Questions & answers.
The quick answers to what players ask most. Still stuck? Write to us.
Installing
Windows says “Windows protected your PC”.
SSBU Arena is a new app and Windows SmartScreen asks before its first start. Choose More info, then Run anyway. It never needs to run as administrator.
Double-clicking the launcher does nothing.
Right-click SSBU-Arena.exe, open Properties, tick Unblock and press OK, then open it again.
Where should I put the launcher?
In a new, empty folder with about 25 GB free: SSBU Arena installs itself next to SSBU-Arena.exe.
Which version of the game do I need?
Your own copy of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate with update 13.0.2, 13.0.4 or 13.0.5, and the keys and firmware from your own console. The setup looks for them in the folders of the usual emulators.
Why does the first setup take so long?
It builds the game for your PC from your copy, once: about 20 minutes. Updates afterwards take a few minutes, and many take seconds.
Does it run on Mac, Linux or Steam Deck?
Not for now: the launcher is for Windows 10 and 11, 64-bit, with a graphics card that has a Vulkan 1.3 driver. Linux and macOS are planned.
Which controllers work?
Xbox, PlayStation and Switch Pro controllers, and the GameCube adapter in Wii U / PC mode. The launcher’s Controllers page shows your inputs live and sets the dead zone. With the GameCube adapter, keep the sticks still while you plug a controller in: that is when their centre is measured.
Does SSBU Arena include the game?
No. SSBU Arena contains no game code, assets, keys or firmware, and does not help to obtain them. Everything is built on your PC from the copy you own.
Account & online play
Do I need an account?
Only for online play. Offline matches work without one. Create it on this site, then press Sign in in the launcher: it opens this site in your browser.
Which input delay should I choose?
Start with 2 frames, in the launcher under Settings > Online. If you see many corrections, add a frame; if the connection is very good, try 1. The Online play page has a guide by ping.
Can other players see my IP address?
No. Every match goes through the Arena server: players never connect to each other directly.
I forgot my password.
Use Forgot password on the sign-in page: we email you a link that works once and expires after an hour.
How do I delete my account?
Sign in on this site and open your account page: Delete account removes your account, player name, tag and rating for good.
The game says “update SSBU Arena” when I go online.
Your launcher is older than the server accepts. Close the game and start the launcher again: it updates itself, then online play works.
Online matches stutter or slow down.
Try an input delay one frame higher (Settings > Online). Show ping on screen tells you whether the connection is the cause. On a 144 or 165 Hz screen the picture can look uneven at 60 fps: writing refresh_switch = on in graphics.ini sets the screen to a multiple of 60 Hz while the game runs.
Can I pause a match?
No. Pause is off in every SSBU Arena match, offline and online, as in competitive play.
Can I play with someone on another game update?
Yes. Updates 13.0.2, 13.0.4 and 13.0.5 play together online, rollback included. Everyone in a room needs SSBU Arena 0.2.46 or later: the launcher updates itself when it starts.
How do I play Squad Strike online?
In the Arena menu choose Battle Arena and create a room; whoever joins plays the same mode. Both players pick 3 fighters on Smash’s own Squad Strike screen, then set their order. Each fighter has 1 stock, and the room stays open for the next match.
Replays, updates & crash reports
Where are my replays?
On your PC. The launcher’s Replays page lists them, and its Open folder button shows the files. Nothing is uploaded unless you press Make public on one: it is then public for 30 days to anyone with its link (at most 10 at a time; your opponent is shown as “Opponent”).
Can I open a replay without the launcher?
Yes: the Replay viewer on this site opens a .ssbv file from your replays folder and plays it back as a diagram, with hitboxes, damage and stocks. The file is read inside your browser and never leaves your PC.
Open the Replay viewerWhy doesn’t the game give me new rewards after matches?
It already does, since 0.2.47: the launcher completes your save once, so every challenge is cleared and shown and all music, Mii outfits and movies of the base game are given. Nothing new pops up between matches. A backup of your save is made first, and your name, controls, stats and replays stay as they are. To turn it off: Settings > Saves > Unlocks.
How do I update?
You don’t have to: every time it starts, the launcher checks for a new release and updates itself and the game. Your saves and settings stay.
What is in a crash report?
When the game crashes on a signed-in PC, the launcher sends the crash details and the end of the game’s log, with your account and versions, after removing your Windows user name, PC name, folders and addresses. Turn it off in Settings > Online.