North American amateur esports platform PlayVS has announced a partnership with game developer Nintendo.
As a result of the deal, Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Splatoon 2 will be added to PlayVS High School Leagues in the US and Canada.
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In total, PlayVS has secured strategic partnerships with 23 state associations and regional leagues in the US and Canada. The platform aims to provide high school players with the opportunity to compete in a series of esports titles. As of right now, PlayVS operates official, national leagues for titles such as Fortnite, FIFA, Madden, and League of Legends, among others.
According to the release, Nintendo titles Splatoon 2 and Smash Bros. Ultimate will become officially recognised varsity esports at PlayVS-partnered high schools. Mario Kart 8 tournaments will also become available in early 2022.
Delane Parnell, CEO of PlayVS, commented: “Partnering with Nintendo and offering our players a selection of titles from its legendary roster of games is something I’ve wanted to do since I started PlayVS.
“It’s a privilege to work alongside such an iconic company like Nintendo. We take great pride in being able to offer competitive Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Splatoon 2, and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe to our community. “
PlayVS has been steadily broadening its partnership portfolio, securing deals with Riot Games for high school League of Legends tournaments, as well as partnering with Nerd Street Gamers early last year.
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Bill Trinen, Senior Director of Product Marketing at Nintendo of America, added: “We know there are many Nintendo fans with incredible gaming talent who are looking for more ways to explore competitive play and participate in tournaments. Working with a community-focused organisation like PlayVS is an important next step as Nintendo expands our support for competitive play and helps more players explore gaming in a competitive space.”
Esports Insider says: There’s no doubt that this is a good business decision by Nintendo. By connecting with PlayVS, both entities can further advance their esports efforts, whilst also boosting the high school esports scene in the US and Canada.