Austin "Redd" Self
Super Smash Bros Melee for the Nintendo Gamecube was released in 2001, making this the nearly 16th anniversary of the iconic platform fighter. Intended to be a party game, it birthed a community of highly vested young persons devoted to it and it alone. As opposed to other fighting game series, Super Smash Bros Melee remained a constant when its successor, Super Smash Bros Brawl, turned flop, a deliberate effort by game designer Masahiro Sakurai to squash the small community of highly devoted persons to the magnificent detail of the game. Following the Smash Bros documentary Melee grew at an exponential rate.
Old school players have a notorious tendency to be dismissive of people who aren’t S+ Tier players. You wouldn’t guess that speaking to Austin “Redd” Self, who encapsulates the “chill homie” vibe that is so ubiquitous within the Melee community and which make the scene so welcoming in specific regions.
Redd is one of the few remnant powerhouses from the Maryland/Virginia region that once dominated the Super Smash Bros Melee competitive scene. A Fox main, he has accelerated the ranks in recent years to make it onto the MIOM (Melee It On Me) top 100. Austin is one of a new wave of smashers who have discovered financial support for their passion of mental athleticism and precision. I reached out to Redd recently to speak to him about what it means to sponsored.
Redd was enthusiastic about the opportunity to represent Kyoto eSports. “They’ve been good to
“I started off on GameFAQs learning how to improve at Break the Targets” Redd says, “I found Smashboards through it and attended my first tournament in September 2005.”
To get good at Melee one has to devote hundreds of hours to one’s character. This has certainly been the case with Redd, who managed to climb to #59 in the world in the 2016 rankings.
“Fox was always my best character. For years I didn't want to admit it and would blame Fox for my losses (Fox wasn't considered the broken powerhouse he is today back then). When I first saw an old video of Fox waveshining I knew he was the character for me.”
Redd is one of three smashers who Kyoto picked up in 2017, alongside Bizzarro Flame and ALP. As of the time of this article, both are advancing in their EVO pools.
“Being sponsored is nuts in 2017. All I've wanted is the chance to attend events and know sooner than last minute so I can prep.”
The vast majority of those attending Melee tournaments will be in the red (no pun intended) until they reach they highest most echelons of skill. This is where eSports teams have been so beneficial.
“Kyoto made EVO possible for me so huge thanks to them. When I signed with Kyoto I was super excited to start going in on practice again because I knew I wouldn't be watching from home.”
This is Redd’s third EVO entry. He is projected to make 33rd, but says he’s ready to make the upset that will push him to at least 32nd.