Game maker Nintendo was thought to be on the brink of death, or so a spate of publicity seemed to suggest. In order to combat the stream of negative publicity and provide a forum to launch the latest version of the game, E3, the Electronic Entertainment Expo, was activated as a giant stage for a two-hour long Super Smash Bros. Invitational at the famed Nokia Theater. The trade show was the perfect place to activate thousands of rabidly loyal fans and social media junkies, as spectators in the matchup of 16 of the world’s best gamers playing against one another. We shared the Invitational live with millions of additional fans through digital platforms. The passion around play successfully turned the tide in Nintendo's media coverage and unleashed brand ambassadors that let fans around the globe know that Nintendo would live another day – and many more to follow.

The Super Smash Bros. Invitational was a hit and generated unprecedented engagement with the Nintendo brand at E3. More than 3,000 passionate fans attended the event live and millions more tuned into the simulcast and engaged socially. The pervasive coverage in trade and general media clearly pointed to the power of the brand. As for the game itself, Super Smash Mario Bros. for Nintendo 3DS sold 1.2 million physical and digital units in the U.S. in just under one month. It became the 10th Nintendo title to exceed 1 million units in sales and one of the best-selling titles of the year. Super Smash Bros. for Wii U became the fastest-selling Wii U title ever in the U.S. market.