SSBU's Minecraft Steve Banned from Let's Make Big Moves 2024

Nearly three years after the release of the final fighters pack for Super Smash Brothers Ultimate, Minecraft Steve's is approaching a total ban from competitive play. It is not the first time the SSBU community has been outspoken about Steve's potential exclusion, but even with a significant tournament organizer banning the character, it likely won't be last.

Although Acola's rise has undoubtedly contributed to the sentiment around the ban, many players aknoledge the skill required for him to do so; after all he is one of only a handful of Steve players reaching the later stages of events. That said, according to the polling conducted, there is more to it.

One of the major surprises was the difference between attending competitors and spectators, with most players choosing to ban Steve over their non-competing counterparts. Reactions across the scene have been mixed, almost in line with the poll result. Some of the biggest critics of the ban point out that perhaps it would be valid to run similar polls for other well-performing, matchup-dependant characters, like Kazuya or B.O.B.

Another point raised has been global rankings. Some locals have a banned Steve policy already, but for the most part, their impact on the international ranking of SSBU is minimal. LMBM however, is a major tournament on the west coast of the United States with a secondary event in Miami. If Both feature the ban, that could skew rankings going forward.

There are also questions as to whether other major organizers will follow suit, whether by conducting similar polls for their attending audiences, or outright jumping on board with the idea. So, could 2024 be the year Steve's ban becomes nationwide?