Mew2King can't attend XFS 2026 in Austin after organizers cite a self-reported health concern

One of the best-known Super Smash Bros. Melee players won’t be at a Texas tournament this weekend. Here’s what the organizers said, how Mew2King responded and what happens next.

What XFS said. Xtreme Fighters Showdown posted a message from its CEO, M333, on Oct. 16, 2026, at 3:42 p.m. ET. It said that, for the safety of XFS 2026, the organizers had politely informed Mew2King that the player wouldn’t be able to participate in or attend the event that weekend, “due to a self-reported health concern.” The message also pointed to the health and wellbeing of attendees.

The decision followed Mew2King’s posts on X about insect bites, including photos of a leg and of swollen fingers, and the posts raised concerns about bed bugs among other players. No diagnosis has been made public.

What Mew2King said. In a written statement shared on Oct. 17, Mew2King said a roommate had confirmed many times that there were no bed bugs in the home and blamed fleas from the household’s cats, which have been treated for them. Mew2King said the leg photo was three months old, regretted posting it, and said the swelling in the fingers went back to normal within hours.

Mew2King also said all bags and clothes were washed and inspected before the trip to Texas, then washed again and checked by two other people after arriving, and that nothing was found. The statement added that Mew2King won’t attend the tournament or any in-person events any time soon.

It’s Xtreme Fighters Showdown’s first offline event, held on Oct. 16 and 17, 2026, at the Texas Union in Austin. XFS runs Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate brackets there, with a $375 pot bonus for each Melee bracket, singles and doubles, and a $500 pot bonus for Ultimate singles, with a $10 entry fee for each of those brackets. The organizer also runs monthly online tournaments in Tekken 8, Street Fighter 6, SoulCalibur VI and Dead or Alive 6.

A break. At 2:35 a.m. ET on Oct. 17, Mew2King posted that replies on X were turned off because of mean messages from many people, and that the streams would stop for a while, possibly for weeks. Mew2King also thanked the people who care.

For the next Smash game, see our new Smash Bros. on Switch 2 page. For other esports this weekend, see our Worlds 2026 schedule and Valorant Champions 2026 grand final time pages.

This page is updated as soon as XFS or Mew2King shares more about the decision or a return to streaming and tournaments.