 |
| (Image Source: Dexerto.com) |
In 1996, a fledging video game tournament sparked a cultural phenomenon that drew strong international following through inspiring exhibitions of skill and fun. Through the years, the tournament staged countless legendary battles that have been waged in the virtual arenas of timeless fighting video games, many on PlayStation consoles, and it is eventually known as the Evolution Championship Series (EVO). Starting 2021, the world's largest and longest-running fighting video game tournament embarks on a new chapter as the newest member of the Sony PlayStation family.
Sony Interactive Entertainment partnered with RTS, a new venture led by chief executive officer Stuart Saw, to acquire EVO through a joint partnership. Backed by investors including global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, RTS sports expertise spanning eSports event management, brand and developer consulting and gaming talent management. On the other hand, EVO co-founders Tom and Tony Cannon will be closely involved in an advisory role to ensure EVO continues to service the fighting game community and support its vibrant growth. This partnership marks a new collaboration, bringing together the resources and expertise that will allow us to elevate the global reach, scale and fan engagement surrounding this iconic gaming tournament.
Now under the growing and evolving PlayStation family tree, EVO is set to return to the eSports scene with EVO Online where players from different parts of the globe are slated to compete in a series of full online competitions on August 6-8 and 13-15 featuring Bandai Namco Entertainment's Tekken 7, Capcom's Street Fighter V Champion Edition, Warner Bros. Games' Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate (open exclusively to players in North American, Latin American and European countries), and Arc System Works' Guilty Gear -Strive-. Entry to these competitions is free and these events will be livestreamed online for fans with more details to be disclosed in the coming weeks via EVO.gg.
The staging of a full-pledged, full online tournament series in the coming months is in line with the new management's newfound mission to preserve 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. The return of EVO as the newest member of the PlayStation family may be considered a huge development for the global fighting game community clamoring for a safe and inclusive environment in these challenging times which happens to be PlayStation's highest priority in the foreseeable future.
