Smash Bros' biggest tournament ever has a $0 prize pool, fans joke: "It's basically like winning an argument online"

Japan is going to host one of the biggest Super Smash Bros. Ultimate tournaments of the year—Kagaribi #13—on May 4-5, 2025, in Saitama. Gamers will be sweating, controllers will be smashing... and the grand prize is a whopping zero dollars. This is due to Japan having regulations that limit esports winnings.

Kagaribi #13 winners won't be bringing home any money—only the sweet satisfaction of winning and the personal sense of achievement of having sweated it out in the best competitive play.

The internet's roast mode had to be activated on this one. Fans were flabbergasted that surviving an arduous tournament would reward them with nothing but "character development."

Most wondered why anyone would even bother to come in—because ultimately, having to justify to your friends why you pumped for hours for no return is more difficult than the tournament itself.

One user (@Its_AbdulAsath) humorously noted:

"So it's basically like winning an argument online, feels good but no payout 😆"

The difference is, at least on the internet, you can fake your win.

A user (@yipfella) commented, saying:

"Imagine training for years just to win bragging rights 💀🎮"

This was what they called "playing for fun."

This was the perfect opportunity to drop the iconic meme from the 2013 movie We're the Millers. X user @imJMAR captioned it writing:

"Japanese players winning in the US for the first time."

When they find out the prize purse isn't merely a handshake of sincerity.

A user (@SupremeVidsPro) asked what most of us were probably thinking:

"If the prize is 0, then why even go?"

The real tournament is explaining this to your landlord.

One more user (@emcverse) mentioned:

"Lol 😂 at least you get bragging rights."

The costliest ego booster in history.

One user (@nriqxx) noted:

"damn prize is sheer honor 👲"

You don't need money when you have... integrity.

A user (@_SirJoey) hilariously said:

"Due to country laws my net worth is also $0"

Esports professionals and broke college students are the same.

A user (@StasStriker) quipped:

"They’re playing for bragging rights and a handshake."

At least pretend to add in a gift card.

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Smash Bros tournament and Japan's legal restrictions on prize pools

Kagaribi #13 is taking place offline at Tokorozawa, Saitama, hosted by East Geek Smash. And it's going to be packed—earlier estimates are that anywhere between 537 to 756 players are showing up to throw hands (digitally).

The timing for Smash Bros. works with the Golden Week, a.k.a. Japan's equivalent of the ultimate holiday season.

Japan's prize rules for esports are somewhat convoluted.

It's not that prize pools are illegal per se—it's how they're paid. Entry fees into a tournament can't be used for prizes because that constitutes gambling under Japanese law.

But if a third-party company pays for the prize pool and it gets publicly announced prior to the event, that's perfectly acceptable.

Even with that loophole, a few Japanese tournaments, such as Kagaribi #13 (Smash Bros), still offer zero-dollar prize pools. That's because most are run by communities and don't have large sponsors.

And Nintendo isn't raining money on Smash Bros. tournaments like some other devs.

Nintendo has its own set of rules for community tournaments. Their rules limit prize pools to ¥500,000 ($3361.80) per event and simply prohibit third-party sponsorships.

That means that Smash Bros. tournament organizers cannot secure outside investment, making it even more difficult to provide any actual cash prizes.

Long story short, if you're in a competition, you're competing for the sake of the game at Smash Bros.—and perhaps a nice medal.

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