ZeRo

Challenging Beginnings and Family Influence

Gonzalo Barrios Castro was born in 1995 in Chillán, Chile. His early life was marked by significant adversity, including being bullied and placed in a special education program at school. Compounding these difficulties, his family faced financial issues, and ZeRo himself struggled with anxiety. These factors led him to drop out of school for a period of three years.

This time away from formal education was spent with video games, which became a central focus. He received a Nintendo GameCube and dedicated himself to playing Super Mario Sunshine and Super Smash Bros. Melee. His older sister was his primary gaming partner during these formative years, making her a key figure in his introduction to competitive play. In 2006, he began entering Melee tournaments at a local game store in Chile, taking his first steps into the competitive community.

Building a Career Across Continents

ZeRo quickly outgrew the local Chilean scene. In the years following his debut, he began a pattern of international travel, regularly competing at Smash Bros. tournaments and events in Argentina and the United States. This commitment to facing the best competition globally laid the groundwork for his professional career.

His dedication was rewarded between 2011 and 2012 when he earned sponsorship from the Los Angeles-based organization vVv Gaming. By 2014, his professional efforts were yielding substantial returns, with estimated annual earnings of approximately $40,000 from tournament prizes, sponsorships, and his growing Twitch stream. During this period, he was also recognized as a top player in older games, ranked as the 35th best Melee player in the world and later acknowledged as the third-best Brawl player globally on the 2014 SSBBRank.

The Launch of a Historic Winning Streak

The release of Super Smash Bros. for Wii U marked the beginning of ZeRo's era of total dominance. His journey with the new game started with a major statement at the E3 2014 invitational tournament, the first official competition for the title. ZeRo advanced through the winner's bracket and defeated top player Hungrybox to claim the victory, immediately establishing himself as a frontrunner.

Interestingly, ZeRo was initially critical of the character Diddy Kong in the new game, stating in November 2014 that the character's repetitive style was harming the game's appeal. He later retracted this criticism, declaring Diddy Kong his favorite character to play. This shift led him to adopt Diddy Kong as his main, a decision that would become synonymous with his success. The victory at E3 was the precursor to an unbelievable run of form.

An Unprecedented Reign at the Top

From November 2014 until October 2015, ZeRo was unbeatable in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U competition. He compiled a streak of 56 consecutive tournament wins, a record that remains. This period included victories at the most prestigious events in the scene. At EVO 2015, he defeated Mr. R to win what was then the largest Smash for Wii U tournament ever held.

His success attracted the attention of major esports organizations, and he was signed by Team SoloMid as the second player for their Smash division. The streak faced one of its toughest tests at The Big House 5, where he met rival Nairo in the grand finals. After losing the first set, ZeRo narrowly won the second set 3-2 to preserve his unbeaten run. The streak finally concluded at the MLG World Finals 2015, where Nairo defeated him in the winner's bracket finals, ending the run at 56 wins.

Setbacks, Retirement, and a Brief Comeback

Following the end of his streak, ZeRo faced a physical obstacle. In early 2016, a growth on his middle finger required surgical removal, forcing him to stop playing for several months. Despite this, his competitive results kept him ranked as the number one Smash for Wii U player in the world on every edition of the Panda Global Rankings until his initial retirement.

In January 2018, ZeRo announced he was retiring from professional competition to focus on streaming and content creation, aiming to close the chapter on the Wii U game. However, his retirement was short-lived. In November 2018, he simultaneously announced his signing with the Tempo Storm esports team and his return to competition for the newly released Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. A year later, he secured an exclusive streaming rights deal with Facebook.

Allegations, Fallout, and Personal Crisis

In July 2020, ZeRo's career collapsed following public allegations of sexual misconduct. It was revealed that in 2014, when he was 19, he had sent sexual messages to minors. Specific allegations included asking a 14-year-old girl to masturbate with ice and send pictures. ZeRo admitted to the allegations in a YouTube statement, apologized, and said he was seeking therapy. He announced his permanent retirement from competition and the termination of all his sponsorships.

The organizational response was swift. Tempo Storm severed ties with him the next day, Facebook followed on July 5, and Twitch banned him on July 23. The CEO of Tempo Storm, Andrey 'Reynad' Yanyuk, commented that ZeRo seemed a very different person from the 19-year-old who sent the messages and expressed optimism about his personal growth and ability to recover.

Aftermath, Legal Action, and Personal Life

The period following the allegations was turbulent. In March 2021, his ex-girlfriend revealed ZeRo had attempted suicide and was hospitalized. He recovered and stated in April 2021 that he had no intention of attempting suicide again. Later in 2021, his public stance on the allegations changed. In November, he uploaded a video retracting his previous admission and announced a return to content creation.

He also took legal action, filing a defamation lawsuit against his former roommate Jisu regarding four allegations she made in 2020. This lawsuit was settled in September 2022. On a personal note, ZeRo announced his engagement during a YouTube livestream in October 2024.