Last week, it was confirmed that the online version of fighting game event EVO – created in response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic – has been cancelled following allegations of abuse by former CEO Joey Cuellar. Cuellar has been ejected from the company and will no longer be involved "in any capacity".
NetherRealm and Capcom have both issued statements explaining why they will not be participating in Evo Online, following allegations – mainly coming from members of the Super Smash Bros. community – which involve underage victims.
Now Nintendo, which has previously supported EVO events in the past, has issued its own statement to IGN regarding the allegations:
At Nintendo, we are deeply disturbed by the allegations raised against certain members of the competitive gaming community. They are absolutely impermissible. We want to make it clear that we condemn all acts of violence, harassment, and exploitation against anyone and that we stand with the victims.
EVO has named Tony Cannon as acting CEO.
[source ign.com]
Comments 29
You forgot to mention that Nintendo privated videos featuring those accused in the Smash comp community
@YaseenSaeed honestly when you look at the Smash Scene with a more scrutinising gaze its surprising that this wasn't outed sooner. From the general gaming culture to parties, living areas, etc. Minors, Adults and Alcohol were too frequently put in the same place. The only good to come of this is that now we can expect change for the better.
And people wanna wonder why Nintendo has consistently refused to fund or support the competitive scene. Does anyone honestly think they would risk the image of their family-oriented brand (with games made for both children and adults) for a group of people they have no idea on how they act? In the event their values are at odds, it could damage the company, just as how EVO itself will be damaged by its former CEO's grossness.
Well there you go, this is why.
Looking into it there is so much abuse allegations coming out about those involved in EVO and the competitive smash community.
Like EVO might change its name and entirely rebrand though even then it may be finished all companies and alot of gamers issued pulling support statements.
Nintendo is probably never going to get into competive gaming now and you cant blame them when things like this happen.
Truly a sickening cesspool.
It gets worse the longer you look at it.
I thought Nintendo wasn't at EVO.
It really hurts when you looked up to tons of these people for years...
You just never know anymore about what's really going on. Take the whole 'Jared from Subway' ordeal for example. For years he was the face of the franchise. Even had a charity foundation (to help children!) and a millionaire. Then you find out he's a huge part of a child pornography ring and engages in underage sex with minors age ranging 9 to 16. Went even as far as asking the adult woman he was seeing to arrange sex with her underage cousin.
expose them all !
also smash fans, if we thought nintendo was distant from the competitive community before . . . it's definitely over now.
was fun while it lasted
Fighting game communities are really only the tip of the iceberg with this stuff too. Think about how many content creators there are on youtube, twitch etc., And how much of their fanbase is underage. It's a hotbed of sexual abuse, underage grooming, and gaslighting. It's unfortunate that wholesome creators will most likely catch some of this heat, but there needs to be a cleanse. This has to stop
Damnit guys, you were only supposed to compete to be the best at smash bros, not to be the worst at humanity.
@sixrings they were the main event of EVO before covid-19 canceled the live event. the online stinks
And just like that EVO has become a joke I mean c'mon how do one f**k up a digital event so badly?
Wow. To all those out there who are victims of sexual or emotional abuse, I want to say I am so sorry, and you don’t deserve the treatment you are getting.
@Cognitron
This seems like a pretty ill advised comment mate?
I'm guessing you weren't intending to trivialize accusations of child abuse but it kind of reads that way.
It just gets worse and worse, sickening that this level of abuse has been left unchecked for years. I guess it’s not surprising given the ages of some of the players but the fact so many are admitting it as well, it really is the MeToo of the gaming community.
It's real sad when freaking LOW TIER GOD has a higher moral ground than these guys now...
@Cognitron Perhaps that needs to happen. I will say, though, that allegations need to be followed up by court proceedings. Let the guilty be punished by the legal system. Otherwise, accusations can fly with impunity. I have no time for the Twitter firing squads.
@crashcontrol its hilarious when you get blocked by nairo everywhere in february because you told him to not take losses so bad. good riddance. they dont care about you they care about money and drone support PS you where giving nairo subs (400) to shut up the abuser. he wont be missed
@AaronJ001 It depends on where you live though as far as what is considered a minor. In the USA as a rule of the thumb it’s under 18. Some countries once you turn 13 you are grown. In Uganda for example you are considered an adult at 16 (or maybe younger).
@RPGamer @AaronJOO1 I must tell you, and I can't stress this enough, that you're use that term wrong. Pedophile refers a person that is sexually attracted to children under the age of 13. The term you are looking for in this Ephebophile. The mindset between the two is completely different in motive and reasoning.
Source: I'm a child r*pe survivor psyche major who studied this as part of my therapeutic coping.
It's scandals like this that keep making Nintendo so reluctant to embrace online things like messaging and events.
Okay. So are these currently just allegations? Has the man been proven guilty of this?
If these are only at the stage of allegations, I think maybe everyone should slow down a bit, before crucifying the man.
Suspension until investigators can establish the facts.
@RabidPikachu Not to mention many countries have different laws in different regions, including the states, but yes. It shouldn't have to be said that adults should stick to being intimate with other adults.
@HappyMaskedGuy He admitted to it.
@NIN10DOXD Ah well then, if that’s the case, good riddance.
@graysoncharles it was dropped when the physical in person event was cancelled. Smash doesn’t work well online especially for competition.
@RPGamer it's all good brutha, it didn't. I've more or less made my peace with what happened to me so I can talk about it objectively, took me a while to get there and I still have some issues related to what happen but I got there with the incident itself. Tbh, the real emotion i still feel about it is guilty because when I was in college, I found out the dude who had r*ped me(it was my uncle) was doing the same to my youngest sister and she had deal with longer than I had which I think lead to the falling out of our relationship cuz she knew that he that he doing it to the both of us and I never said anything until about a decade later after he stopped with me.
@RPGamer like i said, it's all good. The past is the past and while I can't change what happened to me, I am involved making sure it doesn't happen to anyone else.
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