Nintendo fans create an awareness campaign to allow a Super Smash Bros. fan with terminal cancer to play the game before its official release this December.
When gamers think about the most anticipated Nintendo Switch game, chances are they’re thinking about Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. The all-star brawler has given Nintendo unparalleled hype when it comes to multiplayer action, and fans will be out to buy it in droves when Super Smash Bros. Ultimate releases this December. Unfortunately, even that upcoming release date may be too late for some.
A 21-year-old fan named Chris Taylor has risen to prominence over the weekend, albeit for tragic circumstances: Chris has terminal cancer, and he posted his concerns that he would pass before getting a chance to play Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Soon after his post, Nintendo fans started spreading the word about him in an effort to see if Nintendo could make any special accommodations, triggering an awareness campaign that Nintendo has now officially taken notice of.
Fans had been forwarding his message to a number of Nintendo employees, one of whom replied with a confirmation that she’d sent the request to a coworker at Nintendo Canada since the fan was north of the US border in Ontario:
The campaign has snowballed in size since Taylor put out the original tweet on September 13, stating that he was afraid he’d never have a chance to play Ultimate. He’s already bedridden, and in his own words said that December seemed quite far away. From there, his tweet continued to be shared and was eventually picked up by press outlets a day later, with a response coming in from an official Nintendo employee shortly after that. It’s all a work-in-progress for the moment, but one could be forgiven for being optimistic – especially considering Nintendo Canada has prominently shown an E3 build of Smash Bros. Ultimate at public events like Fan Expo Canada.
Unfortunately, the anonymous nature of the internet has led to some vitriol and negative comments in response to the movement for Chris to play Ultimate. While the young fan says he has been irked from reading some of the comments, he’s still keeping a positive mindset as he takes in all that is happening.
Given that the campaign only really took off this weekend, fans may have to wait a little longer to see if he’ll be invited to play the game.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will launch on December 7th, 2018 for the Nintendo Switch.
