Japan’s largest speedrunning event, RTA, is set to kick off later this week on 9th August, and will see some of the speediest gamers in the biz ploughing through the likes of Cuphead, Nier: Automata and Skyrim, all in aid of Doctors Without Borders. We learnt a few months ago that Nintendo games would not be included in the lineup, and now the RTA group has explained why (thanks for the heads up, Eurogamer).
In a new post shared on the RTA website (and translated by Automaton), the event organisers explain that they were contacted by Nintendo back in June, informing them that “as a legal entity, they would have to ask for permission in advance” if they wanted to feature any Nintendo game in the event. What’s more, the Big N apparently stated that all previous instances of Nintendo games being streamed from the event are now considered “unauthorised use”.
RTA has long featured Nintendo games in its lineup — Super Mario 64 is a staple, natch — but the Big N’s interest this year seems to stem from the event’s relatively recent (2020) transition into an official legal entity. The event remains non-profit, with all proceeds going to charity.
To be clear, this isn’t necessarily the end of Nintendo’s RTA appearances completely — the organisers state that they are working with Nintendo to get game permission for future events — but the proximity to the Summer 2025 event meant that the team couldn’t possibly get all permissions through and approved in time.
It’s disappointing to hear that RTA speedrunners won’t get to take a pop at Mario & co. this year, though it’s hardly surprising. Let’s not forget that Nintendo has historically been very cagey about which events can and cannot feature its titles. It cancelled the Smash World Tour back in 2022, and we regularly hear reports of streamers and other events that have been similarly hit by the ninjas.
Let’s hope the permission-giving goes smoothly for RTA next year.
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