Super Smash Bros Melee legend Jason ‘Mew2King’ Zimmerman has been banned from an event after sparked concerns about potentially spreading bed bugs.

The former Melee ‘God’ was set to attend Xtreme Fighters Showdown in Austin, which runs from October 16 to 17 and features competitions for both Melee and Smash Ultimate.

However, as he prepared to compete, the Smash veteran revealed an ongoing problem with insects in his home, prompting worries from fans about the possibility of bringing the pests to the event.

Mew2King addresses bed bug concerns ahead of Smash tournament

On October 15, Zimmerman posted on X asking for advice about his swollen hands, suggesting either his extensive Melee practice or insects biting him at home could be responsible.

“My hands are slightly swolen (could be from all the ssbm fox or from the bugs in the house that bite me each day), like pink/red and puffy/fatter than usual, is there a way to fix this asap? Im boarding my flight to TX now,” he wrote.

In subsequent replies, Mew2King shared photos of the bites and revealed that the problem had been going on for months.

According to M2K, bites happen “every week” and they’re 50% of the reason why he plans to move from Ohio to California.

“But i had like a hundred of these on my body 2 months ago. Like my entire body. This isn’t even nearly the worst picture, not even close,” he explained.

“Its all bug bites from the house. Lived like that for all year. Or recent months.”

When questioned about the insects, Mew2King explained that their identity remained uncertain.

“My roommate is convinced it’s fleas but I had some ppl tell me it was bed bugs,” he said, adding that he had dealt with a similar problem while competing in Mexico earlier this year.

He claimed he received strong medication from a doctor that helped him compete more effectively during the final two days of that event.

X/Mew2King

The posts sparked concerns among members of the Melee community, with some worried that the insects could potentially be carried to the tournament through clothing or luggage.

“If he suspects bed bugs he really should stay home and figure that out, even getting on an airplane is potentially screwing over many people,” one Reddit user commented.

According to the CDC, bed bugs can spread through personal belongings and are not necessarily associated with poor hygiene. However, Mew2King has not confirmed that the insects in his home are bed bugs, and there is no evidence that he brought any to the tournament.

Amid the concerns, Xtreme Fighters Showdown announced that Mew2King was no longer allowed to attend.

“The health and wellbeing of our attendees is our priority.”

Discord

The situation comes amid continued discussions about conditions at competitive gaming events. In September, a Pokemon VGC champion urged players to improve their hygiene after claiming another competitor’s smell made him vomit.

Similarly, a Smash Ultimate pro famously scrambled to find deodorant after an opponent complained about his smell during a tournament in 2023.