Nintendo revealing their next Super Smash Bros. installment at E3 this year has sent many fans into a frenzy. For those of us not lucky enough to be able to play the demos at E3 itself, Nintendo NY had a few kiosks set up for players. Apparently, one fan was so upset upon removal of these kiosks, that he sent multiple threats via email to Nintendo NY, one of which included a bomb threat. The complaint was filed this past Saturday but according to a report from Inverse, this email threat dates back to April. An employee was able to find these messages in an unused store email account, where they were cleaning through the inbox.
The removal of the gaming kiosks seems to be the main reason for threatening the store. This news picked up steam when Twitter user and Twitch streamer Mitsu reported that the FBI was now getting involved in the case. Mitsu also said that the FBI would treat the threat as a terrorist act. However, NYPD could not confirm their involvement in the incident. Later on, Mitsu was careful to elaborate on his initial announcement:
Some clarification from earlier:
This threat, while considered "credible," did not prompt a store closure or disruption of service.
The threats had been ongoing for the past few days.
And no, it's not a joke. I'm not keen on jokes about serious threats.
— Mitsu (@MitsuShow) June 16, 2018
This news is especially worrisome with this store being in one of the busiest cities in the United States. It must have come as quite the shock for store regulars to hear of these reports, especially during E3 weekend.
Smash Bros. has been around since 1999 and has attracted quite the fan base throughout its lifetime. Fans have been waiting for an announcement for the debut on the Switch and Nintendo did not disappoint. The latest installment will feature 64 different playable characters, including some old favorites like Link and Fox. They have also brought some new characters who made their debut on the Wii U. Additionally, Nintendo has introduced a few completely new characters: the Inklings from Splatoon and Ridley from the Metroid series.
Another reveal is that Super Smash Bros. Ultimate would now bring back unlocking characters in the game. As fans know, the roster for the upcoming game is massive. Game director Masahiro Sakurai says that unlocking most the characters should be a fair yet challenging task for the players. It will be interesting to see how the fans will take the return of the old character system. A few of the characters also gained some updates to their looks. Some fans feel excitement and others feel a sense of disappointment.
Nintendo was also the most popular company at E3 this year. The company did not release any details on a new Animal Crossing or tease the new Metroid Prime. Even still, the hype surrounding Super Smash Bros. made Nintendo the talk of the town this E3.
It is a shame that one fan had to take it too far because of their excitement to play. It is understandable that people are passionate about the Smash Bros. series but this was taking it to the extreme. Since the NYPD are now investigating the incident, not much info is available. Thankfully, this was only a threat and was not an actual terrorist attack.
What are your thoughts on the bomb scare at Nintendo NY? Let us know in the comments below. If you want to read up on more gaming news, check us out here!
