Gonzalo ‘ZeRo’ Barrios player and professional streamer for Super Smash Bros. has responded to allegations that it was inappropriate for underage girls and has banned himself at future events.
In its initial response to the allegations, ZeRo responded in detail to the various statements, including one by fellow professional player William Peter ‘Leffen’ Hjelte.
“I want to start by taking ownership and apologizing to Jisu, Katie and Leffen for my actions,” he said. “While the intention was not malicious on my part, I understand that the impact my actions had on others caused pain that I did not intend.”
ZeRo has “banned itself” from all future Smash events.
He admitted to sending “horrendous” messages to girls as young as 14 when he was 19, which he says was due to his “social discomfort” and lack of judgment at the time.
In another Twitlonger on July 4, Barrios said he was tired of “coming and going” and wanted to “get clear.”
He admits that he spoke to another underage girl, who had originally told him she was older. “Years later she contacted me and told me that she was actually a minor. I recently privately apologized to her and told her that I felt absolutely terrible. No graphic images or anything was exchanged and she is from another country.”
I have to come clean.
Read: https://t.co/jm488OkabL
– ZeRo (@zerowondering) July 4, 2020
“I really want to atone, and I just want this discussion to stop,” Barrios continued. “I’m not a good person, and no matter how terrible my life was, I did terrible things and that’s the end. I don’t deserve to be defended by people.”
He explained that he was “working” to lose his sponsorships “or whatever sort of thing like that” and that he would no longer be making videos for his 1.14 million subscriber YouTube channel.
ZeRo concluded his statement by telling fans not to forgive him, and that he wouldn’t forgive himself either.
However, after her publication of ‘come clean’, Jacqueline ‘Jisu’ Choe, who made some of the initial allegations, stated that “this is not all. I will soon publish my statement and everyone’s accounts.”
After 2 twitlongers, blatant lies and various attempts at damage control through advertising messages and victims only to make you realize that you are finally screwed, you finally confess
Except this is not all. I will soon publish my account statement and everyone’s accounts. https://t.co/JTA3bZlKnV
– Jisu @ Hiatus (@JisuArtist) July 4, 2020
She also said that just because ZeRo had confessed, it did not mean she was finished, and that she would receive more information from her and other women.
Jisu also said that she had received death threats after making her remarks, and another woman who made accusations against ZeRo, known only as Katie, decided to remain anonymous.
ZeRo has stated that it will not attend any Smash events in the future: “I don’t want to bother anyone and I don’t deserve to be there again after all this.”
I want to mention that I will also permanently ban myself from Smash Bros events in any capacity. I don’t want to bother anyone and I don’t deserve to be there again after all this.
– ZeRo (@zerowondering) July 4, 2020
However, Barrios rejected one point; that he was five years older than his girlfriend, and that he started dating her when she was 15 years old. ZeRo says there is only 2 years of difference in her age and that “we had no sexual interactions until after she was 18 years old.”
