Former SSBU pro ZeRo unbanned from Twitch amid outrage

Former Super Smash Brothers Ultimate (SSBU) pro, Gonzalo ‘ZeRo‘ Raúl Barrios Castro, returns to Twitch after a five-year-long perma-ban. The ZeRo unban marks a significant moment for the SSBU community.

ZeRo’s unbanning has sparked divisive responses online, with some applauding his significant body transformation and others highlighting the allegations that initially led to his ban.

ZeRo returns to the streaming platform as Twitch updates its ban policies, introducing expiration dates for violations and a chance to appeal indefinite suspensions.

The SSBU pro player has been uploading to his YouTube channel, undergoing a significant body transformation, throughout his ban. Earlier this year, he shared that he’s taken on a new role helping others in their fitness journey.

On X he posted an image of himself with Olympia champions Jay Cutler and Ronnie Coleman. He expressed interest in sharing his body-building experience.

Before ZeRo was unbanned, he remained active in the SSBU esports scene, going as far as hosting his own tournament. He’s also shared plans to cover the new Smash game rumoured to come to the Nintendo Switch 2.

In a post online, ZeRo said: “I have real friends now, found the love of my life, found something I’m far more passionate in as my main activity and I am more happy today than I was rich in followers and money from gaming. It is what it is.”

ZeRo was banned from Twitch in 2020 following accusations against multiple SSBU pro players of sexual assault and misconduct. The SSBU pro player has denied the allegations made against him.

Allegations from Jacqueline ‘Jisu’ Choe, former roommate in the Sky House, detail how ZeRo showed her sexual material while she was underaged. She also accused ZeRo of abuse against his wife at the time, Vanessa.

He originally came clean about the allegations on July 4th, 2020. But the next year, on November 2021, he publicized that he was filing a defamation lawsuit against Jisu, alleging she was spreading ‘falsehoods’ and ‘outright defamatory claims.’ He also shared that the initial confession was made under duress.

The lawsuit was settled in September 2022, and ZeRo would follow with an appeal against his ban to Twitch. Three years later, ZeRo is unbanned from the streaming platform, though it is unclear if it’s a direct response to his appeal.

In a thread on X, ZeRo said: “I was accused of an intense amount of things, a lot blatantly false. I did not handle this situation the best, but really, who would?

“People can draw their conclusions. But to act like I am a current problem or a danger is extremely malicious and untrue.”

In respones, ZeRo has received some support on his new direction in life as well as concerned Smash players who didn’t want him to come back to the scene after his alleged inaproppriate behaviour.