As much as I want Super Smash Bros. back at Evo, it no longer makes sense to include it

One of the most devastating things to ever happen to the Super Smash Bros. community was the time Nintendo pulled Smash games from Evo.

Evo used to be one of the largest showcases of Smash’s talented, gritty, and passionate esports scene. Pros crying on stage after they won, Smash players boo’ing during the Wii U Grand Finals due to a boring Bayonetta mirror match, leading to those players purposefully not playing and just stalling and taunting… Those are some of the most memorable moments in Evo history.

The Smash scene often struggles to secure a prize pool worth more than the cost of the flight to the tourney, so it can seem like a huge loss that it no longer has a spot at Evo. But I believe it’s for the best, and may even strengthen the Smash scene.

The Smash esports community collectively lost its mind when it was announced that it would no longer be in the Evo lineup as of 2022.

The news was dropped on X (formerly Twitter) by tournament officials, who explained that this was due to the formerly independent series being acquired by Sony. Nintendo found this to be some conflict somehow, and demanded its games be removed.

Previously, Evo had one of the largest Smash tourneys in the country. The prize pool was more than $100,000. It was definitely the culmination of all the pros’ hard work after grinding up the rankings at majors across the country. Nintendo’s decision to pull Smash from Evo was a massive blow.

At the time, Nintendo was also partnering with Panda Global to make its own official Smash circuit. That would have been the first time Nintendo was involved in the Smash esports scene, meaning it’d be the first time there was any support. This obviously fell through.

While it’s possible Nintendo pulled out due to Sony, or because it was planning its own circuit (which had no information at the time), the reality is that Nintendo was probably seething about Smash being at Evo anyway. The company has been against Smash esports for decades, actively attempting to shut down tournaments, sending cease-and-desist letters to online tourneys and LAN events, banning the sale of Nintendo IP-inspired merch, and barring tournaments from hosting side events for Project M.

Juan “Hungrybox” DeBiedma has publicly declared “f*** Nintendo” at award shows, voicing the community’s outrage over the lack of support. There’s also a Nintendo diss track from Kashan “Chillindude” Khan. But no matter how many times Nintendo has attempted to disrupt the esports scene, the pros have persisted.

But here’s the thing: persistence, perseverance, saltiness, and determination are what make the Smash scene unique. I don’t think there’s really a place for it at Evo anymore, especially given how things are going.

Evo has long been seen as the most prestigious fighting game event of all time, thanks to its history and size. It was a proving ground and community hub for fighting game players across games ranging from Mortal Kombat to Street Fighter to Super Smash Bros. Melee. When you’re in such a niche scene (even by esports standards), it felt like an important pilgrimage to make it to Evo. It was a place where you could feel you finally belonged, where everyone could be themselves and celebrate what they love.

That all changed (at least in the FGC’s mind) when RTS, a Saudi Arabian company, purchased Evo in early 2026. While they promised that Evo’s focus on community would remain the same, the FGC couldn’t help but criticize the idea of expanding Evo to seven events a year. As with the Esports World Cup, it felt like Saudi Arabian interests were attempting to turn Evo into a spectacle rather than leave it a genuine niche event. This feeling was confirmed when popular streamers were invited to the event.

The FGC would rather die than face mainstream cringe. Where is the rawness? The authenticity? Evo wasn’t meant to be a place for “normies” to watch Chipotle ads. It’s a bit gatekeep-y, but that’s the aftermath of being a niche scene that struggled to make it for decades. It’s a sense of pride, grit, realness…

And Ludwig Ahgren taking to the stage to say Street Fighter gets no views only solidified what the FGC feared: nobody else gets it.

Smash is probably the most raw and authentic of all the FGC. You can argue it’s also the most stinky or has the most perverts. Or maybe argue that it has the most drama. I’m not here to agree or disagree with that. What I’m here to say is that Smash is too real for Evo.

Now that Evo has decided to push for mainstream viewership and expand worldwide, I don’t think it’s the right spot for Smash anymore. I enjoyed Evo Las Vegas, even though it had fewer people, more ads, and more streamers. The 2XKO Top 8 and Invincible Grand Finals were hype. But Evo is a place for networking, connections, corporations…

Every large publisher was present at Evo, located in private rooms throughout the convention center. They were there to host demos and provide interviews to journalists and media. There are massive booths in the main area where attendees can try out upcoming titles. This is an event for companies that want to grow their esports scene.

Nintendo does not. Therefore, there is really no place for Smash at Evo. It’s too grassroots, too independent, and too unpredictable. While the FGC is smaller than other esports titles, the larger titles still have a sense of organization and expectation. There is still some level of professionalism.

While I don’t think Smash is unprofessional, I do think it’s too raw and real for Evo’s new environment. An entire stadium boo’ing over a lame Grand Finals matchup just would not fly at Evo, where manufactured hype is the new norm. Hungrybox throwing a chair, or Cody Schwab eating an apple and then picking at his teeth on the livestream, would not give the polished feeling Evo wants.

You can argue that Smash players and fans can comply with Evo’s wishes. But the thing is that nobody should. The rawness and realness are what make Smash so unique. You’re not going to hear the top Tekken 8 player confide in you that the crowd hates him while chatting with him in the VIP lounge. They won’t even talk to you without PR around. Smash is a completely different animal and it shouldn’t be contained.

Right now, Super Smash Bros’ tournaments, like Smash Con, GENESIS, and Port Priority, capture the distinct magic of Smash. There is no reason to water it down at Evo aside from a larger prize pool. I want the pros to get paid, but I can confidently say that Smash at Evo would just not be a good fit nor would it have the same feeling of the other tournaments. If that’s worth a higher prize pool to some pros, I get it.

But I still stand by my point: Evo is becoming everything Smash esports hates.