(Credit: Evo)
The "esports" label encompasses various genres, from military shooters to soccer played with race cars. But for decades, the fighting game genre has been the gold standard for competitive gaming. It's pure, concentrated competition. You simply need two players to see who pushes the best buttons in a stylish and strategic fashion.
If you want to watch top-level fighting game players perform at their finest, look no further than the Evolution Championship Series, or Evo. If you're not headed to Las Vegas to watch the action in person, you can stream the show from home. Here's how to do it.
What Is Evo?
Evo is the fighting game genre's Olympics, the annual event where famous faces and hungry newcomers gather to prove who’s truly top dog in select titles. It's also a community event where you can pursue creative works in an artist alley, check out a fight stick museum, and play new and retro games.
The pandemic forced Evo to shift to a solely online tournament for a while. In 2024, the in-person tournament once again takes place in Las Vegas. For more Evo details, including its acquisition by Sony, check out our Pop-Off interview with Rick Thiher, Evo’s General Manager, and Stuart Saw, CEO of Evo's co-owner, RTS, below.
What Games Will Be at Evo 2024?
Evo typically features a blend of the most popular fighting games in the community and the big releases that publishers want to promote. For example, this year’s event highlights the new Mortal Kombat 1 and Tekken 8, plus the retro Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike.
The rest of the lineup includes Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising, Guilty Gear Strive, The King of Fighters XV, Street Fighter 6, and Under Night In-Birth II: Sys:Celes. In addition, developer Capcom will have playable demos of its highly anticipated Marvel vs. Capcom: Fighting Collection available at the show. Unfortunately, recent shake-ups have removed the incredibly popular Super Smash Bros. Ultimate from the lineup.
How Can You Watch Evo 2024?
Evo 2024 kicks off July 19 and ends July 21. If you want to watch the show in person, there's still time to register, head to Vegas, and get bodied. However, your best option is to stream from home. Like other esports events, Evo recognizes that a huge portion of its gamer audience is savvy enough to understand video game live streaming. Get the show playing on your monitor or TV like any other broadcast sporting event.
Evo is streaming both on its Twitch channel and its YouTube channel. Consult Evo's full schedule so you’ll know when to tune in for your favorite fights and see who takes home the big cash prize. The schedule includes handy streaming links for Evo's various stages, where you can watch all the preliminary rounds, before the tournies head to the main stage for finals.
Here Comes a New Challenger!
Evo frequently provides the most exciting, hype-inducing, and inspirational moments in all of gaming. It will make you want to buy a fight stick and start practicing combos in the lab. Whether you binge a whole tournament or just catch a quick clip, this year's tourney will be another can't-miss event.