PlayStation announced today that they’ve acquired EVO Championship Series, the world premiere destination for competitive fighting games. Following a series of controversies and firings in the past few years, PlayStation and eSports company RTS stepped in and acquired EVO. Fighting games from other companies such as Nintendo’s Super Smash Bros series are still welcomed at the tournament. Prominent members such as MarkMan ensure that this acquisition allows fighting games to prosper in the competitive space. In addition, EVO returns this August as EVO 2021 Online. Tony and Tom Cannon shared a new message below regarding the acquisition by PlayStation:
*Update* Nintendo shared a statement to IGN on the future of EVO. According to the spokesperson, Nintendo will continue to assess EVO and other opportunities for future Super Smash Bros tournaments:
“Nintendo has enjoyed engaging with fans at past Evo tournaments and wish the show organizers the best with their new venture. We will continue to assess Evo, and other opportunities, as we plan for future online and offline Super Smash Bros. tournament activity.”
The official lineup so far for EVO 2021 consists of Street Fighter V, Mortal Kombat 11: Ultimate, Tekken 7 and Guilty Gear Strive:
With the support of world-class publishers, Evo is returning this year as Evo Online, a fully online competition taking place August 6 – 8 and 13 -15. Entry will be free, and players in North America, Europe, Asia and Latin America* will be able to compete in BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment’s Tekken 7, Capcom’s Street Fighter V: Champion Edition, Warner Bros. Games’ Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate**, and Arc System Works’ Guilty Gear™ -Strive- in an open format. The online qualifiers will be livestreamed for fans, and more details will be shared in the coming weeks on evo.gg.
Our collective team is laser-focused on one mission: preserving the authenticity of Evo for the fighting game community and finding creative ways, alongside our fans, to grow the tournament and make its events and broadcasts more fun, engaging and accessible than ever. At its core, Evo will remain what it has always been: an open-format competition that gives fighting game fans from different countries a chance to connect, test their skills, and forge new friendships.
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