Earlier this week, Nintendo of America issued a cease and desist to shut down a major online Smash Bros. tournament. Since then, the community has rallied to get Nintendo to reverse course, with #FreeMelee and #SaveSmash trending on Twitter recently. However, community members now claim that Nintendo actively interfered with various competitive Smash circuits, including VGBootCamp’s Smash World Tour.
The most comprehensive accusations came from an anonymous Twitter account claiming to be a member of the Smash community. This anonymous Smasher claimed Nintendo stifled the growth of the Smash scene by preventing third-party organizations from hosting large-scale circuits. The interested organizations supposedly included ELeague, HTC, ESL, MLG, Red Bull, and Twitch.
According to the anonymous Smasher’s TwitLonger, Nintendo has done more than merely refusing to fund Smash circuits. It claimed Nintendo restricted streaming rights, cut off communication with interested parties, and even reneged a written contract with Twitch. If the allegations are true, then Nintendo prevented a potential Smash World Tour long before the VGBootCamp circuit was announced.
Multiple prominent Super Smash Bros. tournament organizers with insider information have lent credence to the anonymous Smasher’s claims. These include Arian “The Crimson Blur” Fathieh and Anthony “Slime” Bruno. While the identity of the anonymous Smasher is currently unconfirmed, some people speculate that it is Hugo “HugS” Gonzalez. HugS previously claimed he wrote an exposé about Nintendo’s interference with competitive Smash, but didn’t release it at that time. Additionally, HugS hinted multiple times that he may be the anonymous Smasher in a recent video about the controversy.
Required reading for the #freemelee #savesmash gang
Obv I would be involved in a lot (well, all) of things listed here, so I'm not sure what I can say but … this is remarkably well researched. Impressive
The Blur memoir would have some JUICE I tell yahttps://t.co/hAGndbDj4A
— The Crimson Blur (@OXY_Crimson) November 24, 2020
one day everyone including me will be able to spill all possible beans but until then let’s put a kevlar vest on fizzi https://t.co/9OXJ6hhGfI
— tsimfuckis memorial highway (@slime_machine) November 24, 2020
More about Nintendo and the Smash World Tour
Another source claimed Nintendo tried to take action against the Smash World Tour, as it allegedly did for previous circuits. Prominent streamer and Smash player Ludwig Ahgren received the information during a recent livestream. According to the source, CEO Dreamland 2020 lost its Smash World Tour status at Nintendo’s request. Previously, a statement from the Smash World Tour had suggested that CEO lost its Tour points due to the coronavirus.
Smash World Tour statement regarding COVID-19 pic.twitter.com/poqyS2ccGo
— Smash World Tour 2022 (@SmashWorldTour) March 12, 2020
Christina “Chia” Korsak made further claims about how Nintendo impacted her as a tournament organizer. She said Twitch threatened to revoke her partnership if she continued to stream Super Smash Bros. Brawl mod Project M. Chia also alleged that Nintendo was behind Twitch’s Project M ban.
Members of the Project M community have been especially outspoken about the recent allegations against Nintendo. Many prominent tournaments dropped the Brawl mod in an attempt to appease Nintendo and receive the company’s support. However, many players now believe it was all for naught, as Nintendo seems unlikely to support a Smash circuit.
If this is true, so many people knew about PM stuff and chose to sell out for promises.
Tragic to see a group of passionate grassroots smashers stifled for fake sponsorship deals
I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed.
Y'all can apologize later. I want Nintendo out. #FreeSmash
— Junebug (@arJunebug) November 24, 2020
