SmashWiki:New game procedure

This page documents an official SmashWiki policy, a widely accepted standard that all users should follow. When editing this page, please ensure that your revision reflects consensus. If in doubt, consider discussing changes on the talk page.

In the event that a new installment of the Super Smash Bros. series is announced, a large amount of information will need to be added to SmashWiki. While information should be added to SmashWiki as required, editors need to stay vigilant, ensuring that any new information they add to SmashWiki concerning unreleased games comes from reliable sources.

All content claimed for new titles should be referenced by an official site or publication, whether run by Nintendo, a developer such as Masahiro Sakurai, or a similar party that has direct ties to the development of the game. Social media posts, such as on Facebook or Twitter, may be acceptable if they are directly posted by developers. Note that in all the aforementioned cases, the page itself must still be accessible to users; images of reportedly deleted images, messages, or posts are not considered reliable sources, as they can be easily faked.

Content that comes from outside sources, such as forum posts, articles that do not list a source, sites that are not officially affiliated with Nintendo, singular images, online retailers, and the like, should not be considered official, and any information from such sources should be cross-checked or discussed with others before their inclusion. Furthermore, information from individuals related to relevant companies, but not involved in the development of the game, such as a public relations advisor or a head of a marketing division, should not be considered reliable.

Copious, thorough screenshots or video of a subject can fall into a grey area; while they can be indicative of a leak, as seen with the ESRB leak for Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS, both have also previously been used for hoaxes, as seen in the Rayman hoax in 2015. If a video, however, is considered unambiguously legitimate, as seen in the ESRB leak videos, then it may be considered a reliable source, provided the amount of hypothetical effort required to create the video is far beyond what can feasibly be expected. Regardless, community consensus on a relevant talk page will be required for inclusion of such information.

Furthermore, remember to avoid automatically assuming information that has not yet been released, or attempting to find conclusions based on incomplete information, as SmashWiki is not speculative.

If an editor uploads information from an unreliable source or adds speculation to articles, remember to always assume good faith, and try to inform the user of why their source may be unreliable.

As the release of a game or DLC package approaches, it becomes more likely that it is leaked and its contents datamined. As SmashWiki is not spoiler-safe, we will document such information once its veracity has been established. However, while we will report on such content, we will not host such content, nor will we publicize it. For example, suppose a datamine reveals a previously-unknown playable character. We will have a page on the character, and integrate them into the wiki as usual with textual information, screenshots, and links to videos (ideally, all with sufficient proof). But we will not upload any of their in-game assets such as artwork or head icons, or report on their discovery in the main page news, until such has been officially revealed or released.