Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Surprises Players with New Content Update

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has long since ended its DLC releases, but that doesn't mean that the game is entirely devoid of new content. Nintendo proved as much this week by announcing a new Spirit event that's added several more Spirits to the game in honor of some of the biggest Nintendo games that released recently across different series. Even better than that, this doesn't appear to be the end of the new content with players interpreting some of Nintendo's past messages in a way that suggests we'll see several more waves of Spirits added to the game.

The Spirits in question that were added this time come from Pikmin 4, Xenoblade Chronicles 3, The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, and Splatoon 3. The characters added from those games, respectively, are Oatchi, Noah and Mio, Rauru, and the Deep Cut trio from Splatoon 3 which consists of Shiver, Frye, and Big Man. 

New Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Content in 2024

For five days starting 1/11, new spirits from various series' latest titles, such as The Legend of #Zelda: #TearsOfTheKingdom and #Splatoon3, will be making their way to the #SmashBrosUltimate Spirit Board! Defeat them in battle to earn more gold than usual. pic.twitter.com/OlLHn3C1sm

— Nintendo of America (@NintendoAmerica) January 10, 2024

These four new spirits can be seen below courtesy of the Nintendo of America Twitter account which announced the limited-time Spirit event. Like other Spirit events in the past, these four new Spirits for Oatchi, Noah and Mio, Rauru, and Deep Cut can be found on the Spirit Board more often than usual for a set amount of time (five days in this case). Beating them will also earn players a bit more gold than usual.

For context as to why this is such a big deal that Super Smash Bros. Ultimate got new content in 2024, the game's been out for several years at this point, and the last notable content update dropped roughly two years ago when the Evil Ryu Spirit was added. Amiibo drops have still happened, but as for the game itself, content had largely dried up.

More New Content on the Way?

【新規スピリッツイベント1回目】（計4回）
1/12(金)から5日間「勢ぞろい！ シリーズ最新作のスピリッツ」を開催！ スピリッツボードに『ゼルダの伝説　ティアーズ オブ ザ キングダム』『スプラトゥーン3』などの新スピリッツが出現。バトルに勝つと、多めにゴールドを獲得できます。 #スマブラSP pic.twitter.com/yEZxeMM46E

— 大乱闘スマッシュブラザーズ【スマブラ公式】 (@SmashBrosJP) January 10, 2024

People have still found ways to complain about the new Spirits while ignoring the fact that any new content is good content for a game like Super Smash Bros. Ultimate with players asking about this Spirit and that and suggesting others that could've been added. But will those players get their wishes after all through even more Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Spirit events?

Judging from a past Nintendo tweet, it seems as though that's the case. In December, the Japanese Twitter account for the Smash Bros. series tweeted out that these Spirits were coming in 2024 while saying that their release would be the "First new Spirits event" and that such an occasion would happen "4 times in total." If we're reading this correctly, that sure sounds like it means this is the first wave of new Spirits with three more waves to happen afterwards.

In related Super Smash Bros. news, Bandai Namco, a publisher that works with Nintendo on the Super Smash Bros. games, announced last year a dedicated team for Nintendo projects. Masahiro Sakurai, the game developer recognized as the face of the Super Smash Bros. games, also announced just recently that he's planning to wind down his YouTube channel this year with people theorizing that means he's planning to get started on another game.