Main Women: Navigating the Smash community

Abstract

This documentary explores the grassroots community of competitive Smash, a video game that is played competitively throughout the U.S. and has grown significantly, drawing crowds of thousands at events like SHINE and PAX. In the wake of #metoo and a rising reckoning of sexual assault and exclusive gender dynamics, the Smash community faces similar tests. But lack of inclusivity doesn't manifest itself only in violent and overt ways, often it's the micro-aggressions that foster a toxic environment that will ultimately yield violence and outward discrimination. The documentary explores the heart of the Smash community: a small, self guided tournament club, and how it reflects or rejects some of the predispositions it may have as a gaming community. I interview Noam Radcliffe, a staff writer for Dbltap who has written about mental health in e-sports and is researching gender dynamics in smash for his story on a new piece of media that came out: the History of Smash, which fails to address the lack of inclusivity in the community. I also emailed Lilian Chen throughout the making of the documentary, and decided to use her Ted Talk in which she breaks down her role and experience in the Smash community. Finally I decided to interview women players on campus, who while not professional gamers, experience the heart of Smash community by attending small self built tournaments and experience the difficulties of starting out, not only as "newbies," but also as girl gamers. They are the ones who are uninvited and still show up.