But everything about that video screams: placeholder beta characters.

Just because elma was in the first video, doesn't mean everything shown will carry over to the final product.

We already know that Elma has carried over to the final product.

What makes them scream placeholder beta characters considering we know that non-placeholder non-beta characters were already in the game? Why didn't any of those 'beta' characters reappear in later footage, even if altered slightly (like Fiora from her debut to the final game)?

This also wouldn't explain the 19-level difference between two of the characters.

being beta TOTALY explains the 19-leve difference.

...It doesn't, though?

There are two possibilities being presented here: first, that the dev team deliberately created three 'dummy' characters at wildly varying levels for the purpose of fighting a relatively low-level monster just to mess with the audience watching the footage.

Second, that the dev team was showing multiplayer off without explicitly stating so, meaning the four characters are all different variations of Cross, which naturally explains the unique appearances as well as the nonsensical mishmash of levels.

The simplest explanation is usually the right one.

...It doesn't, though?

There are two possibilities being presented here: first, that the dev team deliberately created three 'dummy' characters at wildly varying levels for the purpose of fighting a relatively low-level monster just to mess with the audience watching the footage.

Second, that the dev team was showing multiplayer off without explicitly stating so, meaning the four characters are all different variations of Cross, which naturally explains the unique appearances as well as the nonsensical mishmash of levels.

The simplest explanation is usually the right one.