My DLC predictions:
- Square Enix character (because Vergeben has said so), I think they are going for an RPG character here, like a Dragon Quest antagonist or Octopath Traveler antagonist
- Steve (Minecraft), also because Vergeben has (kinda) said so. (So far, Minecraft hasn't been represented in stages, Assist Trophies or spirits which makes it likely that Steve will be a character with his own stage)
- Elma, because by the sounds of it Sakurai would have included Rex if only he would have been created/finished before the project plan was finished. Elma kinda makes up for this + getting a second character from an extremely well-doing and big franchise as Xenoblade is very likely
- Bandana Waddle Dee because he has immense popularity in Japan and would have been an Assist Trophy otherwise (I speculate)
- Paper Mario because he is also a relatively popular character despite his supporters not being that vocal. I speculate that Paper Mario would've been an Assist Trophy too if he wasn't going to be planned as a DLC character
I think Sakurai still wants to include popular Ballot characters and thus Paper Mario and Bandana Waddle Dee makes sense to me. (I know some of you gonna be like: "but other characters that became ATs were more popular than Bandana Waddle Dee and Paper Mario!" and to that I'm gonna say "yeah, but Sakurai wants to pick (the most) realizable characters first so that's why Bandana Waddle Dee and Paper Mario.")
These are good points to bring up, but i want to comment on some stuff.
Take in mind that the Minecraft representation doesn’t have to include Steve as a fighter. Sakurai could just make a general pack with Microsoft stuff (a Rare fighter, Minecraft stage and some music from Microsoft properties, for example).
I need to check the popularity of Bandana Dee in Japan, since from what i could gather alongside some K.Rool fans, Japan is mostly interested on Sora, Geno, Banjo and Crash for the DLC. I’ll check about the tiny, but worthy Kirby rep in the future days.
The Square Rep can be either from Dragon Quest (you explained why pretty well), or Sora, since the latter has also the popularity in Japan that i mentioned.
I completely agree on Elma and Paper Mario.