Sakurai Says There's A "High Probability" Of Smash Bros. DLC Development Not Proceeding As Scheduled

That's fine. Gives more time for Waluigi to slowly creep into the roster...........Waaaaaaaaaah.

Stay safe everyone.

Well, the one thing this confirms is that there will be at least one 3rd party character in the second pass... or there were planned to be at least.

Whelp, cakey say I'm shocked but it still stinks to hear it

He isn't referring to Bandana Waddle Dee. Not sure if that's a blessing or a curse.

You can't be too careful with this kinda thing. I think we can wait a little while longer and make sure everyone is safe.

They could easily communicate through the internet.

Great, so Smash is going to stay boring even longer...thanks Covid-19

But really, safety first always

@Daldra
Covid 19 has transcended genetics and has now become a hybrid entity freely able to move in the digital world and in ours! If only more people played Digimon we could wipe it out.

@Daldra
There are countless other factors they need to take into consideration. Online wont work for everything

Expect delays on ALL games in development. I bet Nintendo has a few things in the chamber, but it’s becoming clear they knew this may be coming during early stages of the virus. I still think the direct was absent due to animal crossing releasing early in the year, but this has to be part of the reason. Better to be safe and healthy if at all possible

So there's at least one non-Nintendo publisher involved. Not surprising given fighter pass 1 had a focus on third party characters, but pretty cool.

There are so many characters in Smash that it's easy to try a new character for a week and have it feel as brand new as a DLC character, so if there's a delay, I'll still enjoy Smash. I've been trying out Villager online - he's not objectively good in this game, I think but he has so many projectile based mind games

@MysteryCupofJoe @NerdyBoutKirby You two really need to make those jokes at this stage?

I doubt there will be much physical releases over the next few months, if any. Whatever games are planned for release, will likely be held back. Shops are not going to be supplied with games if nobody can go out to buy them.

@BenAV It's possible that Nintendo already had the Direct stuff ready and just needed to make the presentation. They could still release one even if the release dates for the games are very likely to change. Honestly, at this point, people will be more surprised if they don't get delayed.

Of course, I'm not saying they need to do a Direct, but there's still a likelihood for one.

Here's hoping they can still tell us who the next character will be even if they can't give it to us right away. Joker was announced four months before he was added to the game, for example. But safety is top priority, and I hope things don't get worse.

@Whyita smash is boring?

@Entrr_username My apologies.

good this game is already tired.

I'm surprised Nintendo is even still operating at this point of the pandemic.

I feel bad for anyone who preordered that. You guys didn’t, right?

Stay at home and keep everyone safe. The characters can wait.

@Alpha008 I've gotta say, it's gotten a bit stale despite the improvements. I had to shut off a lot of Items just to get people to play in the early stages (and we still play without, mostly). Smash needed to be jazzed up a little but I don't think the floaty approach from Brawl onward was the way to handle it. Now it needs a lot of Oomph and for the OHKO Items to be replaced with more frantic ones (so that it's not just reduced to a mad dash for the Item).

It is what it is. I definitely understand. Stay safe.

I'm sorry but is SKYPE not a thing anymore? We have to start thinking differently in a post COVID-19 world. We cant travel..so what?? We have the technology to see and speak with others across the globe. Sure it will be different and maybe a bit difficult but to just halt all progress is beyond reason

Perfectly fine, we have so much content in the game that waiting is fine. I'm in no rush.

@KingBowser86 Stale? With the changes made in Ultimate, I highly disagree. And how are one-hit kills not frantic enough?

@Entrr_username In terms of combat-only and the usability of the roster (certainly comparatively), it's an improvement. But there's more to Smash than "I win."

There is a certain amount of baseline skill to being able to get to the Items first or manage Items in a 1v1, and entertainingly moreso to be able to deal with them in a hectic FFA. But now, you mostly see 1v1's on large and boring stages. Far cry from the Beedrill dodging, paper fans, and madcap ricocheting of 64/Melee. Nail-biting competition (with or without OHKO Items) isn't fun for everyone and that's all there is left.

You can pick many-walled stages and set certain rules and items, but it's too late - the floaty physics and aerials' priority are set in stone, some of the characters act as dead inside as ever, the Items are too straight-laced, and the hype is mostly around who's in the game next. WoL made for some memes since it mirrored Endgame, but there's no Smash Run or any inherent gameplay reason to continue playing. Smash has taken itself too seriously in attempting to please the competitive crowd's endless gripes and become a tired franchise.

Besides, of course, wading through countless terrible online matches to have maybe a few fun times with people with which you'll likely never get to share any kind of other communication or joy.

I think anyone even slightly reasonable has to understand the circumstances right now. A lot of games, anime, television, conventions, all kinds of events have to be postponed or cancelled right now.

Even setting aside the obvious risk of the virus itself, can you imagine the bad press a company would get if it made people work and they caught the virus? Or worse, if they spread the virus to customers somehow?

@Bizzyb Its probably due to character/ IP handling I've seen it really often in entertainment companies where they would exclusively discuss these things in person, even if the meeting place is on a closed room on the other side of the planet and all key members have to be present in that room.

If Covid-19 were to appear in the Smash Bros development offices (and possibly infect an entire crucial dev. team) all productions would have to cease since each member of the team will have to be sent home or to a medical facility. Videogame companies rely heavily that the development teams work on the same building and that the crucial equipment never leaves the building and in the case of Smash Bros. Sakurai as the game director has to monitor it all.

Chances are at least ONE of the new DLC pass fighters have already started development and gotten approval by Nintendo and/or their publisher. While the span of time in between the older-development fighters in pass 2 and those of more recent development may be longer than originally intended, I'm not to concerned about the pass as a whole.

Would just wait a little longer then.

Whilst the current situation was completely unforeseen, this does illustrate that they really shouldn't have been selling that second pass so prematurely

Why not make a video call or something.
I don't see anything bad in video connections. Considering the virus situation - it is the perfect way out

Good news.

Stay safe everyone.

@OorWullie I dont see why these days if a game has a release date and the delay is from something like 'decrease the spread of a virus' it cant still be released digitally and physically later, especially given how high digital sales are now.

I'll be buying a digital copy of Animal Crossing on release anyway for example, I've been saving eShop points specifically for that so I'll only be spending about £10. It would just be annoying to be sat inside unable to download a game that otherwise should be released if not for current worries over specifically physical copies I'll be buying after launch anyway.

@Gau Have you ever been in a video conference vs a face to face one, the differences are huge

Especially in one where you have to try stuff, like video games

Understandable. Safety comes first. I don't care if it takes a year or two or three extra to get all the characters done, so long as everyone remains healthy.

Sad but expected considering the crisis period...

@Tao Imagine taking a billion dollar corporation and completely restructuring it to adapt to an uncertain global crisis. Everyone working from home means delays, layoffs, severely reduced operations etc, and doesn’t even include the development side of the business. That is why even a future digital release could be halted. Of course they’ll be operating, but don’t expect things to go as planned.

Doesn't mean that it wont happen; it just means people are unsure when they can hold that meeting given the current circumstances. Everyone needs to be patient. Personally, I think it will be good for longevity.

Health comes first
After this hole situation be over, we will get our DLCs
No worries
Stay safe

@NeoKoala You can discuss in private everything you would in person over a freaking Facebook portal. You dont need to be in the same physical space to talk to other people across the globe. Certain logistics would have to be considered sure but all of this "we cant do anything" has to stop or things will truly begin to crumble and break down. People need to start looking for solutions to these times instead of excuses.

It's OK, saving people from the disease is more important than DLC characters for Smash, and of course, take a rest Sakurai, even when the coronavirus is gone, take a long vacation, and find someone else to be your replacement and make Fighter Pass Vol. 3 without you.

@Bizzyb I actually agree, they really need to learn to evolve in the case of this type of scenario. The reason why I say it is because again I've seen it very often in entertainment companies and have been resistant to change despite the benefits. These are the type of companies that are way too overprotective of their equipment and on an Extremely Worse scale their character IPs.

The smash hype train will go on forever thanks to delays!

I work for a company who has switched from physical to digital meetings. Anyone who thinks they are as productive as physical meetings is tripping

Sakurai please get some rest and relax before starting season 2. Your health and happiness are paramount in this day and age, sir. Please take a break; we can wait for the next batch of DLC for a later time. Please take care of yourself.

@ALinkttPresent The virus is not that bad in Japan yet.. Which is somewhat of a surprising because Japan had a lot more infections early on than other countries.

@Alpha008 This one is, yes. Adventure mode is stale, the challenges are easy, there's nothing to do but the basic Smash. And by basic I mean the same mode that is in every Smash so why get this one?