Nintendo Issues Statement Over Smash World Tour Cancellation

Nintendo has issued a statement addressing the cancellation of the Smash World Tour championship. 

Earlier this week, the organizers of the SWT announced that the final 2022 championship and 2023 tour had been canceled. The event had been canceled after Nintendo denied them a license to hold Smash Bros. fighting tournament events.

Nintendo Issues Statement

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In a statement to IGN, Nintendo has now explained its decision to revoke SWT's license. The statement concentrates on Nintendo's “assessment of SWT's unlicensed operations.” The company also claims it did not make this decision at the last minute. According to the statement, Nintendo had already informed the organizers that it would cancel the license.

“Nintendo's decision was solely based on our assessment of the proposals submitted by the SWT and our evaluation of their unlicensed activities,” the statement read.

“Any partner that we grant a license to has to meet the high standards we require when it comes to the health and safety of our fans.”

In the statement, the organizers disclosed that they were in talks with Nintendo to obtain a license to hold the events. In addition, they revealed that Nintendo also acknowledged that SWT did not violate their intellectual property. However, Nintendo's response, which implies that any partner must follow “brand and IP guidelines,” appears to refute this.

Nintendo emphasized that it never requested the organizers to cancel the 2022 Championships. The company cited the impact it would have on participants and players. According to the statement, “the decision to cancel the SWT 2022 was, and still is, their own choice.”

According to SWT's organizers, attendees of its now-cancelled 2022 event would receive full refunds.

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