Where is the future of competitive Smash going?

[Dusta_Rhymes]

Hi friends, I am still relatively new to this site and community, but I had something on my mind that was concerning me. Competitive Smash tournaments and events.
I've been doing some reading and I've learned that Sakurai isn't necessarily fond of the "competitive scene" or taking the game this seriously. I'm sure you all know a fair bit about this, so I'll spare the rambling.
Bottom line is: where is Competitive Melee going? Is it going to die soon? If the audience keeps growing exponentially, will Nintendo shut it down? Or if Melee does, what will we move to? Smash 4? I don't mind Smash 4, I think it has a lot of potential and is ready to face a more mainstream audience, but I just wanted to know what you guys think.

Thanks for any feedback.

 

[iAmMatt]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZKcQUlNZAK8

 

[Uber Squirtle]

IMO, as long as there are die hard fans, the game will live on. Also the depth of melee compared to smash 4 is unfortunately laughable...

 

[Zyein]

Yep, this topic is always under constant discussion. I think the answer is on a personal level. Communities like this thrive by friends bringing friends in, not flashy esports.

 

[Dolla Pills]

It does seem like we're done with the days where Nintendo gave us direct resistance. I think the only thing that could kill melee outright would be a release of a proper melee HD that everyone would go and play.

However, it is also possible that after a lot of development we may end up with a stale meta in the future, and then the audience and many players would leave. Hard to say if this would happen though.

 

[Uchihadark7]

Hi friends, I am still relatively new to this site and community, but I had something on my mind that was concerning me. Competitive Smash tournaments and events.
I've been doing some reading and I've learned that Sakurai isn't necessarily fond of the "competitive scene" or taking the game this seriously. I'm sure you all know a fair bit about this, so I'll spare the rambling.
Bottom line is: where is Competitive Melee going? Is it going to die soon? If the audience keeps growing exponentially, will Nintendo shut it down? Or if Melee does, what will we move to? Smash 4? I don't mind Smash 4, I think it has a lot of potential and is ready to face a more mainstream audience, but I just wanted to know what you guys think.

Thanks for any feedback.

Well I don't know if Melee will keep getting bigger like it has been the past couple years, but it certainly won't go anywhere. Even if Evo, MLG & other tournaments drop it, it will still have it's community, even if the newer fans leave. Look at Street Fighter 2 Turbo and even SSB64 or Brawl. They still have followers even though their communities aren't exactly growing.

 

[Mr Snak3_]

The community will either get to TAS perfection, die, 20XX vs 20YY or stay the same. People love the game way too much to let it just die.
Die hard communities dude, the melee one is tucked away from mainstream which is why it isn't toxic.
Team fortress 2 didn't hide away and now it's cancerous and full of squeakers.

Conclusion: The worst this community can go is melee hell. Otherwise it's going nowhere

 

[Get Low]

I think that with the increased number of people maining Icies and wobbling their way to victory, the community will gradually wear away. Top players are going to get tired of traveling across the country to lose matches by getting grabbed four times.

 

[cornandbeans]

I think the community will grow so large and have such a large influence that Nintendo will eventually give in to the players and create a Melee HD