One of the most talented and troubled members of the Smash Bros community has died amid a mental health struggle that divided the fighting game community. Aziz Al-Yami, better known as "Hax," drew legions of fans for his incredible plays on Captain Falcon and Fox McCloud. But in recent years, it was his bizarre behavior and eventual ban from the Smash Bros tournament scene that made the most headlines.
In August 2024, Hax attempted suicide by jumping in front of a moving train. The unsuccessful attempt resulted in the amputation of his right leg, which led to other health challenges. A feud with William Peter HJelte, better known as Leffen, escalated after Hax released two videos totaling four hours in length accusing Leffen of running a totalitarian regime in the Smash Bros community.
Citing harassment and defamation of character, a council of tournament organizers voted to indefinitely ban Hax from Smash Bros tournaments. This decision was a controversial one, as Leffen himself has often been accused of poor sportsmanship and toxic behavior. This Kotaku article officially branded him the villain of Smash Bros.
But Hax's death has taken the debate from mere fighting game drama to uncomfortable conversations about mental health. Social media is full of people blaming Smash Bros tourney organizers for his death. The Smash Bros scene did a lot to fuel Hax's frustration and anger, but the friendships he forged there helped him battle his numerous demons.
It's challenging to navigate mental health struggles when one isn't in the spotlight. With social media dissecting every action, it can often feel impossible.
Jason Zimmerman, best known as Mew2King, said he has spoken to Aziiz's mother about his cause of death.
i spoke to hax's mom, she thanked me for being a good friend towards aziz, he spoke of me often.
— Jason Zimmerman (@MVG_Mew2King) March 25, 2025
I asked cause of death... it was a "broken heart, he cried a lot towards the end, and most people didn't understand how much he loved being a gamer, it was his passion in life" :/
But amongst all the finger pointing and recriminations, there were many positive memories. Players are sharing how they learned more about difficult characters such as Captain Falcon from watching Hax. They're remembering videos of him in his room, surrounded by Nintendo merch. They're pulling up his YouTube videos and remembering his sick fighting game skills: