ZETA Division vows to protect Smash Ultimate pro Acola after death threats
Nintendo/ZETAZETA Division is promising to take legal action after 16-year-old Japanese Smash Ultimate prodigy Mashita ‘Acola’ Hayato was sent death threats.
Acola has solidified himself as one of the top Smash pros in the world, with the Steve main consistently having strong performances in tournaments across the globe.
His success has been the subject of a lot of controversies, however, as Minecraft Steve remains a contentious topic in the community with some players wanting the powerful fighter banned.
Things reached a boiling point in 2023 when Acola was forced to delete Twitter after nonstop harassment and death threats, leading to his org, ZETA Division, to step in and promise to protect the youngster.
NintendoSmash pro Acola spammed with death threats
Screenshots documenting abuse aimed at Acola and other pro players recently surfaced online, showcasing threatening remarks.
According to translations, Acola, Zackray, Ken, Abadango, and others were issued death threats. Disturbingly, the user said they would “stab Acola with a knife.”
In response, ZETA Division vowed to defend its player. In a statement, the org referenced how last year it acquired a lawyer to take action against malicious acts and promised in the future to “actively take measures to demand legal responsibility.”
“Our team is also responsible for the protection of each member’s guardians, so we have no intention of sitting quietly,” they said. “From now on, we will give top priority to dealing with aggression towards minor members.”
At the time of writing, Acola is still scheduled to travel to California to compete at Genesis 9 later in January. The star-studded event will also feature T1 MKLeo, FaZe Sparg0, fellow ZETA star Tea, and Let’s Make Big Moves champion Tweek.
This will be Acola’s first trip to the US in 2023 and his second tournament of the year, having dominated Umebura SP9 in convincing fashion.