Patch 13.0.1 for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, released nearly three years ago, was said to contain the last batch of balance adjustments for the roster. Patch 13.0.2, released earlier this year, added compatibility with the newly released Sora amiibo.
To our surprise, patch 13.0.3 has been released. Just as it was promised with patch 13.0.1, there are no balance adjustments with this latest update, but there is a notable change being made listed in the patch notes.
According to the listed changes, this patch is being pushed out to address an issue in which Global Smash Power, which is effectively the online ranking system of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, wouldn’t return to normal levels if the connection was interrupted with a specific timing near the end of the match.
Needless to say, this has been an ongoing issue for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate since the game released. It’s particularly odd that this fix is only just now being applied nearly six years after the game was first released on December 7, 2018.
Regardless, it’s also being reported that this update may potentially cause compatibility issues with replays that were recorded during 9.0.0 through 13.0.2 versions of the game. Replays from version 8.1.0 and earlier are confirmed to not be compatible.
• Fixed an issue in which Global Smash Power would not return to appropriate levels when the connection was disrupted with specific timing at the end of a match.
Though this patch may initially seem largely inconsequential, the fact that an update is being pushed at all is implicative of something much larger going on. Of course, it should be mentioned that we saw something like this happen with Super Smash Bros. 4 after the last DLC character, Bayonetta, was released.
On May 20th, 2016, Bayonetta received some significant nerfs to her kit as she was proving to be a real menace in the competitive meta. Even after the nerfs, it was widely believed that Bayonetta was still the best character in the game, but this update gave other fighters a better chance against her.
We found out later that this update was possible as the same developers, Bandai Namco’s Studio 2 & Studio S, had already begun development on the next entry in the Super Smash Bros. series for the Nintendo Switch, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
As it just so happens, we recently heard word that Bandai Namco’s Studio 2 & Studio S filled game developer positions seeking those experienced with action games played from a “side-view.”
The implication here is that development on the next entry after Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has already begun. We’d expect this game to be on the Switch successor, which is slated to be announced before the end of this fiscal year, which is April 1, 2025 for Nintendo.
Additionally, Masahiro Sakurai noted that he was still creating games for the time being. His involvement with the development of a new Super Smash Bros. game would be necessary considering that he’s been the director of the series since the very first game.
It would seem that Masahiro Sakurai is preparing to conclude his YouTube channel project, centered around the game creation process, later this month. This seems to imply that his attention will be solely focused on whatever game he’s apparently “still creating.”
To this day, it’s been reported that Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has been able to sell over 34.66 million units worldwide. This makes Super Smash Bros. Ultimate the third best-selling game on the Nintendo Switch after Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Animal Crossing: New Horizons.
Of course, much of this is thanks to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate’s “Everyone Is Here” theme, a concept that left the entire development team silent when Sakurai first revealed it. Needless to say, even Sakurai himself is unsure if the Super Smash Bros. series would ever be able to bring back all of its past fighters back into one game again.
Things are certainly looking interesting as it’s appearing more and more likely that development on the next Super Smash Bros. has already begun. If true, we’ll probably receive word of the announcement of such a title a year or two after the release of the Switch successor, if not sooner.