The Smash Bros. competitive community is in uproar over the emergence of the Minecraft Steve hitstun cancel technique, which may result in the character being banned altogether. This technique is leaving some competitive players fearful that the already popular character will completely take over the scene.Steve's arrival in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate in October 2020 was a highly anticipated event for both Minecraft and Super Smash Bros. fans alike. His inclusion in the game marked a significant moment in video game history, as he became the first character to represent a Microsoft-owned property in a Nintendo game. While his original play style and strong abilities make him an extremely intriguing addition to the roster, his dominance on the competitive scene has sparked controversy. Steve remains a staple character among players and continues to be a major part of the Super Smash Bros. community.Steve was already a controversial character upon his arrival in the series due to his awkward moveset, amazing recovery options, and impressive movement. However, with the discovery of the PLMG technique, some players find Steve to be too powerful in Smash Bros., leading some fans to call for a ban on the character. The technique, known as the Phantom MLG, allows Steve to cancel the hitstun of any move that does not send him into a tumble, making him even more formidable than before. Tournament organizers in Florida, Kansas, and Missouri have been proactive and already banned the character. On the other hand, the Collision tournament series in New Jersey has only prohibited the PLMG technique. However, while there is debate about whether to ban the PMLG or the Steve character as a whole, there does not seem to be a consensus yet.
The method gives Steve an advantage when performing an aerial attack. After using a phantom block to absorb the enemy's attack, Steve can perform his next attack much quicker than his opponent. This allows him to punish aggressive characters and counter with a true combo of his own. Steve already has overpowered defenses in Smash Bros. and one of the best recoveries. Now with this additional tactic, he is almost unstoppable.
According to some players, preventing the use of the cancel technique would be equitable. However, it would be challenging for tournament organizers to determine whether someone is using it. Meanwhile, others believe that banning the entire character would be the right course of action, given his already dominant status.
Some very popular competitive players have made their voices heard, chiming in on the discussion. One such player, MKLeo, ponders the question, "What if we ban Steve?" As the conversation moves forward, more information about the effectiveness of this technique will become available. For right now, it is unknown whether the professional tournaments will ban the hitstun cancel or the entire character. Removing a character from the Smash competitive roster would be shocking, but not completely unheard of.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is available now for Nintendo Switch.
Source: DualShockers
