News regarding the final DLC fighter for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate was revealed during today's Nintendo Direct, but it was only for a future announcement, which will be made in October. The addition of the next DLC fighter for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate marks the end of a three-year-long saga, as SSBU DLC fighters were revealed pre-launch.
The initial Super Smash Bros. Ultimate DLC fighter was Piranha Plant from Super Mario Bros., but that was much more of an early adopter bonus than anything else. Other DLC fighters have been released sporadically since 2019, with the characters spread across two Fighters Passes. The Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Fighters Pass Vol. 1 added Joker (Persona 5), Hero (Dragon Quest), Banjo & Kazooie, Terry (Fatal Fury), and Byleth (Fire Emblem: Three Houses), and the Fighters Pass Vol. 2 had so far brought on Min Min (ARMS), Steve & Alex (Minecraft), Sephiroth (Final Fantasy VII), Pyra/Mythra (Xenoblade Chronicles 2), and Kazuya (Tekken), leaving just one slot left to be filled. The quality of the DLC characters has been endlessly debated by fans, with praise being heaped on characters like Joker and Banjo & Kazooie while Smash Bros.'s addition of Byleth sparked anger, as many argued that the last thing the final DLC character for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate needed was more Fire Emblem representation.
The last DLC character for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate was mentioned in the September 2021 Direct, but only as announcement for an announcement. The final Super Smash Bros. Ultimate character will be revealed during a special Direct that will take place on October 5, 2021. The September 2021 Direct can be seen on the official Nintendo YouTube channel.
The upcoming Direct will be the last one associated with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. It will feature Masahiro Sakurai doing the detailed breakdown for the game's final DLC character, along with the announcement itself.
Smash Bros. creator Masahiro Sakurai has discussed retirement in the past, and he jumped straight from Super Smash Bros. Wii U/3DS to Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, spending years straight working on the games. It's unclear where the Super Smash Bros. series will go from here, considering it's going to be difficult to match the size of the roster in the future - assuming third-party developers will allow their characters to be used again in future titles. Whatever the case, Sakurai and his Sora studio has done an admirable job with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and if this is the last time they work on the series, then they can walk away proud of what they have accomplished.
The final Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Direct will take place on October 5, 2021.
Source: Nintendo/YouTube