EVO is the pinnacle of fighting game tournaments, held annually in the USA. It’s not just the best fighting game players come there to compete, but anyone can join in and prove their mettle. As esports scene grows, which has influenced the grassroots-driven fighting game community to a certain degree, more money has gone into the pot.
But for EVO Japan, it was not as much due to laws in Japan (which has recently changed to allow esports to be more lucrative in the country). For all the seven games, only 1,000,000 yen (around RM36,500- a sum smaller than most grand tournaments in Malaysia) were awarded as prizes.
Yet, it still carries the legacy and prestige of the EVO brand. Being based in Japan meant more unknown killers and arcade legends that could not afford travelling the world to compete gets a global spotlight. The venue was crowded with signups for participants breaking new records. The Top 8 of Guilty Gear Xrd Rev2 was the stuff of legends. And pro players still attend and compete, because not of the money, but the honour to win EVO.
This brilliant video from Core-A Gaming covered the venue of EVO Japan and what was it like and the biggest takeaway here is the prestige of the name carries on to this long-awaited event.
The video ends with a strong statement of EVO 2016 and EVO Japan winner for Street Fighter V, Infiltration. ” I’d choose EVO over Capcom Cup despite its larger prize money, ” he said. ” A tournament like EVO feels like a dream, like the World Cup or Olympics. “