Never A Dull Moment | An Open Letter To The Smash Community
NOTE: This is not a lecture. You guys get enough of that already.
To The Smash Community,
You’re probably wondering who I am and why I’m writing this. I’m thinking about that myself, honestly. I’m not *in* the community, per se, but I’ve been watching you guys from the sidelines on and off for years. I’ve been to a couple of community events just because, and even though I’m a girl, I felt welcomed instead of isolated, and had a lot of fun. Not everybody like me has these experiences, but I’m glad it was and is possible. I’ve played a little bit of every game in the series (I have no preference between them, so don’t ask) on a casual basis, and though it’s not really my thing, it’s always a fun time.
As of now, Smash Ultimate has had its last update and Sakurai has no plans to work further on the franchise. 2021 was the last full year of the Smash community as we know it. Now, with an uncertain future ahead, I just wanted to take this time to guide you all in a few moments of self-reflection regarding the history and impact of the Smash community.
It’s been a wild ride. As far as I can tell, the modern Smash community started around the Smash 4 era, the mid 2010s. With the influence of Reddit, Twitter, and especially YouTube, there was suddenly a massive influx of new players. Considering that Super Smash Bros was the 4th highest-selling game on the WiiU, with 5.38 million copies, there was bound to be a new wave of competitive players, both in older games like Melee and in whatever the newest installment happened to be.
There’s seemingly always something going on. A new up-and-coming competitive player, a new character reveal, or even just a new patch. There are… other aspects to the Smash news cycle, but we’ll get to that later.
In fact, the community is so large that I bet there are things most of you haven’t even heard of. Like, ever heard of the Smash Sisters?
Spotlight: On The “Smash Sisters”
The Smash Sisters is an initiative designed by female pro players to get more girls into the Smash scene. These are not independent events, they are female-only side attractions to normal tournaments. Not only do they seem to work, the reception to them is largely positive (just go on any comment section of any social media post discussing the Smash Sisters). It’s also important to note that though this is a separate event with certain entry requirements (namely, being a girl), the women running these attractions DO also participate in regular tournaments.
Let’s get this straight:
If you think that this is some sort of feminist scourge on your gaming space, you’re stupid.
And if you think that the existence of this initiative proves that most Smash players at tournaments are predatory men that need to kept away from innocent women, you’re also stupid.
This was designed to give some players the option to compete in a scenario where they might feel less intimidated. No more, no less.
So why did I bring this up? Well, that part at the end, about people perceiving Smash players as predatory men? It’s not like I dragged that stereotype from nowhere. Between the people who pass it around and those who perpetuate it through their actions, I certainly didn’t make it up.
It’s no secret that the Smash community is one of the most hated fandoms on the entire Internet. Jokes and stereotypes regarding everything from your tantrums over every character reveal to your personal hygiene are abundant; people make these jokes any chance they get. Of course, the usual gamer stereotypes about hating women and minorities are usually never far behind. The Smash community is seemingly a punching bag even among the other “worst fandoms” (some who arguably are in no position to talk, but I digress).
And then, just when it couldn’t get any worse…
What a year 2020 was, huh? To be frank, I don’t think anybody was the same afterwards.
Look, I know that some of you aren’t bothered by these jokes and stereotypes, and can take them in stride. I’ve heard they’re pretty commonplace among convention-goers, even.
That’s all well and good (I’ll never know what it’s like to not care what people think), I just need to ask one thing.
To those of you who are tired of being joked about, tired of what people think of you because of the actions of people you have no control over, I suggest you try saying something. If you don’t find “Smash players are pedos” joke #603805 funny, it’s okay to say so. Don’t let anybody tell you that you’re just “butthurt” or “defensive”.
You won’t be alone, but it will feel like it at first. In fact, so far the only person I’ve ever seen with the balls to call these types of jokes out is Sparg0.
And you know what? This is good. Great, even.
Because this narrative doesn’t just hurt the guilty.
Remember #FreeMelee and #SaveSmash? These were altogether simple demands made by the Smash community for Nintendo to treat them and the games better. All that was requested was for Nintendo to either sponsor tournaments or leave their usage of Slippi alone (because it is, in fact, not illegal). And maybe some improvements to online functionality would be nice, too.
And how did the general public respond?
Contrary to popular belief, these movements didn’t die because Smash fans went back to brainlessly supporting Nintendo (this was largely never the case anyway). It was because, in the eyes of the general public, a group of unhygienic manchildren with a rap sheet are in no position to make demands, especially not of “uwu wholesome Nintendo and Daddy Sakurai”. So eventually, even those who pushed hashtags like #FreeMelee the hardest just gave up, because there was no one to listen.
I don’t know how many of you need to hear this, but you don’t deserve to be ganged up on like this. Most of you have done nothing to warrant being as loathed as you are.
Now, because somebody will threaten me at gunpoint if I don’t say so, the opposite side of the coin needs to be addressed. While the Smash community gets too much hate overall, it has its fair share of problems, just like any group consisting of people.
It can certainly be argued that the backbone of the Smash community is YouTube; montages, combo videos, tournament footage, even just playing casually with friends. But alas, even this medium isn’t completely safe. Spanish (at least I think so, correct me if I’m wrong) Smash montage creator ZaWarudo has faced backlash for his recurring usage of “edgy jokes”. I could go on about whether or not a person’s sense of humor reflects their actual beliefs, but for now I just wanted to highlight a comment excerpt from the thread I just linked to.
I’ll get to this later, but for now just let me say: the reason people downvoted you isn’t necessarily because they disagree this is worth talking about. It could have been them downvoting the comment itself, or it might not be seen as relevant enough to Smash itself… there are several potential reasons. Reddit is a strange place, but I’ve been there long enough to know what I’m talking about. Trust me, r/smashbros is one the most “critical of “problematic” figures” groups I’ve ever seen… until it sometimes isn’t when certain groups come to roost. Again, funny place, Reddit.
But back to ZaWarudo, is there something to be said for the fact that he seems to be on good terms with respected creators like Vernias and King Of Skill? Does this say anything about them? Do they simply not know about these jokes? Are they aware of them, but are familiar enough with him to know that they don’t represent what he thinks? Are they all just bigots? I simply don’t know.
And it’s not just him. vyQ, founder of the content creation group Beefy Smash Doods, has a history of homophobic remarks and other questionable comments (ex. stating that there’s nothing wrong with an 18 y/o dating a 27 y/o, which I don’t have time to get into here). Should it be assumed that the other members of the group are complicit in his words and actions by virtue of not having quit? Again, I simply don’t know.
Tying back into the “bigger and badder” misdeeds of dozens of people within the Smash community as outlined in the document, I’m sure you all know that for at least a few of those cases, what was listed ended up not being the end of it. New information was revealed in situations like in Nairo’s case and, more controversially, in Zero’s case. Since some of the community was arguably too quick to let them back in, the fandom is often accused of being too attached to problematic figures.
Is it true? Then what about the dozens of community figureheads who were shamed into never showing their faces again? Is the fact that almost all of them are no longer in the public eye an achievement, or long overdue?
Probably both. I’ve heard it said that the Smash community was “complicit” in sexual harassment and assault up until July 2020, but the way I see it, that’s not true. That fails to take into account victims who hadn’t come forward until then, bystanders who were potentially manipulated into not saying anything, and much more.
Look, I know this sounds horribly dismissive and passe, but nobody is perfect. It’s always going to seem as though the thing you take issue with isn’t getting enough coverage. That said, when you see somebody saying or doing something that comes off as derogatory or harmful, say something! Even if they don’t listen, other people will see that you care.
Question: what *is* the Smash community? Is it the dozens of sex offenders listed in the infamous document, or is it the rest of you that ousted them from the community? Is it those who make disparaging remarks about minorities, or is it those who call them out? I’m sure it depends on who you ask. But I’ve been around the block, and I know that when somebody does something wrong, there will be good, upstanding people around to condemn them, sometimes resulting in accountability from the public figure in question (how sincere it is is up to the individual). And in fact, this has happened before.
(Side note: never pull the “Why isn’t x group condemning y?” shtick with me around. I will always call your bluff.)
So, what do *I* think of the Smash community?
I think you’re really not so different from any other fandom, no matter what anybody says. You’ve had your ups and downs, but I respect the way you manage to come together when something important happens. Of course, this is just what I’ve seen. I don’t know the whole picture.
What I do know is that things won’t be the same around your corners of the Internet forever. Already, some YouTubers such as Alpharad have branched out far beyond Smash Bros. content and are doing other things. But don’t take this as a sign of a dying community. Some people have taken the end of Ultimate as a sign to try new things, but Smash Bros. will always be near and dear to their hearts, as is probably the case with all of you (plus, Alpharad frequently uploads Smash content on his side channel, Alpharad Deluxe. It’s not the flashy edited kind of content, but there will always be YouTubers doing that). Smash Bros. will never die, you’ve all put in too much work for that to happen.
The future is uncertain, with some aspects you can control and some you can’t. As time goes on, remember to keep close to your heart the game you love, and all the friends, rivals, and enemies you’ve made along the way. Remember to do what you can to keep your communities a hospitable place, but also learn to recognize the limits of yourself and others. Most importantly, just hang in there, and remember to carry your enthusiasm for this game into all of your future endeavors.
Sincerely,
Left-Hook
Thanks so much for reading. Until next time, stay on the hook!
