Nintendo Releases Full Disclosure Regarding Smash World Tour Cancellation

Days after the news about the Smash World Tour [SWT] While Nintendo will cancel its last championship in 2022 and its tour in 2023, Nintendo has made a lengthy statement regarding this decision. It does not offer SWT a license to host Smash Bros. Events.

In a statement to IGN, Nintendo said its “decision was solely based on our assessment of the offers submitted by SWT and our assessment of their unlicensed activity.” “Any partner we license must meet the high standards we need when it comes to the health and safety of our fans,” Nintendo said.

“It’s also important for a partner to abide by brand and IP rules and conduct themselves according to professional and corporate best practices,” writes Nintendo. “We use the same approach to evaluate all partners independently. If we notice a partner has done something inappropriate, we will work to correct it.”

The upcoming Smash World Tour Championship and the 2023 Smash World Tour must all be cancelled.

Whole story: https://t.co/3ro3q7rr4h pic.twitter.com/Gcgcgakdvp

— Smash World Tour 2022 (@SmashWorldTour) 29 November 2022

Earlier this week, the organizers of the Smash World Tour, one of the largest third-party Super Smash Bros.. fighting game tournaments has announced it will cancel the last event of the year and 2023 events after Nintendo refused to license Smash Bros. fighting tournament events.

SWT’s organizers published a lengthy Medium post regretting the events, claiming it was told it could no longer work “without warning”. Organizers also announced that they are in talks with Nintendo to obtain a license to operate Smash Bros. tournaments and Nintendo even recorded how SWT didn’t violate their IP.

That point, however, is disputed by Nintendo’s statement, which apparently implies that any partner must abide by the “brand and IP guidelines” set by the company.

Nintendo also reiterated that it had “verbally” informed SWT organizers that it did not want to cancel the 2022 finals “because of the impact it would have on players”, adding that “the decision to cancel SWT 2022 was: and yet their own choice.”

SWT organizers say they will offer full refunds to attendees of the now-canceled 2022 event.

“Any partner we license must meet the high standards we need when it comes to the health and safety of our fans.”

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SWT organizers also blamed one of Nintendo’s Smash Bros. partners, Panda Global, organizers of Panda Cup Smash Bros. The tournament caused any potential SWT partner to think twice about joining the Smash World Tour, by claiming founder Alan Bunney had told potential organizers that SWT would be shut down.

Nintendo said its decision was “not influenced by any outside party such as Panda Global” and that the company “is open to partnerships with other organizations and will continue to offer licenses for major tournaments outside of the Panda Cup.” Panda Global will continue to partner with Nintendo on Smash Bros. The company says it “seems”[s] We look forward to receiving offers from other groups for tournament licenses.”

You can read Nintendo’s full statement below.

Nintendo wants to explain to all Super Smash Bros. Fans and interested parties are the background and rationale for our decision not to license their upcoming events to the Smash World Tour (SWT).

Nintendo’s decision was based solely on our evaluation of the offers submitted by SWT and our assessment of their unlicensed activities. This decision was not influenced by any outside party such as Panda Global. Any business partner we license must meet the high standards we require when it comes to the health and safety of our fans. It’s also important for a partner to adhere to brand and IP guidelines and act in accordance with professional and corporate best practices. We use the same approach to evaluate all partners independently. If we notice that a partner has done something inappropriate, we will work to correct it.

When we informed SWT that we would not be licensing the 2022 or 2023 events, we also verbally informed them that we did not want them to cancel the 2022 final event due to the impact it would have on players. Therefore, the decision to cancel SWT 2022 was and still is their choice.

We are open to partnerships with other organizations and will continue to offer licenses for major tournaments outside of the Panda Cup. Panda Global will continue to be a key partner and we look forward to receiving offers from other groups for tournament licenses. Meanwhile, Panda is in Super Smash Bros. He continues to defend himself. community, even to the point where Panda advocates that other organizations and tournaments, such as The Big House and SWT organizers, work with Nintendo to benefit the larger Super Smash Bros. society.

Nintendo cares about Super Smash Bros. A big thank you to their fans and community, and we hope to continue to hear their passionate feedback. We are committed to working hard to bring joy and fun to the community through tournaments, while ensuring that we and our partners act in a positive and responsible manner.

Matt TM Kim is IGN’s News Editor. you can reach him @lawoftd.