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Monday Morning Marth: January 22

Edwin Budding
Published January 22, 2024

It’s an interesting time to follow Melee. Although 2023 was turbulent, it also ended with the closest race for No. 1 ever. Heading into this new year, we have so many different storylines to cover as well. Of course, storylines are not possible without a location. You can’t have good Melee narratives without having tournaments to talk about.

In today’s Monday Morning Marth, I’m going to offer my “what you need to know” lowdown on every single upcoming major and potential major event for 2024. If you’re curious as to where I’m getting this information from, it’s not from a secret source – it’s from the Public Smash Calendar. While not all of these may be majors – and not all of them are confirmed to return – I’m nonetheless do my best to summarize each one’s place in the scene, when they will happen, who will be there, and why you should care, among other details. I’ll also be doing my best to update this column as best as I can over the rest of the year and provide updates.

Keeping this in mind, I will also be doing my best to avoid “obvious” storylines heading into each and every event. Obvious storylines include the following:

  • moky searching for his first major victory. Until he wins a major, every event with him in attendance will have this possibility coming up. This does not necessarily mean that moky has no other storylines – just that this one won’t really be covered much by this column.
  • Hungrybox, aMSa, Mango, Plup, or Wizzrobe breaking long slumps of not winning majors.
  • Anything to do with Leffen. I would love to see him return to tournaments, but at this point of his career, Leffen’s presence is a rare treat. With that in mind, his presences at Genesis and Battle of BC would be especially meaningful – Genesis is one of the few major series Leffen’s yet to win and Leffen’s a two-time Battle of BC champion. I’m still not holding my breath here though. CEO could be another good one for him, although if he goes, I doubt his focus would be in Melee.
  • Anything to do with the rankings. It’s important to keep in mind and can supplement other storylines throughout the year, but I’m going to do my best to try to create “event-specific” storylines.

Genesis X

Who’s going?: Cody Schwab, moky, aMSa, Wizzrobe, Aklo, KoDoRiN, S2J, and Magi right now. It will very likely involve several other people too, including our entire Top 10. It’s also worth noting that Genesis always seems to be a spot where someone from NorCal, old-school or new-school, succeeds. Who among the Typhoons, darkwizard123s, Cactuars, Darrells, Darkatmas, etc. will emerge at this year’s Genesis?

What’s on the line?: If Jmook goes, the reigning Genesis champion will have a chance to defend his title after what’s been an unfortunate drop in results from him since last June. Cody and Zain, however, have separate stories for this Genesis – Cody has never won a Genesis, but has a Big House, while Zain has won Genesis twice and could tie Armada for the most number of Genesis titles ever. Mango has an interesting storyline too; since winning the first Genesis, he’s always fallen short. If anything, he’s had a tendency to drop the ball here lately.

When is it?: February 16 – 18, 2024.

Where is it?: San Jose, California.

Why should you care?: Forget the sheer amount of talent that this event draws every year. This is the 10th installment of the series that essentially marked the beginning of Melee’s Greatest Generation: – the group of players who would not only go on to lead the community through the Brawl Era, but essentially birth the infrastructure of modern Melee itself. If you don’t care about Genesis, you’re probably not that into the game in the first place.

Full Bloom 2024

Who’s going?: As of right now: Zain, Cody, and Mango for Top 10 players. After them, it’s currently Polish, Zamu, Bbatts, Skerzo, Drephen, Grab, and Free Palestine for other notable names. I anticipate seeing practically every top Indiana and Illinois player here, and potentially much of Ohio, Michigan, Minnesota, and the rest of the Midwest. I do want to make special note of Smash Summit 13 invitee, Survivor fan, and dear friend of mine Blue: this guy is supremely legit as a regional threat, but rarely travels. He could take home a big win here.

What’s on the line?: Outside of being the follow-up to Genesis, a nice part of Full Bloom is its history. For Zain, he’s the defending champion, having won this event five years ago. The last time Mango was at Full Bloom was six years ago, when Hungrybox beat him for first place. Other than that, you basically have the Midwest at its peak ready to take on the invading talent.

When is it?: February 24 – 25, 2024.

Where is it?: Bloomington, Indiana.

Why should you care?: You probably think I’m going to mention something about regional pride in the Midwest, right? Nope. You should care about this event, because it shows that it’s never too late to come back to Melee. It’s easy to forget that Full Bloom was actually supposed to have a huge 2020, and effectively lost its place in the scene because of the pandemic. Add on the fact that the event itself is hosted in a college venue within a very walkable small town and you’ll understand why dear friend of Monday Morning Marth Jackzilla describes it as “the best bang for your buck major, ever.” I’m very curious to see how this event performs this year; if it’s the last Full Bloom ever, it will hopefully be an amazing send-off, and if it isn’t, then it could be the amazing return of a spring classic.

Collision 2024

Who’s going?: Cody, Zain, Jmook, moky, Hungrybox, Aklo, KoDoRiN, and Zuppy are currently registered. It’s practically a guarantee that the vast majority of Tristate’s heavy hitters will be present here, which means nearly every Tristate player in the Top 100, as well as potential breakout players like JoJo, Epoodle, Fro116, bonn, etc.

What’s on the line?: This event will mark Cody Schwab’s grand return to Tristate after his move to Michigan. Remember: this is a place where he hasn’t quite won a regional or major yet (although he did win his final Nightclub). For Zain, it’s his chance to redeem himself after Collision 2023’s heartbreak, while Jmook will be defending his title. Aklo will play the role of Tristate’s defender, and Zuppy, no stranger to doing well at Collision, is going to try repeating his performance last year. There’s also a very strange Heroes vs. Villains theme going on that I don’t think quite adds up –  why are Aklo and KoDoRiN on Team Villain? – but it is exciting, and that’s the most important thing.

When is it?: March 15-17, 2024.

Where is it?: Parsippany Hills, NJ

Why should you care?: After years of being a major for Ultimate and Smash 4, Collision’s found itself in the unusual spot of being the torchbearer of Northeast Melee in the post-Shine landscape. You pretty much have every generation of Northeast players in the SSBMRank era coming into this event alongside a bunch of major contenders in one of the strongest regions of the world. Pound for pound, this will probably be the most “difficult” event of the year. If you love seeing Top 100 players potentially finish 1-2 in round one pools, Collision’s your major.

Battle of BC 6

Who’s going?: Cody, Jmook, moky, aMSa, Hungrybox, Aklo, KoDoRiN, and Zuppy for confirmed names. Beneath the top brass, I’d also expect much of the Pacific Northwest and West Coast Canada to show up – it’s tough to imagine this event happening without people like Soonsay, Chango, Stiv, Beezy, Jello, Graves, Aura, etc.

What’s on the line?: aMSa’s returning back to Vancouver having previously lived there last year and come heartbreakingly short of winning Battle of BC. Cody is the currently reigning champion as well, but moky is definitely the continent favorite (him or aMSa). Add in a good portion of top Canadian, Pacific Northwest, and West Coast talent, perhaps some who aren’t too far away from potentially ending 2024 on the Top 100, like Beezy, Graves, Elliot, and Iron – at least if they attend. You could consider this event something akin to a sequel to Eggdog Scramble 2, or more obviously, the previous Battle of BC.

When is it?: March 29-31, 2024.

Where is it?: Vancouver, Canada

Why should you care?: For years, Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest had existed in relative obscurity, seemingly with an endless array of “Top 200-level” players. But with this following up Eggdog Scramble, and on a larger magnitude, we might be entering the best era for both regions potentially ever. Not since the days of EGTV have we seen this type of development. This type of event is for Melee fans who really love discussing obscure players who would “totally be Top 100 if they traveled, bro.”

Pat’s House 4

Who’s going?: No one is confirmed yet, but I would expect most of SoCal and San Diego. This includes people like KoDoRiN, Fiction, Lucky, null, Khalid, Franz, and maybe even Jmook once his move to the West Coast is complete. If Jmook attends, it wouldn’t be crazy for other top players like Zain or moky or Cody Schwab to check it out. Maybe even Mango.

What’s on the line?: In terms of the event itself: Pat’s House is making a return after seven years. Back in 2017, the third iteration of Pat’s House was arguably the most stacked event to not feature someone who could win a major, as it featured a litany of Top 25 players across the board who could win the tournament. More importantly, April was previously a bit of a dry time in the Smash Calendar, and this event is now the closest thing we have to a major in between Battle of BC and GOML.

When is it?: April 27-28, 2024

Where is it?: La Jolla, California

Why should you care?: Outside of Summit events (like Mainstage or Smash Summit) or Ludwig’s tournaments, SoCal hasn’t had a classic “major” in a long time; this could be the region making its way back to the national stage. Think about how crazy that is for a moment: Melee’s most historic region hasn’t had a real “grassroots” major since MLG Anaheim 2014, and that barely counts as “community-ran.” Before that, you’d have to go to Pat’s House 2 a month prior. Maybe this is kind of bullshit of me to discount Summit and Ludwig events, but the point I’m making is more that the discrete nature of an event close enough to Pat’s House 4 is actually pretty rare.

GOML 2024

Who’s going?: Admittedly, Dawson is the only name on the Liquipedia page. At the same time, it’s GOML. I would be shocked if this event did not feature all of Cody, Zain, Mango, Jmook, and Hungrybox. Massive numbers of notable Canadian and Northeast players will be here too, but an especially prominent draw are international players. The Europeans and Australians who travel, in particular, seem to really enjoy GOML (or have a better time traveling to Canada than dealing with United States immigration services).

What’s on the line?: Assuming my “who” holds up well over time: there’s Zain potentially winning his second GOML comes to mind. moky would be playing in front of his home crowd and have a chance to build on last year’s third place finish. One player with a sleeper Toronto-specific storyline, however, is Mango. He won the first ever GOML in 2014, won another one in 2019, only to win Mango’s Birthday Bash in Toronto later that year. Combined with his runs to second place at last year’s GOML and even GOML 2016, Mango’s historically done well here.

When is it?: May 17-19, 2024.

Where is it?: Toronto, Canada

Why should you care?: What are the most important events after Genesis, The Big House, or anything Ludwig runs? It would have to be one of GOML or Smash Con, and I’d personally go with GOML. This event has a great case to be the definitive major of the SSBMRank era, having started in 2014 and under people who came into their own as scene leaders in the 2010s. Genesis and The Big House, for comparison, were around well before SSBMRank (albeit in regional capacity for Big House). Just using tennis as a loose analogy, this event is definitely a Grand Slam-caliber tournament.

Tipped Off 15: Connected

Who’s going?: Currently, Cody, Zain, Jmook, moky, Mango, Aklo, KoDoRiN, Joshman, and Axe are signed up. It’s very likely that the most notable players from the Atlantic South, such as Panko, MOF, Krudo, Panda, and Colbol, will be here as well.

What’s on the line?: You obviously have Zain being the reigning champion, but there’s also Cody and Jmook coming back to an event that they bombed at in the previous year. Mango’s presence here at Tipped Off is especially interesting too – it’s a major series that’s actually existed about as long as Mango’s been at the top of the game, but last year was the first time he actually went to the series and he got second. He’s kind of like the ghost of the old-school defending this series from the new-school.

When is it?: June 15-16, 2024.

Where is it?: Marietta, Georgia

Why should you care?: Pop quiz: which out of the current majors is the longest running tourney series in the world? If your guess was Genesis, you’re wrong; it’s Tipped Off. This event has gone through humble beginnings as a small late-MLG era regional, then had the epic Darkrain victory – probably the best of his career – before entering the Hungrybox vs. PPMD era, where those two Atlantic South giants essentially traded Tipped Off titles with each other (with Hungrybox winning a Tipped Off over Mew2King a bit before PP’s rise). It wasn’t long until this event kinda faded back into obscurity as a regional, and then last year marked Tipped Off’s return to the spotlight. I think it’s worth caring about because of its unique old-school character.

CEO 2024

Who’s going?: None of its entrants are currently public. However, I can’t imagine that Hungrybox, Plup, and Wizzrobe won’t attend this event, and that’s not to get into the rest of Florida. By the way, when I say Florida, I am including every obscure sub-region and each one’s respective hidden bosses, not just people like MOF, Gahtzu, Voo, Wevans, Akir, or Komodo. Do not be surprised to see some player with a stupid tag like “Coca Cola Roller Coaster” or “Popcorn Dude” or “Hold me closely with your arms” suddenly make Top 16.

What’s on the line?: This will depend on who exactly is in attendance, but back in the day, Hungrybox was the king of CEO, and he currently has six CEO titles. However, the new ruler seems to be Plup, who has won the last two. Can anyone beat those two in their stomping ground? If they don’t, who of these two will emerge from the ring as the champion?

When is it?: June 23-25, 2024

Where is it?: Daytona Beach, Florida

Why should you care?: With each of its two most recent iterations falling short of major status, it’s easy to forget that CEO is actually a pretty historic Smash series. Not even going into its 2010 roots, CEO’s been the spot of a Armada/Mango grand finals, it was Leffen’s first American major victory, had a spinoff where SFAT nearly won a major, and then it more or less settled as a battleground for Hungrybox and Plup at the top level, with a few Top 25 invaders and all the different subregions of Florida duking it out in the rest of the bracket. Zooming out a bit, I also think there’s still sparks within the broader Smash and FGC relationship, as well as mutual benefits for Melee being exposed to traditional fighting game fans. Even today, I still believe it’s important for Melee to be represented in some way within communities outside of Smash, even if smashers tend to be pretty insular. At the very least, we can talk about Leffen together.

Phantom 2024

Who’s going?: The attendants aren’t public yet. Given that it is Australia, I would fully expect Joshman to return for this event. If he returns, it wouldn’t be too crazy to envision a scenario where his teammates (Zain and moky) go as well. And if these two go, is it crazy to imagine Cody and/or Mango attending? For whatever it’s worth, I think Aiden will be attending too – not that he himself is a Top 100 player (although he is clearly strong enough to take on some of Australia’s rising stars), but he is a notable name.

What’s on the line?: If Cody went, it’s defending his title. If Zain goes, it’s revenge against Cody. If it’s Joshman, the story is about defending his region, or conquering it, depending on your perception. One pretty cool thing about this event would be the different sub-regions of Australian talent here too. This would probably be the only time in the year you’d see all the top talent from Melbourne, Victoria, Sydney, Perth, etc. all together.

When is it?: July 6-7, 2024.

Where is it?: Melbourne, Australia

Why should you care?: I hate talking about this so clinically because it sounds aggressively lifeless, but it’s just true that a large portion of this event’s appeal comes from its natural crossover into The Yard and potentially exposing Melee to a unique audience. The only other tournaments that really carry this specific value are Ludwig-specific events. At the same time, even if that were not the case, I think there’s value in also making Melee a far more “global” community and incorporating the Oceania region into the scene’s broader major ecosystem. If it can do that while also heavily involving some of our most colorful personalities, all the more reason to care.

Riptide 2024

Who’s going?: It’s not confirmed yet, but Plup has gone to all three Riptide iterations so far; I’d expect him here. At the bare minimum, this tournament will most likely involve each of the Midwest’s heavy hitters: Cody Schwab, Ossify, Morsecode762, Ginger, KJH, Skerzo, Ben, Flash – you name a good Midwest player, they are probably here. And who knows? If Cody’s attending, I’m sure that means at least one or two other top five players are likely to attend and compete seriously.

What’s on the line?: If Plup goes, he’d be defending his Riptide title. Cody hasn’t been back to Riptide since winning it in 2021, so we could be seeing a return to him at this same series. Other than that, I’d consider this a “mini-Big House” in terms of who could possibly attend and do well here. Each of Hungrybox, Plup, and Cody have a Riptide title, so any of them could become the first person to win multiple Riptides.

When is it?: September 6-8, 2024.

Where is it: Sandusky, Ohio.

Why should you care?: Other than the obvious (it’s Smash in a water park, which is cool, so you should care, because people care about cool things), this is usually the last major before we enter a short “break’ period before The Big House and the ensuing fall period of tournaments; basically like the end of the summer.

Luminosity Makes Moves Toronto

Who’s going?: It’s not public information right now; I would personally anticipate the Midwest and Southern Ontario here. If that holds up, this could feature a player lineup that looks somewhat similar to The Come Up – basically anyone within the Midwest or East Coast who continues to have an itch for Melee after Riptide, but before Big House.

What’s on the line?: This is an unusual answer, but I think this event could impact Luminosity’s future relationship with Melee. From people I’ve spoken to behind the scenes, the organization was disappointed with the turnout at Luminosity Makes Moves Miami, with want to try again in a better location.

When is it?: September 13-15, 2024.

Where is it: Toronto, Ontario

Why should you care?:  It seems like Luminosity is trying to go down the Ultimate-heavy, yet Melee-inclusive path that Panda Global was on (despite Panda’s reservations with Melee from a content standpoint). At the very least, it will most likely be a Melee event featuring some of the top Ontario and Midwest players. This is a bit out there for potential majors, but Luminosity has a lot of money behind it and Toronto seems like a better draw for traveling top players than Miami, so you never know.

Unlisted or Unannounced potential majors [In Progress]

  • Eggdog Summit – No confirmed date yet; I imagine this to be a small Summit-style invitational featuring top talent (as in major contenders) and Eggdog sponsored players.
  • Smash Factor 11  – No public date or name; it was announced at the previous Smash Factor though. Based on people from the Mexican scene I’ve spoken to, this seems like it will happen in July or August.
  • Super Smash Con 2024 – No public information exists about this event, but I would be shocked if it did not return in July or August; if it happens, it will feature the majority of Top 10 players.
  • The Off-Season 3 – No public information exists about this event; I would keep an eye out for it returning. It isn’t a major because it typically uses wacky rules, but in terms of people paying attention to it and top talent, this event may as well have the draw of one. I’d expect this in between Riptide and The Big House.
  • The Big House 12 – If this event comes back, it’s practically a guarantee for October 2024. In the case of its return, expect everyone who can win a major here.
  • The Function 4 or any successor in New York City – The first three installments of The Function were successful regional events of escalating scales. I would expect any successor to The Function, whether officially part of the series or something different, to be the first major in NYC in years if any three of Cody, Jmook, moky Zain, and Hungrybox go. April and November seem like good months.
  • Any Ludwig Event – Self-explanatory. He seems to like running them in the summer or fall and those currently seem open. Maybe in December too? Not sure.

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