Nintendo finally sponsors Smash Ultimate circuit – events, dates, venues and more
Nintendo / ElecspoAfter years of largely neglecting the competitive scene, Nintendo finally unveiled support for a new Super Smash Bros. Ultimate circuit.
Fans of Super Smash Bros. have had to put up with Nintendo’s disregard for the esports industry for many years now.
There are countless examples of tournaments lacking support from the major company or even being held back in the case of EVO 2013, where Nintendo’s lawyers pushed to remove Melee from the main stage.
On September 10 however, Nintendo announced its support for a massive Super Smash Bros. Ultimate European Circuit.
- Read more: Leffen gives his tips to improve in Ultimate
Kicking off in the Netherlands with Syndicate 2019, the European circuit spans seven major events through until Stunfest in May 2020.
Here is a full list of all of the circuit competitons, and information about how to register for them can be found via each respective link.
- Syndicate 2019 (Oct 25 – Oct 27, 2019)
- DreamHack Winter 2019 (Nov 28 -Dec 1, 2019)
- Valhala III (Jan 9 – Jan 13, 2020)
- DreamHack Leipzig 2020 (Jan 24 – Jan 26, 2020)
- Tech Republic V (Mar 6 – Mar 8, 2020)
- Icarus VI (May 2 – May 3, 2020)
- Stunfest (May 11 – May 17, 2020)
The Fighting Game Community has always been tightly knitThe European Circuit will culminate in a huge grand final at DreamHack in 2020 as players compete “for the title of Europe’s best Super Smash Bros. Ultimate player!”
Prize pools and grand final winnings are yet to be disclosed, however this marks the first time in 2019 that Nintendo has properly supported the competitive Smash Bros. scene.
Taking place across seven events around
Europe before culminating in a grand final, the Super #SmashBrosUltimate European Circuit
will determine Europe’s best player. It all kicks off at Syndicate from 25/10 – 27/10!See events here: https://t.co/eFAjB7EOVZ pic.twitter.com/ICudDT4Jnf
— Nintendo of Europe (@NintendoEurope) September 10, 2019
It’s undeniable that the franchise has an extraordinary reach within the Fighting Game Community and the esports industry as a whole.
Most recently, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate shattered the EVO viewership record with 200,000 viewers glued to their screens for the 2019 Grand Final.
In our exclusive documentary series with one of the all-time great Smash Bros. Melee competitors, Hungrybox shed some light on just how toxic the community can be. Perhaps a result of the esport long being neglected and shut down by Nintendo.
Will this show of support be a one-off from Nintendo, or does this mark the first real step in the right direction for a blossoming esport scene?