
After grinding away and developing his skills in the Nintendo-themed fighting title, ZeRo began competing in a tournament setting at the age of 11-years-old. Kotaku recently detailed the severity and extent of his troubles growing up, noting such experiences as classmates attacking him when teachers weren't looking and an eventual drop out of the school system that lasted three years.ĭespite the hardships, his passion for gaming on the Nintendo GameCube remained strong, and he was particularly fond of Super Smash Bros. The initial commitment to play Smash Bros.Īt a young age, Barrios dealt with a lot of bullying and family financial troubles. Like many others, it has humble beginnings. His 56-tournament win streak for the game is a feat that has been recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records, and he has won nearly every tournament, major or otherwise, in the years of 20.

This in a scene that does not have a "pro tour" directly supported by the creator company, like other fighting game scenes. 4 - which is nearly double that of the second highest earning player.

We certainly would not have seen anyone replicate the run that he has been able to create over the last few years.Īs of right now, Barrios is the only player that has earned over $100,000 by playing Super Smash Bros. ZeRo is not single-handedly responsible for the evolution of Smash 4's competitive scene, however, the magnitude of his impact is undeniable.

The event's winner, Gonzalo "TSM|ZeRo" Barrios, has stated before that had he not won that day, he would have quit Smash as a whole.

Though the tournament didn't necessarily follow the format that most Smash players are used to, it may have been the most important competition in the history of Super Smash Bros.
