This article was originally written for TheNintendoVillage.com, a website I founded and ran from 2018 to 2021.

We’ve been following the machinations of Super Smash Bros. prize money for a little while now here on Nintendo Village, with Nintendo President Shuntaro Furukawa deflecting somewhat when asked about larger prize pools for competitive Smash, and pro player Hungrybox calling out Nintendo directly.

Well, there’s renewed hope for pro Smash players with the announcement of the Smash World Tour. Whilst still an unofficial tournament, the organizers are hoping to partner with Nintendo in the future stating that “one of our goals with the Tour is to offer a unified way for Nintendo to directly support the competitive scene.”

They’ve already partnered with Twitch and Smash.gg, and are offering a $250,000 prize pool for competitors. Those looking to grab a slice of that pie can earn points in local events from 13 March to 22 November, at which point the top 31 players plus a Last Chance Qualifier will battle it out at the Smash World Tour Championships, currently scheduled for 17 - 22 December.

Formed by the people behind VGBootCamp and Super Smash Con, the circuit will feature Platinum, Gold and Silver tournaments, with points available at various events the world over:

“Between Platinum, Gold, and Silver tournaments, players can earn points from community events all of the world. At the end of the year, the competitors with the most points will be flown out for the SWT Championships (December 17-20th), with over a combined $250,000 on the line!
Players can earn points from both the largest Smash events in the world and their local weeklies – our goal is that the Smash World Tour encourages growth at every event level!”

Here’s a reveal trailer for the circuit, and you can naturally get more info on the official website. Let us know if you’re going to give it a go!

Source: Nintendo Life