Nintendo Imposes Strict Guidelines for Competitive Tournaments
Nintendo has recently unveiled a set of stringent guidelines for smaller-scale competitive tournaments, defining the restrictions that must be adhered to before organisers can apply for an official license from the company.
Released in the form of Community Tournament Guidelines, these regulations were initially published by Nintendo of Japan and were later adjusted for Nintendo of Europe’s website. According to these rules, tournaments can proceed without a license until November 15th of this year if they are considered “small-scale and not for commercial profit.”
Outlined within these guidelines are specific limitations for what Nintendo terms “community tournaments.” In-person tournaments may not exceed 200 participants per day, whereas online tournaments may have a maximum of 300 daily participants. Furthermore, the money generated through ticket sales and entry fees, which are capped at £18/€20 and £14/€15 per person respectively, must not surpass the costs of organizing the tournament and providing prize money. Notably, prize money is prohibited from being generated through spectator ticket sales and is limited to a total of £4,500/€5,000.
The restrictions do not end there. Nintendo explicitly prohibits the sale of food and drinks at venues that have spectators. Moreover, tournaments are forbidden from using the name of a Nintendo game in their title, although it is allowed in related event descriptions. Additionally, schools are only eligible to host community tournaments without a license if they are not open to the public and are conducted between a maximum of two schools.
Accompanying the guidelines is an extensive FAQ section, which may raise concerns among tournament organisers. Nintendo’s relationship with the competitive tournament scene has been strained in recent times. Last year, the company had a high-profile falling out with the organisers of the popular (but unlicensed) Smash World Tour. This incident led Smash World Tour to cancel its 2022 Championships after allegedly receiving a last-minute notice from Nintendo. Nintendo denied the claims, stating that while it advised against canceling the tournament finals due to its impact on players, it did not grant a license for the 2022 or 2023 activities, ultimately resulting in the cancellation of the Championships.
With these newly imposed guidelines, Nintendo aims to maintain control and oversight over its competitive tournament scene. However, the strict limitations and lack of flexibility may dampen the spirits of tournament organisers who had hoped for more supportive measures from the gaming giant.