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I really hope in the future: Nintendo is more global minded about Smash Bros Rosters

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Uzumaki Goku

Uzumaki Goku

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What do I mean?

Well, for starters: Dark Samus is the only character in Ultimate who was created by an American studio. (Diddy, K. Rool and Banjo are European). The rest were all made by Japanese studios. So in terms of representation, it's really mostly a celebration of Japanese gaming icons with any other country just maybe getting a bone thrown at them like with Banjo-Kazooie.

(I honestly suspect the reason they revealed Banjo along with Hero is because Dragon Quest is only huge in Japan, so they threw in Banjo like "Here. Here's your stupid bear and bird. Now leave me alone")

It just seems really with most of the choices for DLC, they were made with the Japanese market in mind, not really accounting for the worldwide market. Going forward, they need to try to be more globally minded with Smash Bros. rosters. It'd be nice is all.
 
ILikeFeet

ILikeFeet

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like who? I can see Rayman being in, Shantae, I guess. they both already have/had representation, so coming back would make sense. I still think MK deserves as spot. maybe Crash too

but given the roster size, and the need to appeal everywhere, there's not too many options
 
vestan

vestan

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Uzumaki Goku said:
So in terms of representation, it's really mostly a celebration of Japanese gaming icons with any other country just maybe getting a bone thrown at them like with Banjo-Kazooie.
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In all honesty, there's not much coming to mind as far as Western gaming icons are concerned. Like who is there outside of maybe Scorpion, Crash or Master Chief? I'd say Rayman too but honestly it's kind of a stretch to call him an icon, especially nowadays.

None of these characters are culturally relevant in Japan, and that's the main market for Smash at the end of the day.
 
L Thammy

L Thammy

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Oct 25, 2017
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I don't really care about that part. I do think that Ultimate and especially its DLC is more focused on the typical gamer demographic than previous Smash games, though, which is what pushes more towards the "anime swordsman".
 
Neoxon

Neoxon

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Porygon said:
Give some examples op
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They can start with the diversity problems of the roster.
www.resetera.com

89 Characters & Not a Single Black Character: The Anti-Blackness of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

AUTHOR'S NOTE: This thread was initially written not long after the release of Pyra/Mythra, with the 5th character of Fighters Pass Vol. 2 not yet revealed & us being under the impression that Fighters Pass Vol. 2 would be the end of the road for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. It was later updated...
www.resetera.com www.resetera.com
 
jph139

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Sakurai explicitly likes to promote Japanese games with Smash, so I'd set your expectations low there as long as he's running things.

Japanese games are gradually losing their presence in the global market with every passing year, and there is data to support this conclusion. Pokémon GO has taken the world by storm as of late, but the game was developed by Niantic Inc. and The Pokémon Company. In other words, it was not an exclusively Japanese effort.

...

It all depends on the next project I undertake, but I've already proven Japanese games can resonate with the rest of the world, and I'd like to continue doing so in whatever way I can.

Thankfully, Smash was a game that ended up supporting a lot of other games. It's been proven that including a character as a fighter generates publicity for said character and their respective series. I'm very pleased that Smash can positively promote other titles.
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Yuntu

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Except DQ Hero almost all chars are globally minded. And even DQ isn't some unknown alien thing outside Japan, its just not big.

Neoxon pointed out an actual issue with the roster above. Though I think that issue extends to almost the entirety of gaming.
 
Nahbac

Nahbac

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Nov 11, 2018
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It's much easier to sell a game worldwide with primarily Japanese game characters who are mostly pretty popular overseas, versus western game characters who are niche to unknown in Japan. To be honest the West doesn't have much going for it in terms of iconic game characters that don't already have representation as fighters or Mii costumes already.
 

Deleted member 36578

Dec 21, 2017
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I'm figuring the next Smash won't have any guest characters at first, as not to complicate things. Nintendo only, which is a Japanese company after all.
 
cw_sasuke

cw_sasuke

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They are global minded for the most part, doesn't mean that there couldn't be more diversity in the roster.
 
PlanetSmasher

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I feel like this is the fourth speculative thread about the next Smash Bros I've seen in the past hour.
 
Neoxon

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ILikeFeet said:
like who? I can see Rayman being in, Shantae, I guess. they both already have/had representation, so coming back would make sense. I still think MK deserves as spot. maybe Crash too

but given the roster size, and the need to appeal everywhere, there's not too many options
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The problem with Mortal Kombat is that is literally a non-entity in Japan (MK11 is banned from being released over there). As for Crash, fuck Activision Blizzard.
 
touchfuzzy

touchfuzzy

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As with the diversity problem, no one has any actual good / realistic suggestions of who to add, but just want it to happen.
 
nbnt

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Exactly. Would love to see Call of Duty Dude, Battlefield Dude, and Fortnite Default Dude duking it out in the next Smash.
 
PlanetSmasher

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nbnt said:
Exactly. Would love to see Call of Duty Dude, Battlefield Dude, and Fortnite Default Dude duking it out in the next Smash.
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The next Smash can just be PS All-Stars Battle Royale with Mario in it. A bunch of boring white guys with guns all shooting each other while Mario is screaming in the background.
 
OP
OP
Uzumaki Goku

Uzumaki Goku

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Also, I'm gonna be blunt with you guys expression doubts about any characters.

if they can get Sora in, anyone is possible. (Except for maybe Sony owned characters)
 
Dyle

Dyle

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There are not many gaming icons with any significant history on Nintendo systems who aren't from Japan. Crash, Rayman, and Jonesy are the only ones I'd point to that aren't in Ultimate in some form (and Rayman had a trophy in 4)
 
faint

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Oct 27, 2017
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Outside of Master Chief and Rayman, can you provide an example of someone you thinking is deserving to be in Smash? I think every DLC character with the exception of Byleth and Pyra have the global appeal and recognition required to be in a game like Smash.
 
Mekanos

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jph139 said:
Sakurai explicitly likes to promote Japanese games with Smash, so I'd set your expectations low there as long as he's running things.
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Yeah this is always going to be the sticking point I think. And Nintendo has always been pretty Japan-centric as a company.

Outside of the occasional character with a huge amount of requests like Banjo or a game with a big following in Japan like Minecraft I don't imagine many western fighters will be added to Smash in the future.
 
Jaded Alyx

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Oct 25, 2017
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For a game all about the celebration of videogames and iconic characters, Lara Croft should definitely have been there.
 
Kcannon

Kcannon

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Richter1887 said:
Like I said in the other thread. Sakurai needs to retire from making Smash.

Too many issues all boil down to "Sakurai said this or wanted this".
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I feel like any other Japanese creator wouldn't really diverge much from Sakurai's choices, except for the weird FE favoritism.

No one there is suddenly going to bat for Western characters if they are not popular in Japan to begin with. The roster is pretty global already and we will never see another Lucas case ever again.
 
Slaythe

Slaythe

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Uzumaki Goku said:
It just seems really with most of the choices for DLC, they were made with the Japanese market in mind, not really accounting for the worldwide market.
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a68154cefeb3cd062e47ec93ddc80fe9.png



Go ahead and explain.

Go ahead.
 
Richter1887

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Kcannon said:
I feel like any other Japanese creator wouldn't really diverge much from Sakurai's choices, except for the weird FE favoritism.

No one there is suddenly going to bat for Western characters if they are not popular in Japan to begin with. The roster is pretty global already and we will never see another Lucas case ever again.
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You are probably right but I am willing to go for this change. Who knows, maybe they will change things up?
 
Quasi

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Lara Croft is the only western character that I'd really want in and would fit. I can't really think of many other iconic western characters that aren't just dudes with guns.
 
ROMASS

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Uzumaki Goku said:
(I honestly suspect the reason they revealed Banjo along with Hero is because Dragon Quest is only huge in Japan, so they threw in Banjo like "Here. Here's your stupid bear and bird. Now leave me alone")
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If anything, it would be the other way around, they showed Hero cause no one knows Banjo in Japan.
 
Waluigilicious

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faint said:
Outside of Master Chief and Rayman, can you provide an example of someone you thinking is deserving to be in Smash? I think every DLC character with the exception of Byleth and Pyra have the global appeal and recognition required to be in a game like Smash.
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I think all below are deserving of Smash...

Master Chief
Lara Croft
Crash Bandicoot
Rayman
Scorpion
Doom Guy
Spyro

And a personal biased favourite (my second most wanted character after Bomberman)... Joanna Dark. Conker would fit right in too.
 
ColdSun

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Oct 25, 2017
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This is a reaction thread; the discussion can fit in one of the existing Smash threads.
 
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