Nintendo pulls Super Smash Bros. out of Evo 2022

Nintendo is meant to be holding its own Super Smash Bros. tournaments this year (pic: Nintendo)

For whatever reason, Super Smash Bros. won’t be featured at this year’s Evo tournament despite being a mainstay since 2007.

Evo 2022 isn’t scheduled until August this year and while the full line-up of games hasn’t been confirmed yet, tournament organisers have said there will be one glaring omission: Super Smash Bros.

The Super Smash Bros. games have been a regular part of Evo since 2007. After skipping the cancelled Evo 2020 and online-only Evo 2021, however, the series (or more specifically Super Smash Bros. Ultimate) will also be absent this year.

No specific reason has been given, with the Evo Twitter account only saying that it was Nintendo’s decision to not be involved with Evo 2022, although the organisers are hopeful that it will return someday.

‘We want to let you know in advance that Super Smash Bros. will not be making a return appearance,’ it reads. ‘Since 2007, we’ve seen historic Super Smash Bros. moments created at Evo’s events. We are saddened that Nintendo has chosen not to continue that legacy with us this year.

‘In the future, we hope to once again celebrate the Super Smash Bros. community alongside them.’

Some believe that this is due to Sony buying out Evo last year, but it’s far more likely because Nintendo is partnering with esports brand Panda Global to hold the first officially licensed tournaments for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and the GameCube’s Super Smash Bros. Melee later this year.

Nintendo has yet to provide an official statement on the matter, but it’s possible that it wants the series to remain exclusive to its own tournaments rather than share the spotlight with other games.

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As for Evo 2022, it’s line-up will be revealed on March 8 via the Evo Twitch account at 5pm PST, which is 1am GMT on March 9. In terms of what games will be included, some safe guesses include Guilty Gear -Strive-, which has been receiving new content since its release last year, and King Of Fighters 15, which only released earlier this month.

Evo 2022 is scheduled to run in Las Vegas from August 5 to August 7.

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