Held in Winter and Summer every year, RTA in Japan is the country’s premier speedrunning event, with streams racking up 6.9 million hours of watch time. The latest competition, “RTA in Japan Summer 2025,” is due to take place from August 9 to 15, and the organizers recently shared the final game roster for the event. Curiously, the list does not include any Nintendo titles (as spotted by Game*Spark).
Previous years have featured numerous Nintendo games, and they have arguably been the most popular part of RTA in Japan. For example, Super Mario 64, Pokémon Red and Blue, Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and Splatoon dominated the most-watched list during RTA in Japan Summer 2024.
Why then, have Nintendo games seemingly been left out this year? Some Japanese fans speculate that it might have to do with rules set by Nintendo. For example, Nintendo’s end-user license agreement asks users not to publicize bugs or exploit them for improper use. Their guideline on sharing images and videos online also forbids you from showcasing ways to circumvent a game’s technical restrictions. Since speedrunning very often relies on discovering and using exploits, some users think this could be why Nintendo games are no longer part of RTA in Japan’s roster.
This is all speculation though, as there has been no official confirmation of Nintendo taking issue with RTA in Japan. Another possibility is that the organizers are attempting to err on the side of safety, to prevent any potential complications from arising. Regardless of the cause, the exclusion of classic speedrunner favorites like Super Mario 64 comes as a big bummer for participants.
RTA in Japan Summer 2025 will take place from August 9 to 15, 2025.
