Smash Bros creator Masahiro Sakurai has revealed the future of the franchise after the six characters in Fighters Pass Volume 2 are released.
In a Famitsu column, translated by journalist PushDustin, the game director explained how there are no plans for additional characters after the second Fighters Pass has concluded.
The final DLC fighter has a placeholder release date of December 2021, so while there is still plenty of life left in the title with patches and events, it seems like there is a destination in mind.
Nintendo decided the characters for the DLC. Sakurai did not.(will translate additional details in an hour, gotta run)
— Will (PushDustIn) (@PushDustIn) February 19, 2020
As for the upcoming fighters, Sakurai reiterated that Nintendo was responsible for choosing them – whoever they may be.
The worst news, however, is that Nintendo doesn’t have any plans for another entry in the franchise after Ultimate. This doesn’t mean that plans can’t change, especially given the success of the series, but even Sakurai doesn’t know what the future holds.
“I can’t say for sure if the Smash series will continue. The people at Nintendo who are in charge of the series and I am not thinking about the future at all,” he said.
Sakurai and Nintendo aren't planning any future entries in the Smash series right now. So he doesn't know what will happen.
Adding content to this game little by little extends Smash Ultimate's life. So Sakurai plans to give it his all for the last 6 fighters.
— Will (PushDustIn) (@PushDustIn) February 19, 2020
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According to the translation, the series’ creator will be putting his all into these last six fighters, as the new content extends the game’s life little by little.
That said, Sakurai doesn’t believe it’s good for the long-term future of the franchise to just keep adding more and more content to Ultimate.
With the roster of fighters already the largest in the franchise’s history by far, it’s crazy to think of anything surpassing it in the near future.
'It's not really good for the long term future (of the series) to just add new content (To Ultimate). But by putting out a little bit at a time, we can make (Ultimate) last longer.'
2/3
— Will (PushDustIn) (@PushDustIn) February 19, 2020
Luckily, nothing is set in stone and it’s always possible that Nintendo decides to launch a third Fighters Pass, especially if the second can do as well as the first from a profit perspective.
Until then, we’ll just have to enjoy the ride. There’s still plenty of Smash Bros Ultimate to come leading up to Challenger Pack 11 and the conclusion of Volume 2.