Starting in February, Nintendo is hosting a series of online qualifying events for the Splatoon 2 North America Inkling Open 2019 and the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate North America Open 2019 – two tournaments for two competitive Nintendo Switch games. (Graphic: Business Wire)

For the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate North America Open 2019, players will have the chance to qualify in one of four regions across North America. Three individual rounds of qualifying online events will give players three separate chances to represent their region at PAX East. (Graphic: Business Wire)

For the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate North America Open 2019, players will have the chance to qualify in one of four regions across North America. Three individual rounds of qualifying online events will give players three separate chances to represent their region at PAX East. (Graphic: Business Wire)

REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Have you always wanted to participate in a video game tournament? Nintendo has two upcoming tournaments for you! Starting in February, Nintendo is hosting a series of online qualifying events for the Splatoon 2 North America Inkling Open 2019 and the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate North America Open 2019 – two tournaments for two competitive Nintendo Switch games. These open qualifiers lead up to a final event at the PAX East video game conference in Boston on March 30. There are multiple ways to play and participate … and players of all experience levels are welcome. You can check out the announcement video here for more details about these exciting events.

“This inclusive pair of tournaments is a great way for anyone to show off their skills while playing two of their favorite Nintendo Switch games,” said Doug Bowser, Nintendo of America’s Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “Nintendo games are for everyone, and offer a unique combination of social competitive fun. That’s why we’re opening the qualifying rounds to fans of all skill levels.”

The schedule for the online qualifying events for both the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate North America Open 2019 and Splatoon 2 North America Inkling Open 2019 tournaments are below. For the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate North America Open 2019, players will have the chance to qualify in one of four regions across North America. Three individual rounds of qualifying online events will give players three separate chances to represent their region at PAX East.

Nintendo Switch Game Region* Online Event Date All times are approximate Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Northeast Region Online Event 1 Qualifiers Feb. 2, 9 a.m. PT Finals Feb. 9, 9 a.m. PT Online Event 2 Qualifiers Feb. 16, 9 a.m. PT Finals March 2, 11 a.m. PT Online Event 3 Qualifiers March 9, 9 a.m. PT Finals March 16, 9 a.m. PT Southeast Region Online Event 1 Qualifiers Feb. 2, 10 a.m. PT Finals Feb. 9, 9 a.m. PT Online Event 2 Qualifiers Feb. 16, 10 a.m. PT Finals March 2, 11 a.m. PT Online Event 3 Qualifiers March 9, 10 a.m. PT Finals March 16, 9 a.m. PT Southwest Region Online Event 1 Qualifiers Feb. 2, 11 a.m. PT Finals Feb. 9, 9 a.m. PT Online Event 2 Qualifiers Feb. 16, 11 a.m. PT Finals March 2, 11 a.m. PT Online Event 3 Qualifiers March 9, 11 a.m. PT Finals March 16, 9 a.m. PT Northwest Region Online Event 1 Qualifiers Feb. 2, 12 p.m. PT Finals Feb. 9, 9 a.m. PT Online Event 2 Qualifiers Feb. 16, 12 p.m. PT Finals March 2, 11 a.m. PT Online Event 3 Qualifiers March 9, 12 p.m. PT Finals March 16, 9 a.m. PT Nintendo Switch Game Online Event Date All times are approximate Splatoon 2 Ink Pools Feb. 10, 9 a.m. PT Online Qualifier Finals March 2, 9 a.m. PT

*Each region has a cap of 2,048 check-in players for each qualifier, for a total of 8,192 players per qualifier series across the four regions of play.

More details about how to enter the online qualifier events can be found at https://www.nintendo.com/switch/events/.

If you just want to watch, the finals for each online event will be livestreamed, so you can follow your favorites as they compete for a chance to attend the final event, or cheer on newcomers when they shock more experienced players with stunning upsets.

The Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Splatoon 2 games are both currently available for the Nintendo Switch system. If you’re interested in taking part in the tournaments, head online to start practicing. Online play can be accessed in both of these games with a Nintendo Switch Online membership. If you aren’t a member yet, you can easily sign up for a free seven-day trial directly through your Nintendo Switch system.

Remember that Nintendo Switch features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about other features, visit https://www.nintendo.com/switch/.

Splatoon 2 North America Inkling Open 2019: NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open to legal residents of the US, Canada, and Mexico who are age 13+ (18+ for Mexico) and have access to a Nintendo Switch system, Splatoon 2 game, reliable high-speed internet connection and Nintendo Switch Online membership. Registration Period from 1/22/19 to 2/10/19 at 9:00AM PT. Qualifier/Ink Pools Period begins 2/10/19 at 11:00AM PT. To participate, register at battlefy.com/splatoon. Qualifier Finals begins 3/2/19 at 9:00AM PT. Each member of the top 4 Teams in Qualifier Finals will win a prize consisting of a slot to compete in the Final Event, scheduled to take place on 3/30/19 at 11:00AM PT at the PAX Arena in Boston, MA, daily PAX badges, 3 nights lodging, and round-trip airfare (ARV $2,311 each). For a Team to get the prize, at least 4 players on the Team must agree to participate in the Final Event. Each member of the first place winning Team of the Final Event will get a collectible item (ARV $500 each). Skill of participating players determines the winner(s). See Official Rules for details and restrictions. https://www.nintendo.com/switch/events/splatoon2-naio-2019-official-rules/. Sponsor: Nintendo of America Inc., 4600 150th Ave NE, Redmond, WA 98052.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate North America Open 2019 : NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Open to legal residents of the US, Canada, and Mexico who are age 13+ (18+ for Mexico) and have access to a Nintendo Switch system, Super Smash Brothers Ultimate game, reliable high-speed internet connection, and a Nintendo Switch Online membership. Registration Period begins 1/22/19 and ends 3/9/19 at 9:00AM PT. Online Events held at 9:00AM PT on 2/2/19, 2/16/19, and 3/9/19. To participate, register at battlefy.com/supersmashbros2019. Each of the 12 winners will receive a prize consisting of a slot to compete in the Final Event to be held 3/30/19 at the PAX Arena in Boston, MA, daily PAX badges, 3 nights lodging, and round-trip airfare (ARV $2,311 each). To receive the prize, winner must agree to participate in the Final Event. Final Event will be a team competition; each member of the first place team of the Final Event will get a collectible item (ARV $500 each). Skill of participating players determines the winner(s). See Official Rules for details and restrictions. https://www.nintendo.com/switch/events/ssbu-nao-2019-official-rules/ Sponsor: Nintendo of America Inc., 4600 150th Ave NE, Redmond, WA 98052.

About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Nintendo Switch™ system and the Nintendo 3DS™ family of portable systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold more than 4.6 billion video games and more than 730 million hardware units globally, including Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo 3DS family of systems, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS™ family of systems, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™, Nintendo GameCube™, Wii™ and Wii U™ systems. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names, such as Mario, Donkey Kong, Metroid, Zelda and Pokémon. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo’s operations in the Americas. For more information about Nintendo, please visit the company’s website at https://www.nintendo.com/.

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