EVO 2022 to Include Nine Games but Smash Bros Opts Out of the Event

The Evolution Championship Series (EVO) is returning to Las Vegas, Nevada in August with a lineup of nine games. But Super Smash Bros Ultimate, which is one of the staples of the competition, will not be a part of the event this year. Nintendo announced that the game will have its standalone event later this year. The last full-fledged EVO that took place was in 2019. 2020’s event was canceled while 2021 had just one showcase event. The fighting game community will finally get to experience the event in a LAN setting.

Why did Super Smash Bros leave EVO?

While Nintendo did not explicitly state why it left EVO, it is likely due to the fact that the publisher partnered with Panda Global to form its own officially licensed circuit for North America. Super Smash games were a part of EVO since 2007, and the game showed up in EVO every year from 2014 to 2019.

Smash Bros is taking a completely new direction with its esports. This year’s competitive circuit will feature three different tournament tiers. Between Platinum, Gold, and Silver tournaments, players can earn points from community events all over the world. At the end of the year, the competitors with the most points will be flown out for the Smash World Tour Championships, with $250,000 USD on the line.

Players can earn points from both the largest Smash events in the world and their local weeklies to be eligible for the event. You can check out the full details of the event at: https://smashworldtour.com/

EVO 2022 Overview

The games that will be featured in the upcoming event include:

• Street Fighter V: Champion Edition – PS4 (Capcom)

• Guilty Gear -Strive- PS4 (Arc System Works)

• Mortal Kombat 11: Ultimate – PS4 (Warner Bros. Games)

• TEKKEN 7 – PS4 (BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment)

• THE KING OF FIGHTERS XV – PS4 (SNK)

• MELTY BLOOD: TYPE LUMINA – PS4 (Project LUMINA)

• DRAGON BALL FighterZ – PS4 (BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment)

• Granblue Fantasy: Versus – PS4 (Cygames and XSEED)

• Skullgirls 2nd Encore – PS4 (Autumn Games)

Skullgirls 2nd Encore, Granblue Fantasy: Versus, MELTY BLOOD: TYPE LUMINA and THE KING OF FIGHTERS XV are the new titles that have been added to this year’s lineup. The trio of Tekken, Street Fighter, and Mortal Kombat will be present in the event as well with fighting game events feeling incomplete without the big three.

Fans can check out more information about EVO 2022 at: https://www.evo.gg/

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