In his latest Weekly column with Famitsu, Masahiro Sakurai agreed that there are too many characters from Fire Emblem incorporated into Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, as well as there being excessive sword users included in the roster. The director aims to include new tactics for each fighter in the series, and with the latest character, he has done so by implementing the three Heroes’ Relics into Byleth’s move-set.
Sakurai posted on Twitter in 2018, explaining that the DLC lineup was determined entirely by Nintendo, with him judging if a fighter can be made based on their selection. In this latest interview, Sakurai re-affirms this statement.
For those unacquainted, Byleth is the main character in Fire Emblem: Three Houses and was recently introduced as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as the final challenger of the first Fighters Pass DLC. Byleth includes matching costumes for their male and female variants, as well as colored costumes to match the leaders of each of the three houses.
Nintendo has, in the past, used the Super Smash Bros. series to promote their other franchises (including having introduced Roy in Smash Bros. Melee four months before he appeared in his own game). Byleth’s reveal was criticized by some fans online as being an attempt at mimicking this past practice. Many fans are also upset at seeing Fire Emblem be represented again despite many other series lacking representation.
Volume 2 of the Fighters Pass DLC is now available on the Nintendo eShop, priced at $29.99 in the US, and promises six new playable fighters, as well as additional stages and music. These characters will release throughout the year up until the end of December 2021. With new characters promised, and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate now one of the best selling games on Switch, fans eagerly await the next additions to the already stellar roster.
