Nintendo is releasing a set of strict new rules for fans that organize small-scale tournaments around its games. These gatherings, defined as “Community Tournaments” in the guidelines, set strict rules around the number of competitors; limiting how much events can charge for entry, and restrictions on how in-person events should be run.
According to Eurogamer, the guidelines were initially posted by Nintendo of Japan’s website prior to similar posts appearing on Nintendo of Europe’s website and Nintendo of America’s website.
These new rules specify the following:
- Community Tournaments can only host 200 participants (300 online)
- Organizers cannot charge players more than $20 to attend the event
- Organizers cannot charge spectators more than $15 to attend the event
- Money raised from tournament participant ticket sales can only be used towards the event and prizes
- Money raised from spectator ticket sales can only be used towards event costs
- Individual prize money is limited to $5000 each
- Organizer earnings are limited to $10000 per year
Additional Community Tournament guidelines go even further by prohibiting the same of food, beverages, and merchandise. What’s more, fees and expenses cannot be paid out to any of the participants. Oh, and if you’re having it in a traditional public forum like school, there are even more restrictions.
The Community Tournament guidelines go into effect on November 15, 2023. This has already caused major outrage and stir within the competitive community, including and especially after the Smash World Tour was shut down last year just days prior to the Championship.
Many of the world’s greatest eSports players relied on compensation from team owners and event organizers in order to justify continued investment into training and competition. Small-scale fan tournaments are meant to open the gates for people interested in pursuing eSports as a career path and eventually moving on to larger events. These kinds of restrictions go too far to hinder encouragement and are yet another example of Nintendo taking things too far to protect their IPs from being used without their consent.