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Memes abound after Evo 2019 cuts fan-favorite ‘Super Smash Bros. Melee’ from lineup

People are saying anime killed the game.

Photo of Ignacio Martinez

Ignacio Martinez

evo-2019-melee

Super Smash Bros. Melee has been cut from the Evo 2019 gaming tournament line-up, and die hard fans are tweeting jokes about this particular “Top 10 Saddest Anime Death.”

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In an announcement stream on Wednesday, Evo organizer Joey Cuellar (aka Mr. Wizard) revealed the full line-up for 2019’s Super Bowl of fighting games. Super Smash Bros. Melee, a usual mainstay, is not scheduled to appear on the main stage for this year’s tournament.

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Super Smash Bros. Melee was added as the eighth bonus game to Evo 2013 after the game raised the most donations for The Breast Cancer Research Foundation with an impressive $94,683. At the time, Melee’s fanbase was somewhat waning, and a featured spot at the premier fighting game tournament was a much-needed boost. From 2013 until now, the game had headlined Evo.

This year, the stalwart Melee will be replaced by the new iteration in the franchise, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for the Nintendo Switch. Melee top players tweeted their reactions to the news.  

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https://twitter.com/TSM_Leffen/status/1100589980542533632

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To add insult to injury, the Evo announcement stream was capped off by a tribute video to Melee showcasing the game’s great moments throughout the years.

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Fighting game personality Andrew “Jiyuna” Fidelis summarized the odd feeling of showing this video after revealing that Melee would not be included in the tournament’s main lineup.

https://twitter.com/jiyunaJP/status/1100592536668692480

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Other followers of Evo, Super Smash Bros. Melee, and the fighting game scene are making memes to find sense of the situation. The current dominant narrative is that “anime killed Melee.” The anime-inspired fighting game Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[st] is a newcomer in the lineup—and taking up a slot that could have gone to Melee.

https://twitter.com/RamEsRock/status/1100656579609800705

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https://twitter.com/EX_Shiki_/status/1100604840919687169

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One particularly elaborate reaction video meme plays on the unfortunate stereotype that competitive players of the Super Smash Bros. franchise are less likely to take regular showers than the rest of the fighting game community.

https://twitter.com/Kung_Fu_Kai/status/1100720327879909377?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1100720327879909377&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailydot.com%2Fwp-admin%2Fpost-new.php

Evo 2019 will take place Aug. 2-4 in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Mandalay Bay resort and casino.

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H/T Polygon

 
The Daily Dot