Nintendo Partners With Esports Org Panda Global For Licensed Super Smash Bros. Competition Circuit In 2022

After some uncertainty about the future of competitive Super Smash Bros., Nintendo has announced it will be partnering with Detroit-based esports organization Panda Global to hold a fully licensed competition circuit for Smash in 2022.

The circuit will include separate competitions in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for the Switch and Super Smash Bros. Melee for the GameCube. Online qualifiers will be held for Smash Bros. Ultimate to begin with, leading to in-person events that will feature both games.

The competition is currently limited to US-based players for the online qualifiers, but once in-person events return and international travel is deemed safe, the competition will open up to players from Canada and Mexico. Official rules, schedule, and prize information was not included in the initial announcement, but will be revealed by Panda Global "in the future."

"This partnership with Panda Global is the next step in Nintendo’s efforts to create a more consistent, fun and welcoming competitive environment for our players and fans," Bill Trinen, senior director of product marketing at Nintendo of America, said in the official press release. "We are proud to stand with an organization like Panda Global to celebrate and support the ever-growing competitive Super Smash Bros. community and create a space where all players can test and hone their competitive skills."

This initiative marks the first time Nintendo has partnered with an esports organization to help run tournaments for any of its competitive games. This is not the company's first foray into tournament organization however, as they had previously partnered with online bracketing website Battlefy for worldwide online Super Smash Bros. Ultimate tournaments.