Sakurai teases Smash Ultimate DLC & reveals rules for celebrating game anniversaries

Super Smash Bros series creator Masahiro Sakurai has hinted at the next DLC fighter coming in Fighters Pass Volume 2 and explained why not every franchise’s anniversary is celebrated in Smash Ultimate.

In his latest Famitsu column, the Smash Ultimate director dug into his “Picture of the Day” routine where he tweets out in-game pictures that often celebrate the anniversary of a game featured in Nintendo’s fighter. But he also teased the next fighter in the process.

At the very trail end of the column, translated by Kody NOKOLO, Sakurai explained that he wasn’t just working on his Pictures of the Day and encouraged fans to “hold on just a bit longer.”

Many have taken this to refer to the next DLC. The most likely place where we will see a reveal is in June at E3 2021 where Nintendo will be featuring new content.

Unfortunately, Sakurai didn’t delve deeper into the identity of the next fighter, but it’s good to know he’s hard at work on it.

•  Read More: Ninja Gaiden producer may have deconfirmed Ryu Hayabusa in Smash

Additionally, Sakurai addressed his Picture of the Day formula, which up until this point was up for a bit of debate. No rules had really been outlined about what he could or would celebrate. Though, the Smash boss has insisted that he doesn’t use his picture of the day tweets to tease fighters.

Sakurai explained he prepares tweets for anniversaries about two months ahead of time, but there are certain rules he must follow.

The big one is that the anniversary must relate to a game featured in Smash, but Spirits don’t count. This has proven to be a bit difficult for Sakurai, however, as he went on to note that he has to “stop himself from taking anniversary pictures for Spirits.”

•  Read More: Crash Bandicoot likely not coming as Smash Ultimate DLC: insider

The reason for this is because there are just too many and he would be making way too many tweets if he celebrated Spirits the way he does fighters and things of that nature.

Additionally, for posts about game series’ and things of that nature, the first game in the series needs to have an element represented in Smash.

Sometimes there will be an instance where an anniversary overlaps with another. In this case, he’ll tweet two Pictures of the Day with the second coming an hour later. That said, they are still posted in order of release. He also needs to post a comment with the post.

•  Read More: Smash Ultimate and its esports scene deserve a third Fighters Pass

He’s been doing these anniversary tweets for nearly a year now, but now he’s wondering what he will do to change if he continues doing it.

Hopefully, with two more fighters to go and a rumored twelfth challenger pack coming after, Sakurai can continue doing his Picture of the Day for at least one more year.