Given the success Nintendo has had with massive games like Super Mario Odyssey and The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, it’s easy to forget about some of the heavy-hitters the firm still has waiting in the wings for its Switch console. One such franchise that fighting game fans have been salivating over the prospect of is none other than Super Smash Bros. – and for good reason.

Both the Wii U and Gamecube iterations (Smash 4 and Melee, respectively) are ever-relevant on the tournament scene today, with both games being confirmed for inclusion in EVO 2018. In this light it’s evident that the series is viable from a competitive perspective and that only further pushes the multiplayer appeal that Nintendo has strived so hard to push with its newest platform. It’s truly a match made in heaven, and Nintendo knows this.

This is why it isn’t all that surprising to hear a report from an infamous and reliable Nintendo tipster stating that Super Smash Bros. will be arriving on Nintendo Switch this year.

That aforementioned tipster is none other than Emily Rogers who confirmed as much on the gaming chat boards at ResetEra, stating that (while she wasn’t entirely sure how the final release would pan out in terms of specific content) fans can expect the game to be announced and released in 2018.

Furthermore, fans can expect what sounds like a revamped version of the existing Wii U title with some additional 3DS assets, although there will be new things thrown into the fray as well. According to Rogers it will contain “brand new content and re-worked some of the existing Wii U/3DS content.”

This news is sure to be taken as somewhat of a double-edged sword across the Smash community, as many had been rallying under the belief that the Switch iteration would be a brand new title built from the ground up. Still, utilizing the base that Super Smash Bros. for Wii U provided means that it will be easier to keep the existing 58-character roster (including the three Mii fighter options) intact in the transition over to new hardware – providing there aren’t any legal issues in retaining the six third-party characters found in the most recent games.

Of course, this also opens up the doors for newcomers to join the fray as well, as Rogers’ description of the new title indicates that it will be more than just a straight port. Indeed, cut favourites like Ice Climbers could finally mount their return, while newcomers like King K. Rool could finally join Super Smash Bros. as playable characters.

It’s all speculation and rumours for now (which reminds me that I should encourage readers to take this with a pinch of salt), but this report would tie in incredibly well with Nintendo’s current plan to launch the Switch’s pay-to-play online subscription service this September.

You can follow Riley on Twitter (@TheRileyLittle) for more news on Super Smash Bros., film, gaming, and more.