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Nintendo did Smash Bros DIRTY in EVO Japan - 1st place gets a Controller with Smash Bros Logo on it.

Jigsaah

Gold Member
Excuse the video that's not an original source (and likely in poor taste), but ShinKensou (of Guilty Gear fame) posted a video showing that EVO's Smash Bros. will have only a 1st place prize and that prize is...a Smash Bros. Controller.

NO MONEY
NO 2nd or 3rd place prizes at all.

When I first heard of this, I thought, "Ok well maybe EVO is just short on a bit of cash. They just got bought out by Sony, maybe the game isn't as popular as it was in the past. Maybe COVID has something to do with this."

But then this video shows that there is appropriate prize money for literally every other game on the roster. Tekken 7, Street Fighter 5, Guilty Gear, you name it. It's there. 1st 2nd and 3rd place with 1,000,000 yen for 1st place (approx $9000).



So I'd like to know why Smash got treated this way? Sony obviously owns EVO now. Is it a stretch to feel that maybe because it's a Nintendo game, they are seeing the tournament as less important?

Is Smash a joke to the fighting game community? Maybe it's Nintendo's involvement (or lack there of) that makes this the case. I don't know, was wondering if GAF had an idea.

UPDATE:
Through this conversation it's been found that Nintendo is likely the cause of EVO not allowing prize money for it's competitive players. It may not be the only factor and the discussion is still open to continue, but clearly this is not due to Smash being a Nintendo game and Sony owning EVO. My initial thoughts were simply speculation and derived from the sheer contrast between SSBU and other games within the SAME competitive event.
 
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Abriael_GN

RSI Employee of the Year
I'm trying very hard to understand why do you care.
Excuse the video that's not an original source (and likely in poor taste), but ShinKensou (of Guilty Gear fame) posted a video showing that EVO's Smash Bros. will have only a 1st place prize and that prize is...a Smash Bros. Controller.

NO MONEY
NO 2nd or 3rd place prizes at all.

When I first heard of this, I thought, "Ok well maybe EVO is just short on a bit of cash. They just got bought out by Sony, maybe the game isn't as popular as it was in the past. Maybe COVID has something to do with this."

But then this video shows that there is appropriate prize money for literally every other game on the roster. Tekken 7, Street Fighter 5, Guilty Gear, you name it. It's there. 1st 2nd and 3rd place with 1,000,000 yen for 1st place (approx $9000).



So I'd like to know why Smash got treated this way? Sony obviously owns EVO now. Is it a stretch to feel that maybe because it's a Nintendo game, they are seeing the tournament as less important?

Is Smash a joke to the fighting game community? Maybe it's Nintendo's involvement (or lack there of) that makes this the case. I don't know, was wondering if GAF had an idea.


I'm trying very hard to understand why do you care. 🤔
 

Jigsaah

Gold Member
I'm trying very hard to understand why do you care.


I'm trying very hard to understand why do you care. 🤔
I'm a fighting game fan and I watch every EVO. Is that not enough?

This isn't the only time Smash has been railed in EVO. For a time Smash was removed from EVO all together.

I should add that while I'm probably too old now, I've always wanted to participate in an EVO myself. I mainly play Tekken and just recently got into Guilty Gear. I'm a Celestial level player, Chipp is my main.
 
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Speedwagon

Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel. Yabuki turned off voice chat in Mario Kart races. True artists of their time.
That's crazy. 3000 entrants and an Olimar won.
 

Abriael_GN

RSI Employee of the Year
I'm a fighting game fan and I watch every EVO. Is that not enough?

This isn't the only time Smash has been railed in EVO. For a time Smash was removed from EVO all together.

Yeah. Still not sure why do you care that someone is getting a controller instead of money for playing a game. 🤔
 

Jigsaah

Gold Member
Yeah. Still not sure why do you care that someone is getting a controller instead of money for playing a game. 🤔
In a vacuum I wouldn't care. However, when compared to other games that compete under the same umbrella it looks like an obvious diss to Nintendo. Smash Pros are unbelievably skilled in my opinion and their victories are as valid as in any other fighting game.
 

baphomet

Member
You realize it's entirely because of Nintendo right?

Also that controller will be worth like 3k in a few years if it's 1 if a kind.
 

Abriael_GN

RSI Employee of the Year
In a vacuum I wouldn't care. However, when compared to other games that compete under the same umbrella it looks like an obvious diss to Nintendo. Smash Pros are unbelievably skilled in my opinion and their victories are as valid as in any other fighting game.

I'm still not sure why you care if someone disses a company. People in this very forum do it every day.

Oh well.
 
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Jigsaah

Gold Member
And this year Nintendo has been shutting down any sort of competition for their games.
So why are they at EVO at all then? You got some links to show this by the way?

I am aware that Nintendo doesn't really like competition in their games, but if this is the case then why allow it at all?
 
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Kilau

Gold Member
I found this from last year.


This issue does not come from Evo or any of its sponsors, however, but rather is caused by Nintendo and its lack of support for esports. Namely the fact that the company is not partnered with the Japan Esports Union (JESU.)

Because Nintendo does not have an active partnership with JESU for Smash Ultimate, there is a cap on how much money the company could give out without every player in the tournament having a JESU-approved license for professional gamers. Because of Japan’s strict gambling laws, without those licenses, the cap for the event would be roughly $900, which is still more than just the controller.
 

Mess

Member
Iirc you couldn't have tournaments with prize money in Japan until quite recently because of a gambling law. Then they issued some kind of progamer licence that allowed it; most japenese Street Fighter players got it but maybe the smash scene didn't go for it?

I highly doubt Nintendo has its word on this.

edit : relevant article
 
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