Sony buys Evo, the largest fighting game tournament in the world.

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StyleTime
https://www.polygon.com/22338772/sony-buys-evo-evo-online-2021-rts-endeavor-deal-tony-tom-cannon

This will be interesting.

Ridley_Prime
They said EVO would still be open to games of all platforms, so this changes little if anything. Guess I'm just glad someone picked them back up though after last year's disaster.

cdtm
Say goodbye to smaller fan organized tournaments.

Adam Grimes
Sony is clearly retarded.

StyleTime
Originally posted by Ridley_Prime
They said EVO would still be open to games of all platforms, so this changes little if anything. Guess I'm just glad someone picked them back up though after last year's disaster.
Oh, most definitely. I'm mostly happy about this. EVO was already considered the most corporate of the fighting game tournaments anyway. I think it will look mostly the same for the upcoming event.

That said, I do empathize a little at least with some communities' hesitation. Nintendo gave a bit of vague response to this move, and Smash Ultimate is notably absent from the current lineup. Obviously, we're still a ways off from the actual event, but it's weird. Microsoft hasn't said anything at all regarding Killer Instinct, and it's gone too.

I wonder if, down the line, Sony might try to make a new Playstation All Stars and use Evo for it. Or maybe even expand Evo beyond just fighters.

Ridley_Prime
Originally posted by StyleTime
Oh, most definitely. I'm mostly happy about this. EVO was already considered the most corporate of the fighting game tournaments anyway. I think it will look mostly the same for the upcoming event.

That said, I do empathize a little at least with some communities' hesitation. Nintendo gave a bit of vague response to this move, and Smash Ultimate is notably absent from the current lineup. Obviously, we're still a ways off from the actual event, but it's weird. Microsoft hasn't said anything at all regarding Killer Instinct, and it's gone too.

I wonder if, down the line, Sony might try to make a new Playstation All Stars and use Evo for it. Or maybe even expand Evo beyond just fighters.
With how old Killer Instinct reboot is now and how niche the series has always been (speaking as a fan), is easy to see why it got out prioritized. It wouldve had a shot again last year with the lack of other games at EVO at the time, but alas, the cancellation... For Smash Ultimate, simply because the online isnt up to par, but whenever offline tournaments return, can see it and even Melee having a presence there again with the viewership that they normally get.

StyleTime
True, but Killer Instinct was on the lineup last year due to it having great netcode before the scandal blew everything up. Just seems weird they'd go online again and not pick it up. It might be a playerbase issue, but I understand if folks raise an eyebrow.

Tekken and Street Fighter don't have the greatest netcode either. They're there because they put up numbers. Which makes Smash's absence still odd.

It's still early though, so the list will likely expand. I'm curious if they'd give Thems Fighting Herds and Skullgirls another go, due to the online thing. Or if DBFZ will show up due to numbers. I don't really care about the game at all, but the community is huge.

cdtm
Originally posted by StyleTime
Oh, most definitely. I'm mostly happy about this. EVO was already considered the most corporate of the fighting game tournaments anyway. I think it will look mostly the same for the upcoming event.

That said, I do empathize a little at least with some communities' hesitation. Nintendo gave a bit of vague response to this move, and Smash Ultimate is notably absent from the current lineup. Obviously, we're still a ways off from the actual event, but it's weird. Microsoft hasn't said anything at all regarding Killer Instinct, and it's gone too.

I wonder if, down the line, Sony might try to make a new Playstation All Stars and use Evo for it. Or maybe even expand Evo beyond just fighters.

We'll end up with those stupid Steam knockoffs.

cdtm
Originally posted by StyleTime
True, but Killer Instinct was on the lineup last year due to it having great netcode before the scandal blew everything up. Just seems weird they'd go online again and not pick it up. It might be a playerbase issue, but I understand if folks raise an eyebrow.

Tekken and Street Fighter don't have the greatest netcode either. They're there because they put up numbers. Which makes Smash's absence still odd.

It's still early though, so the list will likely expand. I'm curious if they'd give Thems Fighting Herds and Skullgirls another go, due to the online thing. Or if DBFZ will show up due to numbers. I don't really care about the game at all, but the community is huge.

Games fun.


Totally not worth what they're charging for it, but as fun as Marvel vs Capcom ever was.

StyleTime
Oh, I don't think it's bad or anything. I just never got into the team based fighting games for some reason, apart from dabbling in Capcom vs SNK and King of Fighters.

And on top of that, I have nearly zero interest in Dragon Ball, so there's not much to draw me in.

Nothing against the game though.

StyleTime
So, the online qualifiers are starting soon. It is good to see other games aren't getting pushed out, and I figured the line-up would expand despite the COVID problems. Granblue VS, Soul Calibur VI, Gundam, Skullgirls, Blazblue Cross Tag, Thems Fightin' Herds(Good netcode goes a long way), Under Night In Birth, and DBFZ made it into the side tournaments. Sony has rebranded them as the "Evo Community Series." Surprised to see Gundam there, as that was always more a Japan thing though. Hopefully, Dead or Alive can stop shooting itself in the foot like at Evo Japan 2019 and be let back in eventually.

Tekken 7, Mortal Kombat 11, Street Fighter V, and Guilty Gear Strive are still the official main stage titles though, with Tekken 7 and MK11 holding additional side tournaments online too. I'm okay with that.

Although, Smash Ultimate's absence confirms everyone fears a bit. The Nintendo/Sony thing might be keeping Smash out.

Jmanghan
Why Guilty Gear Strive over SoulCalibur VI for the main stage? Odd choice, but oh well.

I'm just glad to see it's included at all, SC is probably my favorite fighting game series and the one I'm the best at.

StyleTime
I'm definitely looking forward to Soul Calibur VI as well. Funny story behind it this year too.

Yuttoto, the Japanese player, beats Bluegod, the American player, to win Evo in America. Then Bluegod beats Yuttotto to win Evo Japan.

Now we're back in USA for a tie breaker of sorts. Well, assuming they make it to Grand Finals again. Plenty of other good players.

Jmanghan
Where is Melee and Ultimate at?

cdtm
Sony won't let on Nintendo games. Ain't happening.

cdtm
Just buy Fighter Z and move on. That is the new Smash.

Ridley_Prime
Yeah. I don't know what to make of it, but probably right on the Sony/Nintendo thing.

Ah well. Ultimate did quickly fill up for ESL and stuff though now that offline tournaments are back, and not like Melee was there at every year pre-Sony either. EVO's big, but not the end-all-be-all. Killer Instinct was definitely robbed of making the comeback it could've gotten though which it deserved.

But yeah, with the Sony thing, recency bias will definitely play a factor methinks (if the current lineup's any indication), making it harder if not impossible for any older games to make an EVO appearance again.

Jmanghan
Originally posted by Ridley_Prime
Yeah. I don't know what to make of it, but probably right on the Sony/Nintendo thing.

Ah well. Ultimate did quickly fill up for ESL and stuff though now that offline tournaments are back, and not like Melee was there at every year pre-Sony either. EVO's big, but not the end-all-be-all. Killer Instinct was definitely robbed of making the comeback it could've gotten though which it deserved.

But yeah, with the Sony thing, recency bias will definitely play a factor methinks (if the current lineup's any indication), making it harder if not impossible for any older games to make an EVO appearance again.

RIP EVO, lol.

Smash is their biggest game/games.

cdtm
Is it?

Thought Street was the biggest thing going, followed by Marvel vs Capcom and MK. And now Dragon Ball FighterZ seems crazy popular.

Jmanghan
Originally posted by cdtm
Is it?

Thought Street was the biggest thing going, followed by Marvel vs Capcom and MK. And now Dragon Ball FighterZ seems crazy popular. https://esportsobserver.com/evo2019-twitch-viewership/

It also had the most amount of entrants at 3,534 people.

StyleTime
Originally posted by cdtm
Is it?

Thought Street was the biggest thing going, followed by Marvel vs Capcom and MK. And now Dragon Ball FighterZ seems crazy popular.
Nah, Smash was ridiculously huge. And I'm happy, as it bothered the old guard of obnoxious Street Fighter elitists. They had the mentality that other fighters doing well somehow subtracted from their game. I am really glad that era is over. SF is still big, but it's no longer the only game in town. Which is a good thing for the community.

Tekken also became utterly massive, being a rare example of a game that grows in numbers each year. It's viewership ratings were second only to Smash. That said, you don't have to be number 1 to be doing well. Under Night, Granblue VS, and Samurai Showdown put up some crazy numbers too.

Either way, Evo will be fine without Smash. Smash will be fine without Evo. I am more just disappointed, since it was supposed to be a celebration of fighting games. I hate that a series is getting pushed out just when we entered an era where the fighting game community became more open to other games. There's less shitting on each other's games now, and the younger crowd doesn't hold the same biases as older folks. Many games are doing well, and that's good for everyone.

There's other tournaments, and many games have their own pro-tours now. I just like having one big ultra tourney that everyone could watch. Following all these separate circuits is tiresome, especially if you like multiple games.

Nemesis X
Smash was about the most entertaining thing at Evo so...that sucks. And no Marvel 2? Boo!

Least there's still Cross Tag, Them's Fightin' Herds, and Skullgirls to check out I guess. The latter I'm surprised seeing considering Sony's boondoggling censorship crusade.

StyleTime
Skullgirls got added to the Evo Main Stage, which is cool. It will be like Tekken, holding a main stage tourney and a community tourney for PC and PS4 respectively.

https://twitter.com/Skullgirls/status/1412855129783648256?s=20

https://i.postimg.cc/GpPDyjHp/E5t4-Ho0-WQAMAzw-S.jpg

It's probably due to the hype around Annie being released. I used her a bit and had fun.

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