Fighting game esports tournament Evolution Championship Series (EVO) has announced that this year’s edition will not feature Nintendo’s brawl game series Super Smash Bros.
The tournament organiser shared the news via Twitter, noting that the company is ‘saddened’ that the game will not be a part of EVO 2022. The Evolution Championship Series will take place in August in Last Vegas, USA.
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Super Smash Bros. games have been an important part of EVO’s tournament, being featured in almost all editions of the event. The tournament organiser said in a Twitter post that the decision to move on without Super Smash Bros was done by the game’s developer Nintendo, not the tournament.
EVO shared in a release: ” While we’re thankful for all the amazing games joining us later this year in Las Vegas, we want to let you know in advance that Super Smash Bros. will not be making a return appearance. 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. ”
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EVO did note, however, that the tournament is open to hosting Super Smash Bros events in the future if Nintendo allows it.
The reasons why the game will not feature in Las Vegas were not made clear, but Nintendo did sign a partnership with Panda Global in November to create an ‘officially licensed circuit for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Super Smash Bros. Melee’ in North America. Moreover, EVO was bought by Sony in the Spring of 2021.
Esports Insider says: It’s a shame that Smash Bros will not be a part of this year’s event, but it goes to show that a game’s developer can (and will) select tournaments however they see fit. It remains to be seen whether the cooperation between Nintendo and Panda Global had anything to do with the news, but this does not mean that Smash Bros will be forever absent from EVO.