Bing bing wahoo compfags btfo, all tournaments need to abide with a new policy or risk a cease and desist, or otherwise obtain a sanctioned tournament license from nintendo. Of note is that there is a 200 player cap offline and $20 cap on admissions for either the audience or players, so tournaments have to run on a $4k budget. Archive has full declaration.
https://archive.ph/6rXYy
>Tournament Scope:
> - Online tournaments must have 300 or fewer players.
> - Offline tournaments must have 200 or fewer players.
> - Tournaments must be organized by individuals or non-profit teams.
>Intellectual Property Usage:
> - Game content can be used (screenshots)
> - Logos, characters, or Nintendo IPs can't be used in promotions/decorations, except for game images and screenshots.
>Monetization:
> - Entry fees are allowed but must not exceed total tournament costs (TOs can't profit)
> - Entry fees from Participants in an amount not more than the equivalent of $20 (USD) per person.
> - Prize money is capped at 20,000 yen per individual (~175 USD).
> - Advertising and sponsorship are not allowed.
> - Broadcasting is allowed but must adhere to Nintendo's Network Services guidelines.
>Game Modifications:
> - Custom software or game modifications are not allowed.
> - Game settings must adhere to Nintendo's specifications. (gotta have items on)
>Consequences for Misuse:
> - Violation of guidelines could lead to event termination, legal action, and ban on hosting future events.
>Liability:
> - Nintendo is not liable for any troubles occurring during the event.
>Guideline Adherence:
> - Organizers must check for the latest guideline updates. Hope you speak japanese, TOs!
>Unaddressed Queries:
> - Nintendo won’t respond to individual inquiries.
>Special Cases:
> - Educational Institutions: School clubs may host under specific conditions.
> - Corporate/Group Organizers: Require authorization from Nintendo.
>Game Titles/Character Names:
> - Cannot be used in the tournament name, but can be used in descriptive text.
>Large Scale Tournaments:
> - No individual permissions for tournaments exceeding specified player limits. Options include splitting the tournament or organizing through a group. (This means splitting the tournament into blocks of 200 people and operating as numerous mini tournaments)
>School Circles/Neighbourhood Associations:
> - School circles may host under specific conditions. Other groups must apply as per Q14.
>Charity Tournaments at Schools:
> - Requires separate authorization from Nintendo.