Despite Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's crazy reveal segment at E3, which could quite easily have been its own feature film (almost), there's still an awful lot of details yet to be discovered - and a fair few secrets still being held back, we imagine. One interesting question is whether or not the game will receive a demo before launch, and Nintendo's Bill Trinen has (kind of) given us an answer.
During an interview with IGN at San Diego Comic-Con, Trinen was asked whether we might see an event for Ultimate that acts in a similar way to Splatoon 2's Global Testfire or ARMS' Global Testpunch. These events allowed players to go hands-on with free demos for the games from the comfort of their own homes, letting them see the games in the flesh, and also giving Nintendo some crucial information in return. Here's what Trinen had to say:
"Very good question. Right now they're focused very much on getting the game ready. We have a few other things to talk about down the road between now and when it launches in December. We'll hopefully have some news on that as we get closer to launch."
With Mario Tennis Aces also following this trend recently with its pre-launch tournament, we'd expect this "news" that Trinen is referring to will eventually turn into a confirmation of some sort of demo. With the Switch's audience containing many players who wouldn't have played Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, a demo would serve as a great way to show them just how much the series has progressed.
Trinen was also asked about the potential for DLC once the main game has been released:
"Obviously that was a big part of the Wii U game, but part of Mr Sakurai's approach is really focusing on getting the game done, and then once he has the game done, he'll start to make some decisions about what he wants to do with other characters or DLC, things like that. Whether or not he decides to do DLC again, or whether or not he decides this is the ultimate edition and there's nothing more I can fit in there - we'll have to see as we get closer to launch."
If you're interested in seeing the whole interview, you can check it out in this video.
Would you like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate to have a global demo event to try out? Will you be buying the game regardless? Let us know with a comment below.
[source youtube.com]
Comments 58
LOL !
I really hope that some of the people here are gonna take the time to read the article in depth...
There is espacially a REALLY interesting part...
I hope there will not be a demo before the game comes out, or else dataminers are going to datamine it to oblivion and back
Already preorder, did it e3 tuesday
I think there'll be a demo and it'll be exclusive to those who have the paid online subscription.
would like a demo from a gamer pov as i prob wont buy it , this type of game is too crazy for me. From a shareholder pov i would be interested if they have data on using demos as a means to sell. for example i was prob going to get kirby but after the demo didnt bother. maybe there are people that it was the opposite for but i wonder do N know which is better. The only way u could find out is take to markets that have similar sales numbers and then release a demo in one but not the other, but this would prob be a bad pr move
I think it's definitely possible, since Super Smash Bros. for 3DS got a demo. We'll see.
No non Ninty fighters for dlc please ...
@jockmahon I think demos in general are a good thing. I canceled my preorder for Arms after the first global testpunch, but on the other hand, I bought Vostok Inc and Pixeljunk Monsters 2 because I found myself playing their demos repeatedly.
I think demos make more sales than they lose.
I also bought Kirby after playing the demo, but I always knew I was going to get it because easy is what I want from my Kirby games. I avoid the more puzzly ones.
No pls. No testfire ****. I want an offline demo which I can play freely...
There was a demo for Smash 3ds before launch, so there is definitely a precendent there.
Just another puppet talking without saying anything.
Don't care either way. Imma still buy it day one. I even have the day off work just to enjoy it.
@BigKing HEY! Don't call him that. Bill is precious 💕
How about some verification for the single player modes for those of us who have no interest in multiplayer?
@headfirstslide I don't know why they keep interviewing those PR dudes. They never reveal anything and will only say what you already know.
@BigKing It is as if people expect them to risk their jobs by revealing company secrets.
DLC will be a dead cert methinks but a demo would be lovely or some sort of beta.
I Just want to know what content it has, they spent a ridiculous amount of time showing us all of the characters but nothing on what modes we'll have. We all know the core fighting will be great as always but without some kind of story mode I'm not sure if I need another Smash Bros game
Would you like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate to have a global demo event to try out?
Like a fish would like a glass of water.
Will you be buying the game regardless?
Yes, barring global destruction.
@carlos82 If we get a new and better SSE I'll die
Would love a demo or some kind of beta
Make a Club Nintendo special demo part 2 with even more begging lenny
I can sorta see DLC coming, but it feels like they are putting everything on the table so they won't have to really worry about DLC. If the game does get any, will it be it be the amount as 4 or less, that's the question.
The only game that I want dlc characters in.
To me the most important question is: Will we see a single player story mode like Subspace Emissary? I really enjoyed it a lot and missed it in the Wii U version.
From what I understand the original cast from the N64 version will be unlocked from the start, with all other fighters being unlockable. I would really love to unlock them in a story mode.
But back to the demo, I wouldn't mind one, just to enjoy a teaser of what's to come.
@BigKing what do you expect from an interview? any announcement from Nintendo will be an out of nowhere or on a direct.
I dont need a demo, i just want the full game. And indeed i want DLC in the future.
@Grumblevolcano At first that sounded evil, but it does make sense, most people buying the game will probably also pay for online.
@Yorumi E3 demo, or the one at some upcoming gaming event. I want to say Gamescon but don't think that's it.
@rjejr More like another factor to convince people to pay for online subscription. Right now the paid online service is just continuing playing games you've played online for free, NES games and cloud saves. Having an exclusive Smash Ultimate demo would increase subscriptions.
I imagine it will be online and if that is the case then I don't really need one as I have always preferred Smash to be a offline game. I think I played maybe 2 matches online in my entire time playing Brawl and Smash Wii U.
@headfirstslide Who expects that? I expect insightful interview questions.
@Aozz101x Then they shouldn't ask those dumb questions. Why would you ask those questions, not get an answer and then write an article about it with some speculation? That isn't journalism.
@BigKing well, the interviewers
He doesn't have to include DLC, just put some super secret characters in the game as unlockable like Simon Belmont and K.Rool. We don't need to know if they are DLC but if I happen to play the game and unlock them by surprise I would be super excited. Same for other new characters that was not playable from past games like Waluigi, Krystal, Isaac, and Takamaru, having them being unlockable and playable for the first time in Smash Ultimate would be my Super Smash dream come true.
Oh, please not another Global Test(verb)! As fun as those are, I’d really like an offline demo, similar to what the 3DS version had.
@Cobalt Let me guess...Bill says it's a port and that will allow you, who is obsessed with ports, to "prove" to everyone else that you're correct, another thing you're obsessed with.
@PanurgeJr
Facts are facts !
I’m considering them letting them add 45709 as a dlc character, but I don’t know how they’d add balance to make it fair
@BigKing Fair Enough.
It's strange to have that small amount of comments for a Super Smash Bros "U"-ltimate !
Another slow news day, eh?
@Azikira
Out of the blue, what is your avatar ?
A fox ? A Shiba-Inu ? Something else ?
OOOOOOHHH YEAAAAAH BILL!!!! GIMMIE DAT DEMO BOI!!!
Oh there'll be DLC for sure. A lot of current Switch games by Nintendo have new free and paid content down the line so I'm sure the Nintendo overloads will be like "Hey, put Waluigi in the game and give him a stage too!" once the game is done.
Fair answers, although I hope the demo, should there be one, is stripped down to exclude any info that might be datamined. Sakurai is putting his all into this one, he deserves to reveal these things, not some jackass that wants to spoil the surprise.
@Cobalt It's my character, or Fursona for those who don't think furries are the bane of humanity. He's a Red Fox. He's pretty prominent on my YouTube channel.
Why do ya ask?
@Azikira
Because I'm an animals lover and everything that looks like a fox or a wolf interest me from near and far !
And as you may see with my avatar, I'm a pixelart lover too.
So basically, your avatar is about 2 things that I love.
I really hope there's no DLC coming to Smash Ultimate. It would be an insult for the game to be called "Ultimate" if the game is not 100% full and complete when it launches.
With the current trend of games getting post launch support (including Kirby, which is single player) I can see this happening, but I hope it doesn't, mainly because of how dataminers and leakers are always happy to spoil the fun for their clicks. Otherwise, I can see some sort of online tournament being a fun time.
As for DLC, I know this is probably PR talk, but it wouldn't surprise me if that was up in the air at this point. There are a lot of unknowns, and 65 fighters to be balanced, so it's not unreasonable to assume they're busy just with that, and whatever else is under wraps. I do wonder if we'll get the content updates that pretty much every big multiplayer Nintendo game (and Kirby, curiously enough) has been getting. It's a great way to keep buzz going, but that's only assuming everyone on the team will be interested in post-launch content if they're working as hard as I assume.
@BassLostie
You really think that "the Nintendo of today" is not able to do that ?
I even think that they're able to launch Super Smash "U"-ltimate not completed in december, add dozen of DLCs during 2019 and resell the game +DLCs on the same disc.
Kind of what kingdom Battle did.
I already have the title for the game : SUPER SMASH BROS REALLY "U"ltimate !
@Aozz101x @headfirstslide @BigKing
I dunno, I think even when an interviewee has nothing new to explicitly say, there's a lot that can be said from their mannerisms and the way they word their response. For example:
If someone were to ask Bill about a robust single player in Smash and his response were simply "We will have more to announce about Smash Bros.' single player content at a later date," that would have a very different connotation than if he said, "As with past Smash games, there will definitely be single player content for you to enjoy, but I think it's important we don't underestimate just how much content there already is on offer here between the sizeable character roster and stage selection." The first response would be more ambiguous, whereas the second one might be implying one shouldn't set their hopes too high and be happy with what the game does have. (Of course, this is completely hypothetical and Bill has made no such comment either way, as far as I know.)
I don't know that these reporters necessarily expect answers to these major questions, but rather they want to see if there's anything that can be extrapolated by the way a response is worded--something people can look at and say "Hm, what can we infer from that?" Did he say it with a cheeky grin? Did he quickly try to change the subject, perhaps because fans wouldn't be satisfied with the answer? Et cetera.
Lastly, I think there was useful information to be gathered from this interview. I think Bill was being very serious in saying that while DLC is for sure a possibility, Sakurai is very much focused on the now. That sounded pretty blunt to me, and not like he was tiptoeing around the issue.
I would love to have a demo. It would be nice to get a feel of the game before it's release.
After the 3ds demo last time I kinda hope a switch demo is a given.
Global Test is the worst demo model they’re doing lately, it only serves the purpose of showcasing the game for early adopters. If you get a Switch after the game is out, you won’t be able to try before buying.
It’s almost as bad for the customer as the season pass-locked DLC like Zelda BotW did.
The free online-only demo Smash Ultimate demo will be available on the day the paid Switch Online service starts on September. Mark my words.
He used the word “port”
*runs round with arms in the air.
Port
Port
Port.
The world will end....
He used word port.
Isn’t it confirmed its not port?
@Stocksy No, it says part, not port.
@Azikira the comment was more aimed at colbolt picking up on it.
To me the word port and Nintendo has lost all meaning...
It’s over used and barely anytime it used it’s actually the case.
They are usually either sequels, enhanced, remakes or remastered and to me port suggests a straight port indentical to the original. If it isn’t that it isn’t a port.
PS4 don’t get ports. Xbox don’t get ports.
Why certain people on the internet are obsessed with calling everything a port is beyond me.
@Stocksy This comment is a port of another comment already made... BUT IT'S BEEN RETEXTURED IN... H-D!!
@Grumblevolcano "Having an exclusive Smash Ultimate demo would increase subscriptions."
Would it though? Don't get me wrong, I understand your point, and it's a good point. But the way I see it, the people paying for NOS to get a demo of SSBU are probably the exact same people who would pay for NOS anyway, only this way they have 1 less reason to complain about it and say "Well I signed up for the demo." instead. But they would have still signed up anyway, just more whining.
I really don't see anybody signing up for a demo that weren't going to sign up anyway, though it would be there "Excuse" to spend the money.
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