With the advent of 2017, competitive Smash Wii U is set to grow even further. Among the tournaments leading the charge is the second iteration of Pulse Gaming's Frostbite on February 25 - 26. With a plethora of side events and international players confirmed, more of the latter to come should certain stretch goals be met, Michigan is looking like the go-to place for Smashers who want an experience unlike any other.
Here are a few reasons why you should support Frostbite.
An Increasingly Global Affair
"It was a dream of mine and several other Japanese and American players to host something like this," says head event organizer Alex "Vayseth" Varga.
From the get go, Frostbite was designed to be international. Bringing in players from both sides of the globe, east and west, the tournament will give attendees an opportunity to bear witness to one side's playstyle colliding with the other. This once-in-a-blue-moon happening will not only be limited to Frostbite's brackets, but also in a community-wide tradition: crew battles.
The North American and Japanese crews will feature heavy hitters from both regions, including Japan's rarely seen T and Shuton. Though both crews began with five players, stretch goals have been set in place to allow five more of each to join; this means that a ten versus ten crew battle is a potential outcome. Remaining stretch goal players include Greninja savant Some and Genesis 3 3rd placer Ryuto "Ranai" Hayashi.
The sheer amount of talent congregating at Frostbite should make it a must-attend for Smashers looking to up their game. But if top level play isn't your thing, the organizers have more in store.
An Unrivaled Selection of Side Events
Side events are the backbone of many grassroots affairs. From Shine 2016's meme-inspired 'Lane Shift' brackets to the Melee FC series' legendary dodge ball tournaments, side events often add extra value and identity to the event-at-large. In light of that, Pulse Gaming set out to include as many of them as possible.
"I want everyone to know that Frostbite is not all about the main event," says Vayseth. "We want to make sure that everyone always has something to do from the moment they check in on Friday until Top 8 on Sunday. The time for going 0-2 in bracket and suddenly left with nothing else to do is over."
Frostbite's 10 side events will be divided into 2 categories: For Fun and For Glory. As with their namesakes, the categories represent the two sides of Smash, For Fun being casual-oriented and For Glory being competitive-leaning.
Costing $1 to enter, each side event will be limited to 8 players or teams per timeslot, with the first and second placers being paid out $5 and $3 respectively. These time slots will be announced before the event. Each one will have a different set of side events so players can plan their schedules ahead of time. In addition, For Glory singles will be organized so that entrants will be matched up with those were knocked out at the same point in the main bracket.
"For the first time EVER at a tournament, players will have the opportunity to grind side events and try to recoup their costs if they drown in pools," Vayseth adds.
Ready to Join?
Should you be interested in attending or contributing to the event's stretch goals, Frostbite's smashgg page and Pulse Gaming's Twitter account are your next destinations.
Pulse Gaming is also offering a VIP experience - the benefits of which are listed on the image above - to the winners of select Midwest regional events, senior event volunteers and members of the crew battle. One can also avail this experience by purchasing a VIP badge starting on January 2.
Vayseth had this to say for all potential supporters: "#ComeToFrostbite where you will be able to witness a crew battle like no other before it live, the absolute highest level of Smash Wii U competition, including many of Japan's hidden bosses coming stateside for the first time, the ability to have structured tournament matches against players from all over the world for a price that will not break the bank."
For more coverage on Frostbite 2017 and Smash Wii U in general, stay tuned to Smashboards.
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