Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is one of the Nintendo Switch’s most popular games, so some fans are wondering what the arrival of the Switch 2 might mean for the fan-favorite series. No news has been announced about another Super Smash Bros. game yet, but making a a fresh entry in the franchise a launch title could help Nintendo capitalize on the series’ success.
After releasing in 2018, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has had seven years of continuing success. As the 3rd highest-selling Switch game of last year, it’s no surprise that it still has a massive player base, even so far after its release. Unfortunately, it’s been announced that no new content, even something as small as the added spirit fighters from last year, is planned for Smash Ultimate in the future. But, with the Switch 2 releasing later this year, a new version of the title would be the perfect way to satisfy fans who want to experience the next console generation without losing access to their favorite games.
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Smash Ultimate is Done with Updates
For most games, updates don’t continue seven years after release, but Smash Ultimate has been such a success that, as recently as October 2024, the game has still been receiving bug fixes and occasional new content. The largest addition to the game came shortly after its release as DLC, which added new fighters, such as Joker, Steve, and Sora. Within the last few years, small additions of extra spirit fighters were added as well. With the amount of work that goes into designing and balancing each update, it’s no surprise that the game’s director, Masahiro Sakurai, has said that extra content for Smash Ultimate is over.
DLC characters who weren’t present in the base game include:
- Piranha Plant
- Joker
- Hero
- Banjo & Kazooie
- Terry Bogard
- Byleth
- Min min
- Steve / Alex
- Sepheroth
- Pyra / Mythra
- Kazuya
- Sora
With the final updates added to the game, and a new console on the way, some fans are wondering if there might be something new in the works for the Smash Bros. series in the near future. There hasn’t been any announcement of a new Smash Bros. game, but that hasn’t stopped some players from hoping that a definitive edition of Smash Ultimate might be on the way for the Switch 2. Luckily, cross-gen plans for the Switch 2 release indicate that the console will be backwards compatible, allowing fans to play Smash Ultimate on the console without a new copy of the game. But releasing an updated version that includes all the DLC could be a perfect way for Nintendo to boost sales of the Switch 2. Smash Ultimate remains a massively popular multiplayer game, after all, meaning that its inclusion as a launch title could encourage early adoption of the new console.
When Could a Hypothetical Smash Bros. Ultimate Definitive Edition be Announced?
There hasn’t been any indication that a Smash Ultimate definitive edition is on the way, but it would make sense to start off the next console generation with a guaranteed hit. A definitive edition could include access to the fighters added since launch, and possibly some extra content like new mii costumes or additional spirit fighters from more recent releases. Little news has been given on games that will release on the Switch 2, but with a special Nintendo Direct in April dedicated to the new console, it is believed that some news about launch titles might be revealed then.
Nintendo has had a tradition of releasing a new Smash Bros. game on every console since the N64. Although a re-release or definitive edition isn’t a new game entirely, including one at launch could act as a stopgap for fans who want a 7th game in the series. However successful the Super Smash Bros. series is, it’s important to remember that Sakurai works on other series as well, and needs time to dedicate to each project. A Smash Ultimate definitive edition would give Switch 2 players an updated entry in the series to keep them at bay until the time is right for the console’s proper installment. But whether it’s a new entry, a definitive edition, or something else entirely, fans are still hopeful about Smash Bros. news in the upcoming Nintendo Direct, which will air on April 4th.
Gaming icons clash in the ultimate brawl you can play anytime, anywhere! Smash rivals off the stage as new characters Simon Belmont and King K. Rool join Inkling, Ridley, and every fighter in Super Smash Bros. history. Enjoy enhanced speed and combat at new stages based on the Castlevania series, Super Mario Odyssey, and more!
Having trouble choosing a stage? Then select the Stage Morph option to transform one stage into another while battling—a series first! Plus, new echo fighters Dark Samus, Richter Belmont, and Chrom join the battle. Whether you play locally or online, savor the faster combat, new attacks, and new defensive options, like a perfect shield. Jam out to 900 different music compositions and go 1-on-1 with a friend, hold a 4-player free-for-all, kick it up to 8-player battles and more!
- Released
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December 7, 2018
- ESRB
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E for Everyone: Cartoon Violence, Comic Mischief, Suggestive Themes
- Publisher(s)
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Nintendo