Mai Shiranui might not be making her way into the Super Smash Bros. series any time soon, but she is available in Dead or Alive 6. Team Ninja reminded Sakurai of this on Twitter in response to Mai's exclusion from the Terry Bogard DLC for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
The fact that the fourth Fighters Pass character for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate belonged to SNK was leaked early by a trademark on the official website for the game. The fans initially speculated that Terry Bogard would be the chosen character (which turned out to be true), but Mai was also a strong candidate. Mai debuted in Fatal Fury 2 and quickly earned a fanbase for two very big reasons, as her provocative outfits and sexualized design made her stand out among the other fighters in the Fatal Fury and The King of Fighters casts. It seems that Mai's design was a little too much, as she won't be included among the background cameos in Terry's stage in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Masahiro Sakurai addressed her absence by saying that the game is intended for good boys and girls of all ages.
Mai's revealing outfits and jiggle physics might be keeping her out of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, but there are some developers who are more than happy to have her in their game. The official Team Ninja Twitter account on Twitter now has a post pointing out that Mai is playable in Dead or Alive 6 and "Welcome to the world of adults..."
Mai is certainly a better fit for the Dead or Alive franchise than she is for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, but it's still a shame that she couldn't be toned down for a background cameo role. If Sakurai and his team could change Bayonetta in order to make her a playable character in the Super Smash Bros. series, then they could have done the same for Mai. The fact that fans thought Mai had a chance of being the SNK rep for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate shows how beloved she is and her presence in the game would have been appreciated, even in a background cameo form.
The Terry Bogard DLC for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is available now, as is the Mai Shiranui DLC for Dead or Alive 6.
Source: Team Ninja/Twitter