Melee in 2011: Year in Review
Editor’s Note:
The following article was written by Juggleguy and has been re-published as a mirror copy on the Melee It On Me website. You can find the article in its original entirety here on Smashboards.
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Melee in 2011: Year in Review
The fourth annual Smash tournament industry report
Previous Editions
[2007]
[2008] (none)
[2009]
[2010]
Overview of 2011
It was another memorable year for the Melee community, which again produced a collection of intriguing storylines even in the game’s remarkable 10th year of existence. There were impressive performances, from the resurgence of Mango to the North American first-place breakthrough of Armada. There was a collective upgrade in tournament standards, including a rising trend in professional-style streaming and a never-before-done grassroots Apex qualifier series. Aside from the positive moments, there was controversy. The payout situation at Pound V and the prize pot near-disaster at Genesis 2 rank as some of the darkest moments in Melee tournament history, but they also shed light on some business realities of the community and brought key people closer together in times of adversity. 2011 showed what the Melee community is capable of, both the good and the bad.
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