Nintendo intends to maintain a steady stream of releases for Switch

[PAOerfulone]

Nuvendil said:

PAOerfulone said:

It's the fastest route to getting Smash Bros. on the Switch and Smash 4 is already *ahem* smashing with content and incredible fanfare that would make any gamer wet him/herself. 
The community generally feels that Smash Wii U in particular had its legs cut short, and find it quite a shame since it's nearly unanimously agreed that out of the two versions, the Wii U one is the superior, definitive verison (though Smash 3DS has its' pros as well). 

Meanwhile, a brand new Smash Bros. game from scratch would be at least 3-4 years of development and resources if they started today, that puts Smash 5 at around 2020/2021, and I don't think the community doesn't want to wait that long for a new Smash Bros. on the Switch. At that point, Switch 2 would be looming so, Nintendo might even push it even further back to meet the launch of that system.
Additionally, developing and directing Smash 4 took a huge toll on Sakurai, the man was in a sling, working with one arm trying to develop the game. So it's understandable if he's quite burned out and not particularly eager to get back on the helm for a new Smash Bros. just yet. 

Thus, porting the latest version that everyone still clearly cares about makes the most logical and efficient sense. It clearly worked with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.  So 

Except its utter lack of any interesting singleplayer content.  

IMO, Smash 5 would be 10000% more interesting than a Smash 4 port in 2018.  The game has so many areas it could improve.  It could stand to look far better, there could be some actually worthwhile singleplayer content, I can list off a good number of great options for new characters.  Mario Kart 8 worked because it came out a month after launch, it was a clear early life title.  Same with Pokken.  The further we get from launch, the less and less desirable Wii U ports become.  Especially of games that were highly successful.  At least if they port XCX or TMS#FE or DKC:TF, we would be seeing games get a second chance that really *did* suffere heavily in the sales department due to the Wii U's state and Nintendo's mindset at the time.

And there's also the chance Smash has been in the works for a while now, it has been three years.  And let's not forget the Sakurai is burnt out or doesn't want to do another Smash has been a gag for how many games in a row now?  

A Smash 4 port it 2018 would be crushing for me cause it means that Smash 5 is goodness knows how far off.

Smash 5 in just 4 years after Smash 4, (less than 3 if you're counting the last of the DLC released in February 2016), which was 6 and a half years after Brawl, which was 6 and a half years after Melee? Yeah, I don't think so. Sakurai being burnt out and tired of it is part of the reason why those games have taken so long. You don't think he feels, after releasing each game: "(SIGH) Finally! I can take a long break and get away from it all for a while. Recharge my batteries and then come back and do it again when I'm nice and ready." That's the type of guy he is. He doesn't like being given work after work, assignment after assignment, on the company's terms instead of his. That's the reason he left HAL Laboratory, even though Kirby is his baby. That's why Brawl, Kid Icarus: Uprising, and Smash 4 are the only 3 games he has worked on since 2005. He marches to the beat of his own drum.

And sure, we could have a single player campaign that is more along the lines of Melee's Adventure Mode or Brawl's Subspace Emissary in terms of content and some new characters as well to expand upon an already massive roster of 59 fighters. But that kind of game would far exceed the content of any Smash Bros. game before it, and considering Smash 4 had plenty of it, that's saying a lot. I doubt a game like that will be completed in 3 years time.

Each and every new Smash Bros. game has had far more content than the last: more characters and more stages means more time and resources necessary to make sure the game and the roster is as balanced as possible + more items and collectables such as trophies, challenges, music remixes, and all the other things that makes Smash Bros., Smash Bros. 

So, even if they hypothetically DID start development for Smash 5, right after Smash 4, the development time would take considerably longer than Brawl and 4 to make a great and worthy successor that meets and satisfies the expectations of the gaming community and the extremely rabid and obnoxious fanbase. Anything less would be unaccepted and trashed. And again, they wouldn't have begun dedicated development until after the last of the Smash 4 DLC was released. Much like how development of Smash 4 didn't start until Sakurai finished Kid Icarus: Uprising in early 2012.

And if Smash 5 was in development, we'd already know about it. Nintendo always announced a new game in the series WELL ahead of time to build up as much hype as possible. Remember the Smash Dojo? The updates on the website at 3 A.M. every day revealing a new character. The Hype Train that ensues.
  It's freaking Smash Bros., they want to make a big deal out of that. 
And if Smash 5 was truly coming in 2018, don't you think they would've announced something as big as that by now? I mean they announced Fire Emblem, Kirby, and Yoshi for 2018, three of their 'B' Tier franchises, but not Smash Bros.? Their one 'S' Tier franchise? 
Telling people, "After Mario and Zelda this year, you can look forward to the newest and 5th installment of the highly beloved, Super Smash Bros. franchise in NEXT year," would guarantee continued sales and momentum right there. So, the only reason I can think of as to why they haven't announced Smash 5 yet for 2018 is because there IS no Smash 5 for 2018.