What is #FreeSSBB?

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Brawl is full of moments and people that capture the essence of what it means to be a part of a passionate community. How do we make them more accessible? Click to expand...

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People still care about the game and have love for the community. Perhaps we need to shift the discussion away from what is wrong with the game to what we can build off to help it improve? Click to expand...



Ways To Get Involved:

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The Smash Brothers documentary did a superb job of humanizing the Melee community and documenting it's history. Will someone step up and go the same lengths as documentary producer Travis 'Samox' Beauchamp to have the story of SSBB told? Click to expand...

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The State of Brawl SSBB podcast has recently emerged as another platform to discuss community issues. Founded by the leaders of the #FreeSSBB movement,the show has discussions with both new and old members of the scene to brainstorm ways to help the community. Click to expand...



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T.O. Joe is an eSports lover and FGC competitor/content creator. He's a fan of the finer things in life, like jump cancel shines and Metaknight's glide. You can find him on twitter at https://twitter.com/itsTOJoe

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#FreeSSBB started as a response to the news of Brawl being denied the opportunity to have an event at MLG Anaheim. While some saw this as the final blow to SSBB's chance to stay relevant in the competitive gaming world, others saw it as an opportunity to rally the community together and make itself heard. Many were ready to write off the game, as SSBB has struggled to attain the same level of respect and growth that has been seen in it's older brother Super Smash Bros. Melee. However, back-track to last year and you'd find that Melee was in a very similar position; declining numbers, and a lack of direction in the community. But one thing stayed the same despite the good or the bad; passion. Brawl is 6 years deep and is still around, do not be so quick to lay it to bed. With some guided direction and attainable goals, the community can be put back on track to succeed.A gaming community is built and founded by the fanatics that will stick by the game when all they have left is their friend from the other side of town left to play. Communities fade once that passion burns out, not when opportunities and paychecks become lost. In order to rise up we need to see more of that passion, all politics and drama aside. #FreeSSBB is more than a hashtag that you can spread out on social media, it reflects a shift in the current state of the community to help it evolve. Brawl has been a quiet whisper in gaming world because of a lack of direction, #FreeSSBB is the mark of people starting to change their perspective towards their role in the community. Don't wait for opportunities to come along, create them. We saw Melee make a statement through The Smash Brothers Documentary and their Breast Cancer Donation Drive at Evo 2013, so what can Brawlers do?As amazing as getting into MLG would be, this isn't the top priority of the #FreeSSBB movement. One event does not define the community, and we've managed to stay around under similar circumstances in the past. However, what is a top priority is working to keep the scene moving forward and helping it grow. From the veterans all the way to the newcomers, doing things that encourage participation and spark interest back into the scene is crucial.If we can learn from the blueprint that Melee set-up for us to follow on their path to resurgence(which we should), we know that we need to provide some kind of outlet for people from the outside to identify with the passion we have, and also have projects going on in-house that unite members of the community. You don't need to have a tournament trophy or sponsor to your name anymore to contribute to the game and be heard; all you need is the heart and desire to make things happen.Pick up a camera, shoot some videos of your local tournament scene, interview players, show us what keeps you coming back, who the people are, and why it all matters. Tell us your regions story, there are so many untold narratives that can be found throughout this game. Anyone that has stepped foot into a smash tournament knows that there exists a room full of unique characters that have a range of talents. Memories are made at every event we participate in, share those stories. Of course there will be days when you'll be editing a video or writing a post at 3am that you've worked on all night, wondering why you're doing this and if it's worth it. This happens to me sometimes too, I wont lie. In those moments you gain insight into what really fuels you in this community. Is it money? Sorry to hear that, maybe we'll see your work surface if a sponsor encourages you to release it. Is It passion? Get some rest, refocus, and I can't wait to see the final product once it's finished. People wont care about the community unless you give them a reason to; connect them to the passion you have. Make an effort to promote your events and the people who attend them; networking through social media allows you to spread the word and also makes your scene much more accessible.Aside from making your passion accessible to a wider audience, there is just as much importance on helping new players find their footing in the scene. Smash is a difficult game to play competitively, and it's easy to get lost in learning all the fine details. Everyone struggles at their first tournament, so it's on the longstanding members of each scene to build their new player base. Things like amateur brackets, one on one training sessions with pros, and pro-am doubles events that mix newcomers with veterans are just some of the things that can be done in person to encourage a learning environment. Don't forget about the online player base though, what can be done to help those Smashers out? Directing them to fantastic resource bases like Smashboards and creating tutorials that help lay out the basics for players is especially important. New players can be huge contributors to the community, but some need that extra push to reach their potential or a reference point to work off.These are just some of the tangible things that can be done to push the scene forward. Content and efforts mentioned previously are the building blocks to making the competitive community thrive. If you care about the future of the community, support the game and generate discussion about a title that has provided us with some of the best times of our lives. At the end of the day, what brought us all to this point is our love for the game. Try new things, get yourself out there, and don't be intimidated by people that doubt you. If you want to have your voice heard, you need to speak up first. So, lets get talking. What dothink can be done to help the scene develop?Apex Image Credits to Robert Paul: http://robertpaul.smugmug.com/ State of Brawl Image Credits to : http://www.evenmatchup.com/