Ahead of a Nintendo Direct on Wednesday, rumours had circulated that Nintendo would unveil a new Super Smash Bros. game, the first since Smash Bros. Ultimate in 2018. Despite scepticism, fans held onto hope throughout the 45-minute showcase, only to be met with a stream of ports, remakes and smaller announcements, culminating in a reveal for Kirby and the World Beyond rather than the anticipated fighting game. The mismatch between expectation and reality sparked widespread disappointment across gaming communities.

Series director Masahiro Sakurai has repeatedly said each Smash Bros. instalment would be his last, including calling a new title "impossible" in 2021, though he later teased working on an unspecified new project in 2024. When the Direct ended without a Smash Bros. announcement, reaction on YouTube and Reddit was strongly negative, with many fans admitting they had let rumours and wishful thinking get the better of them. The article notes that Sakurai's intense work ethic on past Smash Bros. titles reportedly caused him health problems, suggesting a delay may not be entirely unwelcome.