. Rool was also a part of some NCC, which is why Retro Studios could not use him in their recent DK "revival" games. I'm less confident about this, but it's interesting nonetheless.

If I recall, some people believe that the reason Raiden was the Metal Gear rep for Playstation All Stars is because Snake still had his NCC going. Do we have any proof of that?

 

[TheRandomCities4]

If I recall, some people believe that the reason Raiden was the Metal Gear rep for Playstation All Stars is because Snake still had his NCC going. Do we have any proof of that?

First I've heard of that.

Doesn't it sound odd that Snake wouldn't be the Metal Gear rep for that game? That's just bizarre to me (unless of course there was some sort of NCC). Proof would be interesting.

 

[PichuMain]

Well it's not like it stalled entire workloads, I think it just added one for rescheduling and editing the video if they needed to. Maybe a little more, but definitely not enought to push it back that much. 1-2 days if anything, just guessing though.

I would agree, but keep in mind, we had to wait a whole week. So it makes a little sense on why the wait would be a little longer. 2-3 days is on a Saturday-Sunday in our part of the world, and I think on Thursdays makes the most sense since they don't update on Friday or Saturday.

Idk. Maybe I'm dwelling to deep.

I forgot about this.

On a somewhat related note, we also know NiCALIS expressed interest in having Shantae appear in Blade Strangers, another indie crossover fighting game, but Shantae is obviously not in. We do not know if this is because WF is being protective of their IP, or something else is brewing (which espoused the Non-Compete Clause theory to begin with).

Both Indie Pogo and Blade Strangers feature Shovel Knight, and he's an AT in Smash. Because of this, we at least know ATs cannot be under any NCC just by being ATs in Smash. However, the possibility still exists that fighters in Smash Ultimate are under NCCs regarding their appearance in other fighter games (under the guise that there may be some possible interference in sales between Smash and the other fighting games that feature the same playable characters). Again, this is a very special circumstance that would not affect most characters. In other words, there aren't any other fighting games that would potentially feature most (if not all) characters who are in Smash Brothers currently. As far as I can tell, this is a situation that affects Shantae (and could have potentially affected Shovel Knight, had he not appeared in those games).

Then there's that theory that states K. Rool was also a part of some NCC, which is why Retro Studios could not use him in their recent DK "revival" games. I'm less confident about this, but it's interesting nonetheless.

So that actually happened?! Yo, this is BIG!

I know it may not seem like much, but seeing as how a company tried to get King K, to be denied, and IndiePogo doing the same, only to be denied in the same fashion? King K Rool is playable. This really boosts her chances sky high.

Maybe its just me, but this is pretty big.

 

[Deleted member]

I forgot about this.

On a somewhat related note, we also know NiCALIS expressed interest in having Shantae appear in Blade Strangers, another indie crossover fighting game, but Shantae is obviously not in. We do not know if this is because WF is being protective of their IP, or something else is brewing (which espoused the Non-Compete Clause theory to begin with).

Both Indie Pogo and Blade Strangers feature Shovel Knight, and he's an AT in Smash. Because of this, we at least know ATs cannot be under any NCC just by being ATs in Smash. However, the possibility still exists that fighters in Smash Ultimate are under NCCs regarding their appearance in other fighter games (under the guise that there may be some possible interference in sales between Smash and the other fighting games that feature the same playable characters). Again, this is a very special circumstance that would not affect most characters. In other words, there aren't any other fighting games that would potentially feature most (if not all) characters who are in Smash Brothers currently. As far as I can tell, this is a situation that affects Shantae (and could have potentially affected Shovel Knight, had he not appeared in those games).

Then there's that theory that states K. Rool was also a part of some NCC, which is why Retro Studios could not use him in their recent DK "revival" games. I'm less confident about this, but it's interesting nonetheless.

Yes this is why I believe she’s is indeed a fighter right Stephano ?

 

[meleebrawler]

This is what probably makes me raise the most eyebrows. WF is acting so out of character. Back during the ballot days they talked about Shantae in Smash non-stop. Now they go out of their way to ignore any Smash related tweets. Why would they be acting so out of character?

Also, why did the Jammies mode trailer so blatantly reference Smash right down to "everyone is here"? Things just aren't adding up which makes me think that she is in the game in some form or another.

Don't forget how most enemies in the game fly offscreen and explode when defeated, not unlike in Smash. Shantae games live and breathe Nintendo tropes.

First I've heard of that.

Doesn't it sound odd that Snake wouldn't be the Metal Gear rep for that game? That's just bizarre to me (unless of course there was some sort of NCC). Proof would be interesting.

I'd imagine hyping up Revengeance was part of it, as was DMC Dante.

 

[JIrish780]

I've been lurking in this thread for weeks, and finally decided to sign up today. Throw my name onto the list of Shantae supporters, if you would be so kind. I've got my fingers crossed she becomes DLC at the very least!

 

[Shinuto]

I've been lurking in this thread for weeks, and finally decided to sign up today. Throw my name onto the list of Shantae supporters, if you would be so kind. I've got my fingers crossed she becomes DLC at the very least!

stupid monkey.

 

[perfectchaos83]

If I recall, some people believe that the reason Raiden was the Metal Gear rep for Playstation All Stars is because Snake still had his NCC going. Do we have any proof of that?

No proof, but it makes sense. PSBR started Development in 2009 which would definitely be within the time frame of a NCC, even if it released in 2012.

 

[Deleted member]

I've been lurking in this thread for weeks, and finally decided to sign up today. Throw my name onto the list of Shantae supporters, if you would be so kind. I've got my fingers crossed she becomes DLC at the very least!

Welcome aboard you big monkey!

 

[Makai Wars]

This is what probably makes me raise the most eyebrows. WF is acting so out of character. Back during the ballot days they talked about Shantae in Smash non-stop. Now they go out of their way to ignore any Smash related tweets. Why would they be acting so out of character?

About this, does anyone have a rough estimate on how long they've been ignoring Smash related stuff? A while ago I went DEEEEEEEP into the WF Twitter and the last thing I could find on the topic of Smash was made in October 2015, and nothing else after. Obviously WF was gearing up for the release of HGH but still.
If you look at their mentions, people have been sending WF tweets and fanart about Smash Bros since before E3 (me included) but the only ones that get straight up ignored are the ones mentioning Smash in some form. WF only ignores art on twitter if it's NSFW, even if the art is bad they at least give you a pity like, EXCEPT for Smash. There's no reason for them to ignore their devoted fanbase THIS hard and for THIS long unless they're under an NDA.

 

[TheRandomCities4]

About this, does anyone have a rough estimate on how long they've been ignoring Smash related stuff? A while ago I went DEEEEEEEP into the WF Twitter and the last thing I could find on the topic of Smash was made in October 2015, and nothing else after. Obviously WF was gearing up for the release of HGH but still.
If you look at their mentions, people have been sending WF tweets and fanart about Smash Bros since before E3 (me included) but the only ones that get straight up ignored are the ones mentioning Smash in some form. WF only ignores art on twitter if it's NSFW, even if the art is bad they at least give you a pity like, EXCEPT for Smash. There's no reason for them to ignore their devoted fanbase THIS hard and for THIS long unless they're under an NDA.

Last time Matt Bozon has said anything on the matter was in an interview posted in like January 2016. However the interview could have been conducted earlier. He kind of meanders around some questions and highlights how the push behind Shantae and the ballot was really done "by the fans".

 

[Hollywoodrok12]

Remember how I kept talking about the suspicious gap in blog posts near the Nindies direct right before the Isabelle Direct?

Well, I've done some digging, and here's what I found, starting from the Pikmin music, continuing up until today in chronological order:

146: Pikmin Music
141: Summit
148 and 149: Ryu
[No Number]: Switch Bundle, Pro Controller, GC controller, Isabelle added to photo
134: Isabelle Trailer
136 and 137: Isabelle
145: Shovel Knight
140: Animal Crossing Music
147: Onett
144: Ganondorf (Edit: Memory wasn't posted, but it's pretty safe to assume that the memory is 145)

Still nothing relating to #120 and #121, which should have been slated for the Nindies Direct day. Could they be for Shantae?

Early, but either the first week or the second week is what I'm guessing. October 4th or October 11th seems super appropriate. Gotta take account of the earthquake. It may have been pushed back a week.

EDIT: Maaaaaybe October 18th if its super late.

I feel that they'll end the hype cycle on the Smash Direct, so if we see there's a Smash Direct, the main game's reaching it's end, and I don't think they'd end the hype cycle in October, so I'd expect a standalone reveal (like Robin) in October and a second Smash Direct in November.

About this, does anyone have a rough estimate on how long they've been ignoring Smash related stuff? A while ago I went DEEEEEEEP into the WF Twitter and the last thing I could find on the topic of Smash was made in October 2015, and nothing else after. Obviously WF was gearing up for the release of HGH but still.
If you look at their mentions, people have been sending WF tweets and fanart about Smash Bros since before E3 (me included) but the only ones that get straight up ignored are the ones mentioning Smash in some form. WF only ignores art on twitter if it's NSFW, even if the art is bad they at least give you a pity like, EXCEPT for Smash. There's no reason for them to ignore their devoted fanbase THIS hard and for THIS long unless they're under an NDA.

Not entirely true. While they don't respond to Smash-related tweets, they WF (but not Bozon) has liked tweets that have Smash in them, along with one piece of fanart involving Smash. Both Bozon and WF's accounts don't really steer clear if it's like "Fan Art! and also, Shantae for Smash". There's only one case of WF liking Smash-Related Fanart, and for all we know, it could have been an intern who messed up.

 

[TheRandomCities4]

Not entirely true. While they don't respond to Smash-related tweets, they WF (but not Bozon) has liked tweets that have Smash in them, along with one piece of fanart involving Smash. Both Bozon and WF's accounts don't really steer clear if it's like "Fan Art! and also, Shantae for Smash". There's only one case of WF liking Smash-Related Fanart, and for all we know, it could have been an intern who messed up.

Indeed. However, as long as the fanart itself does not explicitly reference Shantae/Smash or they (WF) themselves do not say anything about Shantae/Smash, I don't think it would violate NDA.

 

[Hollywoodrok12]

Indeed. However, as long as the fanart itself does not explicitly reference Shantae/Smash or they (WF) themselves do not say anything about Shantae/Smash, I don't think it would violate NDA.

The problem is, that one that they liked I was talking about was some fan-art of Shantae, Banjo and Crash standing in front of the flaming Smash Ball from Inkling's reveal. When I checked, there were no RT's from either side, and no likes from Bozon. taking that into account, do you guys think it would violate NDA?

 

[Makai Wars]

The problem is, that one that they liked I was talking about was some fan-art of Shantae, Banjo and Crash standing in front of the flaming Smash Ball from Inkling's reveal. When I checked, there were no RT's from either side, and no likes from Bozon. taking that into account, do you guys think it would violate NDA?

If we peek in here https://twitter.com/WayForward/likes, we can find quite a few liked tweets mentioning Smash, however nothing mentioning Smash ever gets RT'd.
So the question remains whether liking breaks NDA and or if WF has been dead silent on Shantae in Smash for no reason, but like, they SEE everyone talking about it. Why won't they just say she's not in so we can all do something else with our time? I don't understand.