A new Super Smash Bros. game was missing from this week’s Nintendo Switch 2 Direct. This of course is disappointing news enough for Super Smash Bros. fans as it likely indicates a new Super Smash Bros. game is not on the horizon. If there was any doubt about this though, a game announcement that was made during the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct week removed this doubt. In fact, it has seemingly confirmed that if a new Super Smash Bros. game is in development, it is in the very early stages of said development. In other words, several years away.
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For those that missed it, Kirby Air Riders was announced for Nintendo Switch 2 during the aforementioned Nintendo Direct. What does this have to do with Super Smash Bros? Well, it’s being made by Sora Ltd. and Masahiro Sakurai. The former is the developer behind the Super Smash Bros. series, while the latter is the director and creator of the series. In other words, the studio and director behind the Super Smash Bros. series has been busy making a game that is not a new Super Smash Bros. game.
The good news is that Kirby Air Riders is going to release this year. Assuming it is not delayed that would mean sometime next year the team and Sakurai would shift focus to a new Super Smash Bros. game. As you would expect, over on the Super Smash Bros. Reddit page there are many fans disappointed not just by the lack of a game announcement at the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct, but the implications of Kirby Air Riders. However, there are also a surprising number of fans not upset, with some pointing out the series needs rest.
“Had a brief moment of hope when I saw Kirby in that art style, but no. But even though in that moment I was disappointed, it’s honestly a good thing I think that Smash is going on a little break,” said one fan. “I do think one thing Ultimate’s successor will need is a good bit of distance between it and it’s predecessor so it has time and technology to stand out as a worthy sequel.
Another fan adds: “Honestly a worthy trade. I’ll take a new Kid Icarus game too while Sakurai is at it.”
It remains to be seen what the future of the series looks like, but with the next Super Smash Bros. game seemingly several years away, Nintendo will probably have to do something with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on Nintendo Switch to keep fans engaged and satisfied.
