I was always thinking Nintendo and Sakurai chose the DLC more as a team instead of one as a "give a list", but who knows what's really going on.
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I was at work, so I couldn't really reply well earlier.
GoldLiger
We knew he was already worked on since September(if not earlier. I think this is where the datamine was of the game, having September-related files? It might've been October or even August. September is what I remember the most). This doesn't prove he was meant for base roster. It proves he was... worked on before the game was released. We don't actually when they finished the other characters either. With nothing but tweaks at that point. The issues the game had on release suggests it's rushed, which also implies that they were still finishing up characters even by September. It is absolutely possible he was base roster, but we don't have enough details of when everyone was finished to really use the video as a good set of evidence he was
for base roster either.
KirbyWorshipper2465
The Sakurai thing also makes an implication he never deviated from his core plan. Which could mean he had PP on standby for DLC while the rest were for base. Incineroar is the only exception, and it was made clear a slot was made for him. We only know why PP got in, not whether he was base or not, with circumstancial evidence that points in the direction of being planned for base. It all was good timing and information. Buttttttt it's possible to be a coincidence too. I mean, not saying you shouldn't believe he was intended for base roster. What I am saying is there's no way to confirm it here.
Until we find out when the last characters were finished at their core(as in, fully workable, where the rest of the time for them was spend on smaller gameplay tweaks and all), we lack a key piece of information; the exact timing. It's more than possible PP was started on after everybody was finished. Being done close to enough time to make for DLC. Why started so late? Could've been started late because he was always DLC. Could be started late because he was changed to DLC a bit later when they had too much to do for base. There's no way to tell at this point. As I said, we lack information and have some easy coincidences for us to believe he was intended for base. However, Sakurai's statements about DLC definitely make this unlikely; he does not make stuff to save it for DLC. He doesn't cut stuff for that purpose. That means he wouldn't just cut a character to move them to DLC. He already would have it that way. That's his main philosophy. It doesn't mean he won't start on a DLC character before the game releases either. They actually did start some work on Mewtwo in 4 before the final release of Wii U, so he clearly is willing to do some DLC work, but his only statements are clear that he never starts on DLC till the core game is finished(tweaks aside is about the best exception you could get).
I hope that explains it well enough why I don't consider PP being a cut base character very likely(I never was trying to say it was impossible, though).
