Pokimane supports Smash’s FreeMelee movement & teases Evo return
Pokimane/NintendoTwitch star streamer Imane ‘Pokimane’ Anys showed her support for the fighting game community and teased her support of bringing Smash Melee back to Evo.
Pokimane announced on October 27 the launch of her new talent management and brand consulting firm RTS, where she will serve as chief creative officer.
The company, which was announced back in March 2021, along with Sony has also acquired Evolution Championship Series, AKA EVO, the popular annual fighting game tournament.
During a stream on Twitch, Poki acknowledged the fighting game community and hinted at her plans for bringing Melee back to EVO for the first time since 2018.
Pokimane / RTSPokimane on Melee at EVO
During a stream on October 29, Poki talked at length about the fighting game community and their frustrations.
She said, “I really appreciate how welcoming and sweet the fighting game community has been. Not just me, towards RTS, towards this acquisition, towards everything.”
She clarified as to why she thinks they were so cordial, and noted: “But to be fair I also feel like they have been starved of not just attention, but any form of deceny or respect for so long, that they’re like ‘Oh my God, someone being nice!'”
Poki then mentioned Melee by name and said, “Do you know the amount of friends that have messaged me and were like ‘Free Melee! Can you get it back on the main stage?’, and I was like, noted guys, noted.”
The hashtag FreeMelee went viral in November 2020 when Nintendo sent a cease and desist letter to the tournament series The Big House, which planned on hosting an online Melee tournament using the app Slippi.
NintendoSmash Melee has not appeared at EVO since 2018, and bringing it back would be huge for the games community which is still strong despite the game being over 20 years old.
Bringing Melee back to EVO would be huge for the game and Pokimane’s recognition of their struggles will bring them hope that Melee will be back on the big stage some day again.