EVO 2023 kicks off on August 4, 2023. Here are 10 things that fighting game fanatics should keep an eye out for during the world’s biggest fighting game tournament.
The Evolution Championship Series is the biggest fighting game tournament in the world, drawing players and fans from all across the globe to a single location in a celebration of community and competition.
Out of all tournaments during the competitive season, it’s EVO that fans watch out for the most. The world’s best talent from a variety of fighting game titles make their way to Las Vegas to duke it out in the hopes of scoring an EVO championship, leading to historic and iconic moments that have cemented themselves in esports history.
Of course, it’s not just the competition that fans come to see. EVO is famous for making jaw-dropping reveals during the Sunday finals; be it character trailers, new game announcements, and anything in-between.
As such, we’ve gathered a list of the top things fans should be on the lookout for at EVO 2023, from top pros making big moves to possible character reveals and more.
Note: The contents of this article are speculative and might not match the actual announcements.
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10 moments and announcements to watch out for at EVO 2023
1. Street Fighter 6’s first CPT event kicks off at EVO
This is the first time Street Fighter 6 will be at EVO, and the hype surrounding the game is nothing short of massive. A total of 7,061 players have registered for SF6, which is an all-time EVO record – not to mention, it’s also the game with the most registrations out of the entire tournament.
That’s not all; EVO also marks the very first event in the 2023 Capcom Pro Tour. It’s safe to say that this tournament will set the tone of the competition moving forward – and with Rashid now on the loose, everyone’s eyes are peeled to see which characters come out on top and which player will take home that trophy.
2. Tekken 7’s last hoorah
EVO 2023 marks the very last time that Tekken 7 will grace the famous tournament’s main stage. The beloved game, which has been out for over eight years, has witnessed a monumental run and a slew of unforgettable competitive storylines in the interim – such as Arslan Ash’s tear-jerking EVO victory in 2019, to name just one.
As such, it comes without question that Tekken pros will be hoping to cement their status in the game’s last EVO hoorah this year, so fans should be on the lookout for some prime competition over the weekend to see who will come out as the final Tekken 7 EVO champ.
3. Tekken 8 playable at EVO and possible character reveal
With Tekken 7 making its final stand, Tekken 8 is poised on the horizon. The highly-anticipated title might get more character reveals at EVO 2023 on top of the explosive character trailers we’ve already gotten so far.
That’s not all; Tekken 8 will also be available to play at this year’s EVO, and there’s no doubt that some eye-popping (or potentially hilarious) moments could happen at those demo stations on the convention floor.
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4. Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising Open beta tournament
EVO 2023 will have a small Open Beta Tournament for Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising, based on its schedule. This is the first time we will get a competitive look into the game, even though it will be on a very small scale.
Granblue fans should be excited as the franchise steps into a new era following the highly-acclaimed launch of Granblue Fantasy Versus in 2020.
5. Mortal Kombat 1 new character reveal
Mortal Kombat 1 is set to release in just a few months’ time. Therefore, it’s entirely possible that developers end up revealing a new character at EVO who might be available on release – which was all but confirmed by Ed Boone in a tweet in July.
6. Dragon Ball Z Budokai Tenkaichi 4 gameplay
Dragon Ball Z Bundokai Tenkaichi is set to receive a brand new game, as was announced earlier in the year. EVO 2023 might be the perfect opportunity to showcase gameplay from this fan-favorite franchise or provide a release date for the game, especially given that Dragon Ball FighterZ is a featured game this year.
7. Guilty Gear Strive Season 3 Character Reveal
Guilty Gear Strive Season 2 ended with the release of Asuka. However, it’s now time to move on to Season 3. It’s highly likely that fans will get the first character for Season 3 announced at this year’s EVO during Sunday Finals, along with some potential Quality of Life features.
8. Project L Character Reveal
Riot Games has confirmed that during EVO 2023, Project L is set to receive a brand new character alongside its current roster of Darius, Ahri, and Ekko. Apart from that, we might also get a release date for Project L, or at least an estimate on when can we expect the game.
Attendees will also get a chance to play a demo of Project L during EVO 2023 in Las Vegas for the very first time.
9. Arslan Ash making history
Arslan Ash has already cemented himself as one of the greats in Tekken 7, having historically taken home the EVO championship in 2019. He even won EVO Japan 2023 earlier this year, thereby equaling the record of another legend, Be ‘Knee’ Jae-Min.
However, if he wins EVO 2023, he will surpass Knee’s record, thereby becoming the undisputed king of Tekken as the fighting game’s next installment comes around the corner.
10. Sonicfox competing in Street Fighter 6
SonicFox is arguably one of the greatest fighting game players of all time, known for their undisputed prowess across a multitude of different titles. There’s not a game that SonicFox won’t get their paws on! However, they are primarily known for their proficiency in Mortal Kombat above all else.
However, it seems that SonicFox has decided to focus fully on Street Fighter 6 at EVO this year, and has pulled out from competing in other games at the tournament. It will certainly be a treat to witness SonicFox’s Street Fighter EVO run – especially if they end up making it to Top 6 on Sunday.
Those are just ten things fighting game fans should look out for at EVO 2023. For more gaming content, be sure to check out our other guides right her at Dexerto.
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 | Assassin’s Creed Mirage | The Elder Scrolls 6 | GTA 6 | | Wolverine | KOTR Remake | Wonder Woman | DokeV | Dragon Age 4 | Avatar Frontiers of Pandora | Metal Gear Solid 3 Remake | Counter-Strike 2 | Mortal Kombat 1 | AEW: Fight Forever | Starfield | EA Sports FC | Alan Wake 2
