'Smash Ultimate' Leaks Allegedly Reveal Rumored Square Enix Roster Addition

Rumor has it Nintendo is teaming up with Square Enix to bring another new character to the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate roster. Leaks have been few and far between (possibly because the Final Fantasy developer is doing its best to keep the secret), but new information may have finally confirmed exactly which new Square Enix character is coming to Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Two seperate leaks recently surfaced online, where they were spotted by YouTube user LaxChris. Separately, neither seems particularly convincing but combined they make a surprisingly strong case that one Square Enix character, in particular, could join the fight when Super Smash Bros. Ultimate launches this year: Geno.

The first Smash Bros. Ultimate leak comes from Reddit, where user Acust01 linked to an Imgur album featuring three alleged screenshots from the new game. The first two both feature Geno, a possessed puppet from the Square Enix-produced SNES classic Super Mario RPG. There’s also a third, less exciting picture of a returning Icicle Mountain stage that could also be included Ultimate.

Commenters pointed out that these Geno renderings don’t exactly match up with the quality and style of official Smash Bros. Ultimate character reveals, though it’s possible this could be an early version. However, it’s a second leak from an even sketchier source that gives the Geno screenshots an extra degree of believability.

Over on 4chan (the internet forum and source of almost all sketchy info online), one user decided to dump a ton of information about Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in the site’s gaming section. The post features a lot of information, most importantly teasing a list of “newcomers that will be revealed soon,” including Isaac (Golden Sun), Skull Kid (Zelda), Incineroar (Pokémon), and “a Square Enix rep.”

There’s a lot to unpack here, but let’s focus on that last one. This isn’t the first time we’ve heard that Square Enix will add another character to the Smash Bros. Ultimate roster, but at this point, the leaks are really starting to pile up. At the same time, these leaked Geno screenshots seem to remove any doubt over exactly which character that will be.

Beyond, Geno, the prospect of playing as Skull Kid in Smash Bros. Ultimate is pretty exciting. The leak also lists some interesting alleged Echo fighters, including Ken (an Echo of Ryu), Shadow (Sonic), and Dixie Kong (Diddy Kong). Perhaps most intriguing of all, there’s a detailed description of what the game’s rumored “Spirits” mode will be like:

“The secret mode in the latest smash direct is called Spirit Mode. This mode will be a Hybrid of Subspace Emissary form Brawl and Adventure Mode form Melee. In this mode you have to collect the character´s soul to unlock them. You will star with the 8 original characters (Mario, Link, Donkey Kong, Samus, Yoshi, Pikachu, Fox and Kirby) and will have to defeat bosses like Dracula (from Castlevania) and Rathalos (from Monster Hunter). This all I know about this mode.”

Before you get too excited, remember that this is just a rumor, and a sketchy one at that. But when it comes to Geno’s alleged spot in the Smash Bros. Ultimate roster, the evidence is certainly starting to pile up.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate launches December 7 for Nintendo Switch.