Super Smash Bros. Ultimate was originally released worldwide on December 7, 2018. In celebration of the game’s fifth anniversary, an in-game event is being held where fans can be awarded quintuple experience and Spirit Points upon completion of battles within a Spirit Board.
However, most interestingly, it’s also been announced that four additional events are coming to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate starting in January 2024. During these events, new Spirits will be added to the game.
For context, the last Spirit added to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate was the Evil Ryu Spirit in commemoration of Street Fighter’s 35th anniversary back in January 2022. With this, there are currently 1,513 Spirits that can be collected in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Notably, this came shortly after the 13.0.1 patch that was slated to be the final round of balance adjustments for fighters in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate back in December 2021. The developers noted that additional updates to apply fixes could be launched in the future, but this never actually happened.
As of right now, it’s unknown which Spirits will be coming to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate via these four Spirit Events in 2024. According to Google Translate, Masahiro Sakurai seems to be implying that these Spirits will be coming from one specific game.
『大乱闘スマッシュブラザーズ SPECIAL』は、本日で発売5周年を迎えました！ 明日から5日間、ゲーム内イベント「ありがとう!! スマブラSP発売5周年」を開催します。期間中はバトル後にもらえる経験値とSPが5倍になるほか、「おやつL」を5個追加で入手できます。#スマブラSP pic.twitter.com/vZs8GvMlwO
— 大乱闘スマッシュブラザーズ【スマブラ公式】 (@SmashBrosJP) December 7, 2023
『スマブラSP』は本日5周年になりました!
そんなに経ったかなあ｡経ったな｡
ありがとうございました｡ここに来て､新スピリッツを伴うイベントが(1月から)実施されるそうです｡
何のゲームのものかな? https://t.co/c3U58zPE64— 桜井 政博 / Masahiro Sakurai (@Sora_Sakurai) December 7, 2023
Nintendo would also use this opportunity to announce when the final amiibo for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Sora from the Kingdom Hearts series, would be releasing. The Sora amiibo will be available starting on February 16, 2023.
Being that the Sora amiibo wasn’t announced until very recently, there’s actually no mention of this specific figurine within Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s code. Needless to say, the game would have to see at least some sort of minor update for the Sora amiibo to be compatible upon its release.
大乱闘スマッシュブラザーズシリーズのamiibo「ソラ」(キングダム ハーツ)の発売日が、2024年2月16日(金)に決定！ 追加コンテンツを購入していなくても、#スマブラSP でFP(フィギュアプレイヤー)を呼び出してお楽しみいただけます。ご予約はこちらから #_KH pic.twitter.com/4d3GgOkw3r
— 大乱闘スマッシュブラザーズ【スマブラ公式】 (@SmashBrosJP) December 7, 2023
Something to take from all of this is that some small subset of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s developers have returned to the game after nearly two years of no developer support. Of course, there actually is some precedent for this sort of thing.
Corrin and Bayonetta were released as the final DLC characters for Super Smash Bros. 4 on February 3, 2016 with the 1.1.4 update. The 1.1.5 and 1.1.6 updates would later be released on March 15, 2016 and May 20, 2016 respectively, both which applied balance adjustments to the game though 1.1.6 only nerfed Bayonetta.
Over a year later, update 1.1.7 was released on July 18, 2017 for the purpose of making the Bayonetta, Cloud, and Corrin amiibo compatible. Up until now, additionally updates for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate beyond patch 13.0.1 haven’t been necessary due to the developers leaving behind references to all future amiibo — with the exception of Sora, implying that this wasn’t set in stone at the time.
However, we’d later learn that these final few patches were only possible because the developers at the time were already secretly working on Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for the Nintendo Switch, the game that would be the sequel to Super Smash Bros. 4.
It just so happens that Studio 2/Studio S is looking for people with experience in action games, some of which are in the “side-view” variety. Studio 2/Studio S is a studio within Bandai Namco that was created for the purpose of doing contract work development for Nintendo.
This division already has quite a track record considering that they were involved as the developers for games like Mario Kart 8, Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Mario Kart Tour, Mario Sports Superstars, ARMS, Super Smash Bros. 4, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
By this point, Masahiro Sakurai has said multiple times that Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s theme of “Everyone Is Here” was only possible due to how the development team for Super Smash Bros. 4, Bandai Namco, returned to develop Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
With Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s sales now exceeding 30 million units, it’s extremely likely that Nintendo will want a new entry within the Super Smash Bros. series on the console that is to follow after the Nintendo Switch, which also has numerous rumors circulating about it.
All in all, this situation is similar to how developers briefly returned to Super Smash Bros. 4 while working on Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The addition of these Spirits imply that the developers are now working on the next related project.
It’s often speculated that the Nintendo Switch follow up could feature a “Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Deluxe” sort of deal, which would be perfect considering that Studio 2/Studio S developed Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. This would also technically allow the “Everyone Is Here” theme to continue just a little bit longer until Masahiro Sakurai is able to determine how to proceed with the series beyond this point.
Regardless, it may still be some time before we hear any official news regarding the next Super Smash Bros. entry, but this recent announcement, though seemingly minor on the surface, is indicative that development has potentially started.
Rumors suggest that the Nintendo Switch follow up is scheduled to be announced and released sometime in 2024. Considering the success of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, perhaps the game will be revealed by then or 2025. Of course, we’ll just have to remain patient until that time comes.