Launched in 2018, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate has truly become a powerhouse fighting game for the Nintendo Switch, driven by director Masahiro Sakurai's vision. With more characters, stages, and content than ever before, Ultimate is now easily the biggest entry in the franchise. To increase its offerings, Nintendo has offered not one, but two DLC Fighters Passes that bring additional video game characters to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Fighters Pass Vol. 1 wrapped up last year, and brought new characters to the game like Persona's Joker, and Banjo & Kazooie.
Now, Fighters Pass Vol. 2 is winding down, and so far players have gotten to play as Min-Min from ARMS, Steve from Minecraft, and Sephiroth from Final Fantasy VII. With the recent addition of Pyra and Mythra as Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's newest fighters, that leaves only two more spots to be filled in the second Fighters Pass. There have been numerous rumors about new fighters for the game since it was announced, but some games have popped up more than others.
Crash Bandicoot
Perhaps the most rumored, and most likely, character to get added to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is the titular character from the Crash Bandicoot series. With other platforming characters like Sonic and Banjo, Crash Bandicoot would fit right in to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Plus, Crash seems to be a worthwhile inclusion from the PlayStation roster, and would help expand Ultimate's range. Crash has been rumored on and off for years, but two recent leaks help make his addition seem inevitable.
A while ago, a supposed "Crash Bandicoot 5-Year Plan" leaked, which outlined a roadmap of anticipated Crash content over the next few years, including the release of Crash Bandicoot 4: It's About Time. As part of the 5-year plan, there would be a "Crash Bandicoot crossover for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate" in 2021. Next, the most credible leak comes from an upcoming Super Smash Bros. Ultimate concert, which features theme songs for every character. The last two songs for the concert are believed to reference the last two DLC fighters. One song, "N. Sanity Beach," is the theme for Crash Bandicoot's home, and the starting level for the original game.
Monster Hunter
The second song leaked from the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate concert is titled "Proof of a Hero," from the Monster Hunter games. If the concert rumor is to be believed, then the addition of a character from Monster Hunter seems like the next likely option. Especially considering the Switch-exclusivity of Monster Hunter Rise, it seems like Nintendo would want to deepen its bond with the franchise.
Technically, Monster Hunter has already made an appearance in the game. A few new Monster Hunter Mii costumes were added to Ultimate with the addition of Pyra/Mythra, but that hasn't crushed a character's chances to become a fighter before. Like Crash Bandicoot, rumors have swirled for years that someone from Monster Hunter would be included in the game. A Hunter has been a highly-desired fighter by fans, too, as there would be several unique fighting styles it could have inspired by the weapons in the Monster Hunter series.
Halo
The Halo series will celebrate its 20th anniversary in 2021, and Halo Infinite developers are planning to release the newest game in the franchise later this year. The series' main character, and Xbox's biggest mascot, has had his fair share of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate-related rumors before. Master Chief is more of a fan-favorite requested fighter though, and previous leaks about him have not come true as of yet. With the addition of Steve from Minecraft, the chances of another Microsoft property to appear in Ultimate are up in the air.
Devil May Cry
Another character that has seen rumors for a while is Dante from the Devil May Cry series. Even before the release of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, leakers supposedly reported that Dante would be a playable fighter. The current director for the Devil May Cry series eventually addressed the rumor, saying that the series would have to come to the Nintendo Switch before Dante would be considered as a fighter. Now that Devil May Cry 1, 2, and 3 are available on the Nintendo Switch, rumors are resurfacing about Dante.
DOOM
Doomguy has been rumored for a long while, and has often accompanied "leaks" that have turned out to be partially correct. For example, he has appeared in a leak alongside Dragon Quest's Hero, and a leak about Steve from Minecraft, both fighters that would be included in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
However, in January 2020, the director for DOOM Eternal said that the DOOM team had not been approached by Nintendo regarding the character's inclusion in Ultimate. While things can change, if Doomguy was to be included in Fighters Pass Vol. 2, then discussions would have probably started by that time. The response could very well have been a diversion, but the slayer from DOOM might just stay a rumor for Ultimate.
Super Mario RPG: Legend Of The Seven Stars
Fans have been hoping for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate to add Geno, a party member from Super Mario RPG, for a long time. While some rumors about him have either been inaccurate or brought around by a misunderstanding, it's not impossible for him to end up as one of the final Fighter Pass characters.
In a previous interview, Sakurai stated how he considered including Geno as a playable character in Super Smash Bros. Brawl, but that plan fell through for unknown reasons. Geno was a Mii Fighter costume in Smash 4, which returned in Ultimate, so he is technically in the game in some form. As a long requested character, and one previously considered by Sakurai, there's no doubt his inclusion in the game would please many fans.
Ninja Gaiden
The next character that has been rumored as a fighter for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is Ryu Hayabusa, from Ninja Gaiden fame. Even though the Ninja Gaiden reboot director thinks Ryu would be a great Smash Bros. Ultimate addition, any time Ryu appears in a leak, it turns out to be false. On the bright side, Ninja Gaiden: Master Collection is coming to the Switch this summer, which could add support to the ninja's addition in Ultimate.
Rayman
The titular character from Ubisoft's Rayman games has been a long-speculated addition to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The most recent game in the franchise, Rayman Legends, is available on the Switch, so the game at least has a presence on the system. In the end, previously leaks have turned out to be false or faked, so it might not be very likely that Rayman is one of the final two fighters.
Red Dead Redemption
One rumor has come out of left field, and that is for the addition of Arthur Morgan from Red Dead Redemption 2. A Twitter user posting the leak earlier this year claimed that Dante and Arthur Morgan will be the next two DLC fighters. Previously, the account accurately predicted Sephiroth's inclusion in the game, as well as Monster Hunter Mii costumes. However, this "leak" for the next DLC Super Smash Bros. fighter needs to taken with a grain of salt. Other people believe the user is just using a Twitter trick where the account tweets out several guesses, but then goes back and deletes the inaccurate ones.
Overwatch
Pretty much since Fighter's Pass Vol. 1, fans have speculated at the inclusion of Overwatch's star character, Tracer, getting added to the game. Jeff Kaplan, the director for Overwatch, has also said that Tracer would be his number one pick for a hero crossover for Ultimate. While Tracer's inclusion would certainly expand the range of games Ultimate fighters come from, signs point to her just being fan speculation.
All in all, there are numerous characters that fans are hoping to be included in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. While some older Super Smash Bros. Ultimate leaks have been debunked, it doesn't necessarily mean those rumored characters won't show up. However, rumors about characters from League of Legends, the Dragonborn from Skyrim, or even Waluigi, can generally be attributed to fan speculation.
There obviously isn't enough room in the second Fighter's Pass for all of these rumored characters to make an addition. While Crash Bandicoot might have the most believable leaks surrounding his inclusion in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, there is a very real chance he won't appear. Unfortunately, some fans will end up being disappointed with the final two fighters. However, a third Fighter's Pass has also been rumored, which would truly make this game even more Ultimate. Whatever Nintendo and Sakurai decide to do, this game will be remembered as an enormous achievement for years to come.