Team Liquid announces departure of Smash pros Dabuz and Riddles

Team Liquid shared that it will be parting ways with Super Smash Bros. Ultimate pros Samuel ‘Dabuz’ Buzby and Michael ‘Riddles’ Kim.

Several farewell letters were shared through the official Team Liquid site from the leaving players and members of management. Team Liquid is no stranger to roster changes; however, the removal marks the end of the organisation’s participation in the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate scene and the FGC was shocked by the news.

Dabuz, often considered the ‘King of New York,’ shared how he first joined Team Liquid six years ago after being sent a friend request on Facebook from the organisation. Dabuz has been a consistent player, often placing in the Top 16 at majors thanks to his innovative playstyle and deep understanding of the game mechanics. The Rosalina and Olimar main has reassured fans that he won’t stop competing in Smash, and has even taken his first steps into the Street Fighter 6 esports scene.

In the blog post, Dabuz wrote: “I’ll always appreciate Team Liquid for doing everything they could to help me pursue my passion of being a pro player, content creator, brand rep and more these past six years. I still plan to compete and make myself and the people who support me proud.”

Riddles also commented about the news on X, saying that he was ‘grateful for the opportunities’ afforded to him by Team Liquid, and is currently searching for a new organisation to sign with. Riddles, currently a Kazuya main, has been seen as an up-and-coming top player in the scene — he is currently 34th on LumiRank 2024 after some promising placements at tournaments like Get On My Level X.

According to the post, Juan ‘Hungrybox’ DeBiedma, a top Melee player signed to Team Liquid, was entrusted in assembling a team for the Ultimate scene. As a result, Dabuz and Riddles were brought on board.

In the blog post, Hungrybox said: “I know that in esports things change rapidly; new games and new opportunities are constantly presenting themselves to the hardest workers as long as they are willing to commit.

“I have no doubt that both of these incredible competitors have a bright future ahead of them, no matter what game or avenue they decide to partake in.”

An interesting aspect of the post was found in the comments shared by Austin ‘Plyff’ Ryan, Senior Managing Editor for Team Liquid, who wrote the original announcement as well. In her X post on the news, she raised concerns about the future of Smash in light of recent years and the potential financial challenges that lie ahead.

“I believe you should view this announcement as more than just a team releasing two players at the end of a Smash game’s lifespan,” she said in the blog post, “I worry about the economic outlook for Smash. You might want to worry, too. It is hard to see long-term, stable routes to monetisation in an esport so stymied by its developer.”

According to Esports Charts, the Super Smash Bros esports scene has been experiencing a steady decline in interest and prize funds over the years. In 2024, it saw a peak viewership of over 108,000 during Kagaribi #12, and a total prize pool of over $395,000 (~£306,000) across 92 tournaments.

These are comparatively less than 2023, which saw peak viewer-ships close to 150,000 and a total prize pool of nearly $750,000 (~£580,000) across over 160 tournaments. The continuously low interest in Smash esports is often blamed on developer Nintendo, which refuses to fund the esports scene — and has even actively worked to stop it from thriving.

This has led to diss tracks from pro players as well as callouts during esports award shows, like the time Hungrybox notoriously said ‘f— Nintendo’ during a speech at the Streamer Awards in 2022. The community has followed this narrative, continuing to express frustration with Nintendo’s lack of funding as tournament series continue to end each year.

Esports organisations have been dropping Smash players throughout the past few years since the scene has a smaller fanbase and even smaller prize pools. However, many in the Smash community have wondered if rumours of an upcoming Smash game on the Nintendo Switch 2 will revive the Smash esports scene, leading some to wonder if Team Liquid was giving up on the top pro players too fast — and at a time when things could turn around.

In the blog post, however, Plyff said: “Smash 6 may not be an easy saviour for the scene either, especially given that the current tariffs and economic situation in the United States may put a much lower ceiling on the game’s competitive scene. The next few years might be lean and present tough questions for competitors, creators and teams.”