Pre Smash-Direct discussion: your thoughts on the "Smash Leaks"
While we wait for the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Nintendo Direct scheduled for tomorrow (7 am PT/10 am ET) it's the perfect moment to bring up the topic of the one big Smash "leak" that cropped up recently. A set of pictures got out to the public through Snapchat, after a supposed worker at a French media firm called Marina PLV sent a video consisting of what appeared to be the complete roster for the latest Smash Bros. game. In it, we see a poster for a "full" version of the cast lineup that has been teased at the end of every new Smash reveal, with seven new additions, next to other potential promotional material.
If you look bottom right of the second picture, you can see some stickers for the upcoming new Grinch movie, and though this is entirely not related to Smash at all, the existence of these in such a picture seem odd...unless the leak is real, and the one responsible for the pictures really does work for a marketing business that's working on both Smash and the Grinch media. And as always, since it's an unverified source, it is mandatory law that the picture be an utterly blurry mess. For those that can't see who's added into the image, it's the following characters:
- Shadow the Hedgehog (Sonic Echo?)
- Ken from Street Fighter (Ryu Echo?)
- Banjo and Kazooie
- Isaac from Golden Sun
- Mach Rider
- Geno from Mario RPG
- Chorus Kids from Rhythm Heaven
You may also remember the name "Artsy Omni", who was behind the Rayman hoax before the launch of Super Smash Bros. for 3DS and Wii U. They ascertained that the blurred visuals from the alleged roster picture were "sloppy", and had graphical errors if one looked close enough at the picture.
Marina PLV also made an official statement on the matter, which in summary, states that the worker from the Snapchat video had worked for them, but hadn't been employed there since 2016, that they had been a contractor at Namco, but no longer are, and that the leak is patently untrue.
There's definitely evidence both for and against the validity of what we've seen. Since the Direct is only in a matter of hours, we'll soon find out if these Grinch leaks are true or not. What's your take? Are you team real, or are you team fake?
