Historic Smash Bros Tournament Features Unprecedented $0 Prize Pool

Despite being nearly seven years old, Smash Ultimate is set to witness its most significant tournament in 2025, showcasing some of the world’s finest players. Remarkably, this prestigious event features a perplexingly low prize pool of $0, even amidst fierce competition.

On May 4, players from around the world will converge in Japan for Kagaribi#13. This tournament has gained prominence in the Smash esports calendar, attracting elite competitors including Acola, Miya, Hurt, Zackray, Shuton, and Asimo, who are all hailing from Japan. However, this iteration promises to be exceptionally noteworthy.

Kagaribi#13: The Pinnacle of Smash Ultimate Tournaments

This latest tournament will undoubtedly surpass iconic events such as Genesis, EVO, and Supernova, establishing itself as the most densely packed Smash Ultimate tournament in history. However, unlike those renowned contests, Kagaribi#13 has a unique attribute: there is no monetary prize for the victor.

The prestige associated with Kagaribi has historically attracted numerous players from Europe and North America. Yet this year, participation is at unprecedented levels.

Alongside the aforementioned Japanese talents, the world-renowned player FaZe Sparg0 will also compete. Joining him will be a distinguished lineup featuring MkLeo, Zomba, Tweek, Sonix, Light, Glutonny, Riddles, Kola, Luugi, crêpe salée, and Shadic, creating an ensemble that could only be likened to an Avengers team.

Never thought there would be a day we would do this. KAGARIBI#13 stands as the most stacked Ultimate tournament of all time, gaining the title from a brand new tier, Superpremier.pic.twitter.com/AuMWgxh7cQ

— LumiRank (@LumiRank) March 13, 2025

Reflecting the depth of talent at the tournament, LumiRank, which ranks Smash competitors, has established a novel tournament category labeled Superpremier specifically for Kagaribi#13.

With such immense anticipation surrounding the event, one would presume that a substantial cash prize would accompany the acclaim. However, winning at Kagaribi#13 unfortunately yields no financial reward—regardless of whether a player finishes first or suffers an early exit.

The primary reason for this lies in Japanese gambling regulations, which have long posed challenges for esports events. A compelling question arises: how can the prestigious Capcom Cup 11 offer a million-dollar prize while a Smash tournament like Kagaribi can provide nothing?

The fundamental distinction is that Capcom Cup operates as an invitational, covering travel expenses and ensuring participants earn prize money. Conversely, Kagaribi functions with a publicly open bracket, where players must pay an entry fee to compete; this structure is interpreted as gambling. Consequently, while entry fees are crucial for sustaining the event, they inherently limit the possibility of a cash prize.

For domestic competitors, the entry fee is set at 3, 000 yen (approximately $20), while international entrants face a fee of 4, 000 yen (around $27).With an expected turnout of thousands, waiving these fees could result in a significant financial setback for event organizers, far exceeding the costs associated with providing a prize pool.

While creative methods to navigate Japan’s stringent gambling laws exist, Kagaribi’s open-bracket format rules out potential alternatives. Thus, for the tournament to maintain its inclusivity, offering any prize money is simply not feasible.

As anticipation mounts for Smash 6, rumored to be in the pipeline for the Switch 2, Kagaribi#13 may hold the distinction of being the first and possibly last Superpremier event in Smash Ultimate’s history. Capturing this title, even devoid of a cash prize, will undeniably solidify the winner’s legacy in the annals of competitive gaming.

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