Nintendo has embraced demos whole heartedly of late, launching especially timed multiplayer betas for upcoming big games, from Splatoon and ARMS and Mario Tennis Aces. With Super Smash Bros. Ultimate being arguably the company’s biggest Switch release yet, at least from the multiplayer perspective (it will definitely be the game people will turn to to assess their feelings on Nintendo’s upcoming online service, for example) does the company plan on running any beta tests, or maybe putting out a demo, for it ahead of its release?
Speaking to IGN at San Diego Comic Con 2018, Nintendo’s Bill Trinen discussed the possibility of a demo or a beta for the game, saying it would have to be something that was considered closer to the game’s launch. “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,” he said.
Which sounds to me like it might be something they are considering- it’s important to note he doesn’t outright say no, and even explicitly hints that there may be an announcement pertaining to this closer to the game’s launch. So that is something to look forward to, for sure.
Trinen also discussed the possibility of DLC for the game, noting that it is something that Masahiro Sakurai, the creator of Smash Bros., and the director of Ultimate, will consider once the game is out. Sakurai, he pointed out, has a perfectionist attitude towards his games, and for now is focusing on getting Ultimate out as a feature and content complete product- any DLC considerations will come afterwards.
“Obviously [DLC] 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 want to do… with other characters or DLC, things like that,” Trinin said. “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.”
So that’s that- I personally hope there is DLC (though realistically, what would you even do with DLC at this point? Maybe add Rex and Pyra? An ARMS character? A rep from Pokemon 8 or the new Fire Emblem game?). Super Smash Bros. Ultimate launches exclusively on the Nintendo Switch on December 7.
