The number of fighters in Super Smash Bros Ultimate has finally reached 80. Announced during a Nintendo Direct on January 16th, Fire Emblem Three Houses main protagonist, Byleth, is the final DLC character from this first wave of content.

The News

While fans bemoaned another Fire Emblem character in Smash at first, Byleth appears to be a unique fighter. Not only can players switch between the male and female versions, but players can also take advantage of four diverse weapons. As described by Sakurai during the presentation, Byleth has the following characteristics:

• Low mobility
• Short range grappling
• Multiple weapons based on the Hero’s Relic

Sakurai described Byleth as a “distance demon” and for good reason. Although the Sword of the Creator is Byleth’s default weapon, the Hero’s Relic allows Byleth to use a bow, spear, and axe. While most Fire Emblem characters use swords, Byleth has a unique advantage with the Sword of the Creator. This weapon extends with up specials to not only attack enemies from range but also to grab onto ledges.

In addition to the new character, Sakurai announced a new stage and 11 new songs. Players can fight in the Garreg Mach Monastery from the base game along with the most popular tracks. All of this content will release on January 28th for $5.99.

Though the announcement of Byleth was tame, Sakurai had one more surprise up his sleeve: a second wave of DLC fighters. While the fighters will likely not release for some time, the potential for more crossovers is exciting. Nintendo promises that all six fighters will release before December 31, 2021.

Analysis

While the addition of a second DLC wave of characters might seem like a surprise, Furukawa’s comments during Nintendo’s 3rd quarter briefing shed some light.

Digital Sales have continued to grow even since entering the current fiscal year. The main contributors were add-on content for The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Splatoon 2, but this fiscal year the Fighter Pass for Super Smash Bros Ultimate has made a huge contribution.

-Shuntaro Furukawa

Although DLC sales currently represent only four percent of the video game industry, Smash DLC appears to be the exception. While Nintendo stopped producing content for Splatoon 2, Mario Tennis Aces, Breath of the Wild, and others after one year, it appears that Smash Ultimate will continue to receive updates for the next several years. This decision makes sense given that future sales will include not only the base game but also DLC. Essentially, Nintendo can sell Smash for $59.99 and entice players to buy another $59.99 of DLC content without developing an entirely new game.

Conclusion

While the reveal of Byleth is uninspiring, the potential for six more playable fighters is exciting. Although Nintendo will release new content over the next two years, fans should be excited that Sakurai is dedicated to Super Smash Bros Ultimate.

But we want to know what you think. Are you excited about the second wave of Smash DLC fighters? Do you think Sakurai will be able to balance the strengths and weaknesses of 86 characters? Let us know in the comments below or the social media links on the right. Be sure to check out our other news items on Pokemon, Modern Warfare, Capcom, Blizzard and more. Until next time, enjoy!