These official rules (rules) of the PlayVS Scholastics Esports League apply to each of the teams who have registered and met the requirements for the 2024-2025 school year, as well as their head coach, assistant coaches, vice principals, athletic directors, starters, substitutes (collectively team members), and other members.

1.1.1 Game. An instance of competition that is played until a winner is determined by one of the following methods, whichever occurs first: (a) Completion of the countdown timer or objective achieved, (b) Team surrender, or (c) Team forfeit.

1.1.2 Round. An instance of individual competition, often between individual team members. The player or team that wins the majority of available rounds will be determined the winner of the game.

1.1.3 Set. A series of games that is played until one player wins a majority of the total games (e.g., winning two games out of three, best-of-three). The winning player will receive a win tally in favor of their team for the match.

1.1.4 Match. A group of sets that is played until one team wins a majority of the total sets (e.g., winning two sets out of three, best-of-three). The winning team will either receive a win tally in a league format or advance to the next round in a tournament format.

1.1.5 League. A group of teams that regularly play against one another. There are two distinct types of PlayVS leagues: (a) Recreational and (b) Competitive

1.1.6 Phase. A section of scheduled league play that comprises a season. There are distinct phases for leagues, with each phase having its own league format.

1.1.7 Season. Scheduled league play that will occur over a predetermined amount of time.

Team members must be eligible to compete on behalf of their school as listed in section 2. Team Member Eligibility of the league's Competition Rulebook.

Each league page will list the number of players necessary to fill a team’s roster and bench. No individual may simultaneously hold two or more roles as listed above. All players and coaches are expected to be present physically or virtually for all official PlayVS matches. The roster and bench must be finalized before the roster lock date, as listed in section 3.4 Roster Submission of the league’s Competition Rulebook.

Substitutions must be made before confirming competing players within the Match Assistant, and only the confirmed players may compete in the match. In the event Match Assistant is unavailable, rosters and substitutions must be confirmed before the start of game 1 in the first Set, unless otherwise approved by a League Official and stated by a PlayVS Admin in Match Lobby Chat.

Players on the bench may be used for any match their team is competing in within their assigned league. Only the players shown on a team’s bench before the start of the match can be used as substitutes in an official PlayVS Match.

If a player on the starting roster cannot compete in the match and there are no available substitutes, competition may continue without that player as long as it does not put the opposing team at a disadvantage.

A game of record (GOR) in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is established under the following conditions:

1.3.1 Game timer reaches the end of the countdown and states “GO”.

Once GOR is established, game restarts will only be allowed under limited conditions as listed in section 7.4 Game Restart of the league’s Competition Rulebook.

At any time, League Officials may order the pause of a match at the sole discretion of League Officials. Teams may complete the current game and finalize the results.

If a player disconnects from the online match during a game, the arena lobby will close. The disconnected player must indicate the reason for the disconnection in the match lobby chat within 10 minutes or risk a loss for the set. Please provide a screenshot for all disconnects as proof of when the disconnection happens.

If the disconnected player can return within the 10-minute window, the game must be recreated to the state at which the disconnect occurred, including the stock count. The lobby must be set up once more with the same fighters and stage selected, and once in-game, players can jump from the stage to reduce their stock count, if necessary (damage percentage will not be reset). Once the game is reset, the match should continue.

If the disconnected player, or their coach for the team, has not shared any updates in match lobby chat within the 10-minute window, notify PlayVS Support immediately for further assistance.

In the event of an equipment failure that causes an in-progress game to be stopped, the offending player will forfeit the individual game. If an in-progress game is not halted, the player may work to reconnect. By default, equipment failure does not require a game restart.

For matches occurring in person at a live event, pausing may only occur when a player is on their own respawn platform. Pausing at any other time will result in a stock loss for the offending player. If the pause results in a stock loss for the opponent, then the offending player will lose two (2) stocks.

Match Format: Best-of-five (Bo5) sets

Set Format: Best-of-three (Bo3) games

Mode: Smash

Team Size: 3 Players

Settings:

Each team will compete in a Bo5 sets match, where each player will compete in a Bo3 game. The winner of each game will be determined by the player that reduces their opponent's stock count to zero. If the in-game timer expires before either player's stock count reaches zero, players will refer to 1.6.4 Sudden Death to determine the winner of the game.

Teams will select one of their starting players to compete in each set. For example:

All matches within the season will share the same match format as listed above, regardless of phase.

For a detailed breakdown of each phase available for the league, see section 5.2 Phase Details of the league’s Competition Rulebook.

For leagues and events utilizing a solos (or individual player) format, players will compete in a single Bo3 match for preseason and regular season matches, and a single Bo5 match for playoff matches.

Matches will occur using the same settings listed in the 1.5 Match Format above. Unless otherwise stated by League Officials, all other rules (including stage striking and match lobby protocols) apply to all competitive formats for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.

Players will go through a stage striking process before each game in their set to determine the stage played. The list of available stages is outlined below. Only stages listed in section 1.6.1.2 below will be allowed during PlayVS competitions.

The maps available for play are listed below. No maps outside of this list can be played as part of an official PlayVS match. Omega and Battlefield variations of these stages are not allowed.

Starter stages: These are the only stages allowed for game 1 of a set.

Counterpick stages: These stages are added to the stage pool ONLY in game 2 and onward of a set.

Mii™ Fighters must use their default costumes (though players may select any color for their Mii™) and must use a Guest Mii™. Any player who declares their intention to compete using a Mii™ Fighter must communicate their Mii™ Fighter setup in Match Lobby Chat so that their opponents are aware of the move selection before going into game.

Mii™ Fighters should be named after the combination of special moves chosen, listed in the format “XXXX.” Each X is a number between 1 - 3 which will designate the special ability chosen in each slot from top to bottom when assigning special abilities to the Mii™ Fighter.

Example:

Any combination of moves may be used, but any moves that any player may want to use during a set must be created before the set begins (up to a limit of three Mii™ Fighters).

A winning player will be provided an additional free strike to remove any stage(s) that their opponent has previously won on in the current set.

If a winning player does not take advantage of a free strike during their stage striking step, then those stages will remain available for stage selection. Losing players are always eligible to select any stage from the stage selection list.

If a game enters the in-game sudden death mode at any point, the results will not count. The remaining stocks and damage percentage determine the winner at the moment sudden death occurs. The player with the higher stock count is the winner. If both players are tied in stocks, the player with the lower damage percentage is the winner. If percentage/stocks are tied, players will play a 1-stock/2-minute match.

Many stages in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate have unique music that is protected by the publisher’s copyright guidelines. To avoid violating these copyright guidelines, all broadcasted matches must have the in-game music levels reduced to zero (0) in the in-game options.

Each player on the starting roster must have access to school-provided equipment or must be permitted by the school to provide their own equipment in the following categories:

2.1.1 Nintendo Switch System & Monitor/Television

2.1.2 Headsets and/or Earbuds

2.1.3 Table and Chair

2.1.4 USB to Ethernet Adapter

2.1.5 Nintendo GameCube controller adapter

2.1.6 Nintendo GameCube controller, Nintendo Switch Joy-Con controller(s) or Nintendo Switch Pro Controller, or any Nintendo Switch compatible controller with no turbo mode availability

2.1.7 Active Nintendo Switch Online membership

2.1.8 Super Smash Bros. Ultimate game

For the avoidance of doubt, each team is required to acquire one (1) Nintendo Switch system, one (1) controller, one (1) Super Smash Bros. Ultimate game, one (1) USB to Ethernet Adapter, one (1) Nintendo Switch Online membership. Equipment may be acquired through the school or, if permitted by the school, by players supplying their own.

Players must compete using an official Nintendo Switch system in all PlayVS games. PC or laptop and tablet use are not permitted. Any team found in violation of this rule will receive a forfeit for all matches in which PCs, laptops, or tablets were used.

Teams are expected to be connected to an internet connection using a wired connection method with their Nintendo USB to Ethernet Adapter. Using a wireless connection method or internet hotspot can lead to latency issues while competing in an online arena environment.

If latency issues exist during a match and a team is found to be using a wireless connection method, League Officials may require a restart, reschedule, or issue a loss for the game, set, or match.

In the event that a match is affected by internet connection issues, please review and complete the steps outlined in Internet Troubleshooting For Gameday Issues.

If the steps provided do not resolve your connection issues, submit a support ticket with the type of connection issue you are running into along with the requested screenshots from the article above.

Once connected with a representative, a PlayVS Admin will be sent to your Match Lobby Chat to confirm the information submitted and address the situation. All disputes are addressed on a case-by-case basis, and rulings may require a restart, reschedule, or a loss for the game, set, or match.

If a single team’s connection issues persist throughout the season, matches may be resolved at League Officials discretion to ensure the season continues to move forward.

Teams must follow section 6.2 Pre-Match Setup in the league’s Competition Rulebook as they prepare to join their match.

Sets during a PlayVS best-of match will be played consecutively during match day. Teams will confirm their starting roster for the match and then indicate which player is competing in set 1. For set 1, the player selections are blind and cannot see their opponent's first player selection.

For sets 2 and onward, the winning team from the previous set will indicate which of their remaining players will compete in the upcoming set. The losing team from the previous set will have a counter-pick when selecting players and indicate their competing player after the winning team has indicated their player for the set.

Should a match go to set 4, the rosters will be reset, and any of the players who competed in a previous set are eligible to be chosen to compete in set 4. The player counter-pick process will remain, and the losing team will have a counter-pick and select their competing player after the winning team.

Should a match go to set 5, teams can choose either of the two remaining players to compete in set 5. Again, the player counter-pick process will remain, and the losing team will have a counter-pick and select their competing player after the winning team.

If the PlayVS Match Assistant is unavailable, all setup information must be shared using Match Lobby Chat.

As spectators may cause network latency issues for players, spectators are not allowed to use the in-game spectating tools during PlayVS matches according to section 7.7.2 Spectating Latency from the Competition Rulebook.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a live-service multiplayer game that may release new content patches with new and/or updated fighters and stages during the season.

Any fighters or stages currently disabled in-game by Nintendo will not be available for use during official PlayVS matches. All PlayVS matches will occur on the most up-to-date patch, and any available fighters or stages listed in 1.6 Special Rules are eligible for use in PlayVS matches unless otherwise stated by League Officials.

Teams are expected to create and connect their Nintendo Friend Codes to their PlayVS profile before competing in a match.

If necessary, teams competing in person may use only one (1) account from their team’s roster throughout the match, changing controllers between the individual 1v1 games. The account being used in competition must be shared in chat by the match day point of contact.

Per 6.2.7 Connected Accounts, teams must address missing game account connections before establishing a game of record. Reaching a game of record without confirming game accounts or addressing missing game account connections is not grounds for a match restart or loss.

There is an in-game action called a Taunt. The speed and interactions of this action vary by fighter and typically leave the user vulnerable to their opponent’s attacks. Use of this in-game action is not an exploit, and, therefore, not taunting as listed in the PlayVS Code of Conduct.

If the match is completed using the PlayVS Match Assistant tool, then in-game statistics and results will be recorded at each game's conclusion.

In the event that the PlayVS Match Assistant cannot be used, then statistics will not be tracked, and the match results will need to be submitted manually within 1 hour of match completion. Players should take screenshots of the match results and share those with their coaches.

In the event of an error, coaches must contact PlayVS directly.