Evo 2024 has come and gone, with another year of spectacular fighting game competition in the books. Across its eight main games and many, many side tournaments and exhibitions, there was really no shortag??e of high-level fightin' and scrappin' to watch.

With all the streams and excitement, though, it might be easy to overlook some of the news announced over the course of the event. Who wasn't distracted by Hayao's 3rd Strike run, after all? So we've gathered all the fighting game news from the week??end in one convenient post, to peruse in the wake of another excellent Evo. Here's every piece of fighting game news announced at Evo 202??4.

Hunter x Hunter: Nen Impact adds Meruem, shows opening movie

The upcoming Hunter x Hunter fighting game Nen Impact didn't just get one new character, but what looks like its entire base roster is confirmed. The Chimera Ant leader Meruem got the most spotlight, but there are a few more familiar faces sprinkled throughout the opening movie. Though a few notable HxH characters are missing, it looks l??ike a solid roster to start.

Rivals 2 adds Orcane, and is making the post-launch roster free

While platform-fighters walk a thin line between fighting games and being their own thing, Rivals of Aether has been an excellent Smash alternative to follow. Alongside confirming Orcane is making the jump to Rivals 2 when it launches in 2024, Aether Studios also confirmed all future Rivals 2 characters w??ill head to the game free-of-charge. Pretty rad! Speaking of plat??form-fighters...

Samurai Jack is coming to MultiVersus

Season 2 is on the way for MultiVersus, with Samu??rai Jack in the lead and Beetlejuice due later on. Warner Bros.' multiversal multiplayer game has certainly had a rough go of things, but maybe a guaranteed crowd-pleaser like Jack can help t??ilt the narrative back in its favor. Samurai Jack arrives with Season 2 on July 23.

Here's what skins will look like in 2XKO

Riot's League of Legends fighting game 2XKO didn't share too much major news, as the team just recently revealed Braum and has its alpha coming up soon. For Evo 2024, though, the developers did show a brief look at the possibilities for skins in 2XKO using Ahri's Dynasty fit. If LoL is any indication, I definitely expect this game to have some cosmetic op??tions when it fully launches n?ext year.

The King of Fighters XV adds Vice and Mature

SNK had quite a bit of news to announce this weekend, starting with Vice and Mature joining the KOF XV roster in December 2024. It's the addition of two known charact?ers, but it's nice to know Team Yagami fans can get the team back together.

Fatal Fury: COTW adds Kevin Rian to the line-up

The upcoming City of the Wolves also announced Kevin Rian for the lineup. Still not too much to talk about here, but the next Fatal Fury is looking quite solid. I got to play some of it back at Summer Game Fest this year, and dug how it's been coming along. Alongside the new trailer, we also got a quiet confirmation that SNK is working on a new Art of Fighting and a Samurai Shodown action RPG.

SNK vs. Capcom: SVC Chaos gets a re-release

Here's the big surprise of the weekend from SNK: SVC Chaos is re-released for PlayStation 4, Switch, and PC via Steam and GOG. It's a bit more niche and not quite as beloved as Capcom vs. SNK, but it certainly throws some fuel on the fire for those wanting a re-release of CvS, or even a new title.

Under Night In-Birth 2 Sys:Celes adds Uzuki this month

Back on the anime fighter side, Under Night In-Birth 2 is continuing its character rollout with Uzuki, who's going to be widely available not ?long after the co?nclusion of Evo 2024.

Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising confirms a second year of content

For Granblue players, Cygames confirmed an entire second year of content is coming to Rising, with Versusia already locked in and more characters on the way. Plus, there are a host of feature updates and even story content planned. It was really rad to see the Granblue sce?ne thriving in ??the early Sunday morning finals slot.

Guilty Gear Strive reveals four more fighters, including Lucy from Cyberpunk Edgerunners

While the surprise was dampened a bit by an early leak, it's still crazy that Guilty Gear is adding a guest character, and from Cyberpunk Edgerunners. That said, Lucy feels like a perfect pick, and I cannot wait to see what she plays like sometime next year. Meanwhile, a new character is also planned for Strive, alongside series favorites Dizzy and Venom.

Somehow, Heihachi returns to Tekken

Remember how Heihachi got thrown into a volcano? Well, it's the year of the dead fighting game villains returning; first Bison came back to Street Fighter, and now Heihachi is returning as the third character in Tekken 8's DLC roll-out. Expect him sometime after Lidia, who goes live this coming week. Some story DLC is also on the way too, which is a pretty notable addition for Tekken lore fans.

Evo is adding a few new events

Since its acquisition by Sony and RTS, Evo has been steadily expanding. It looks like that isn't stopping, as Evo is planning four events next year: the Evo Awards in February, Evo Japan in May, the main Evo show next August, and Evo France in October. Organizer Rick "The Hadou" Thiher also teased a Singapore event for 2026. I love seeing the European scene, and France?? in particular, ?get the Evo spotlight like this.

Here's a new look at Terry Bogard in Street Fighter 6

After the confirmation at SGF 2024, we knew SNK's Terry was joining the Street Fighter 6 lineup this autumn. While Terry's trailer at Evo 2024 didn't necessarily contain any new infor??mation, we did get to see h??im in motion, and I think he looks pretty solid. No doubt he'll be popular when he joins the roster this fall.

That's everything for Evo 2024. A slightly more subdued year?, without any major game reveals and a few known quantities, but certainly no shortage of new fighters entering their respective arenas??. Plus, a surprise retro re-release that might put some hope in older fighting game fans' hearts for more.

News or not, there were some fantastic finals, from an energetic 3rd Strike bracket to incredible matches across Granblue, Tekken, and more. Here's to one good year in the books, a??nd another year of fighting games ahead.

The post Everything announced at Evo 2024 appeared first on Destructoid.

Evo is ?the biggest fighting game event in the world, but it's something that might've flown under your radar if you don't care for them. Still, even if you’re a stranger to the genre, you’re likely to have already watched “Official EVO moment #37" somewhere. That's the name of a clip from an early iteration of the tournament in which Daigo Umehara has an unbelievable comeback after seeing his HP reduced to a point that it becomes invisible. Yesterday, on the second day of Evo 2024, we witnessed what many fighting game experts are already heralding as Official Evo moment #38.

In short, long time pro and legend Hayao likely made the best use of Hugo in the history of Street Fighter to seal the win against FrankieBGF's Ken.

But ther??e's way more to it than just that. We cannot resort to Evo's knowledge, as the tournament's own Twitter account was flabbergasted when it made the tweet, so let's try ??to break it down with the help of history.

What made Evo #37 moment special was something that immediately became known as the Daigo Parry. If you're to rewatch the original clip, you'll see that Daigo has no HP left, and he's up against Chun-Li's special. Dodging isn't a possibility, and neither is blocking, as even blocking will let damage in. So, Daigo resorts to parrying, which means he had to perfectly time moving forward for every single one of the 17 moves that comprised Chun-Li's special. At that ti?me, n?ot even most pros - certainly not Wong, the man up against Daigo - knew that could be done.

What happened yesterday ??wasn't a dethroning moment for #37, but at least a worthy new addition to the legendary moments of the tournament. Hayao managed to use Hugo, arguably a much weaker character than Ken, to pull off another legend-worthy comeback. This time, instead o??f pulling off a perfect parry, Hayao successfully uses what most thought was a completely useless move to dodge Ken's ultimate and get the win.

And that’s just the cherry on top of the cake, as Hayao also made the rounds for his absolutely hilari?ous pop-offs:

And masterful pre-match routines:

Let me remind you that this man is in his 40s. I say that not to shame you for being unable to pull off the splits - at least statistically - but because Hayao has been a tremendous player and a fantastic showman to watch for so long. Hayao ended up in fourth place in the Street Fighter Third Strike tournament, with MOV claiming the final victory, bu??t It's just really cool to see Hayao finally getting ??his deserved time in the spotlight.

The post Epic Street Fighter Third Strike comeback might be Offic?ial Evo Moment #38 appeared first on Destructoid.

This weekend is gonna ??be full of fighting game a?ction. Evo, or the Evolution Championship Series, is one of the biggest fighting game events of the year, and Evo 2024 is running all weekend to determine who's top of their field across many major brawlers.

Held in Las Vegas, Nevada, Evo's open-bracket structure means anyone can fly in and sign up to compete. This, combined with its prestige, has led to Evo becoming one of—if not frankly the—trophy to win for modern fighting game competitors. And it's also been home to some historic moments for the fighting game community (FGC), from the Daigo parry to premature celebrations alike.

So what's happening at Evo 2024 this year? Well, alongside plenty of panels and side games, there will be three days of competition across the eight main stage games. Here's everything you need to know ?ab??out the event.

What are the main stage games at Evo 2024?

Evo 2024 will play home to many, many fighting games. Competitors flying in are just as likely to compete in a few side tournaments and community ??events as they are the main event. But as for the main stage, Evo is fe??aturing eight games in its lineup:

• Street Fighter 6
• Tekken 8
• Guilty Gear Strive
• Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising
• Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike
• Under Night In-Birth 2 Sys:Celes
• Mortal Kombat 1
• The King of Fighters XV

These games will host tournaments that whittle their player pools down to increasingly smaller sizes in a double-elimination bracket, culminating in a Top 6 showdown. The above list is also sorted by entrant numbers; The King of Fighters XV brought in 375 entrants, while Street Fighter 6 hosts its sophomore Evo tournament with 5,265 en??tran??ts. That's quite a lot of fireballs.

Entrant numbers are ??important, because they ultimately determine who takes the main stage and when.

What's the schedule for Evo 2024?

Evo 2024 runs from Friday, July 19 through Sunday, July 21. Tournaments will run throughout all three days, slowly working through every game's bracket on various streams. Saturday will feature the bottom four games' finals, alongside continued bracket play. Sunday is always reserved for the Top 6 matches for the top games; co?lloquially, Grand Finals Sunday.

Seven Twitch channels, ranging from the main channel to 2 through 7, will air the various games and their brackets. If you're a s??ports fan, it's a bit like March Madness or the World Cup. Viewers can opt to tune into streams specific for their favorite games, with commentators and ev??erything.

If you want to keep up with the Top 6 match-up??s and ultimate winners of every bracket, then I recommend sticking to the main Evo channel. However, if you want to always be ?watching some games, Friday would be a good day to hop around the other Evo channels. That's because the Evo 2024 Showcase will dominate the main channel on Day 1, and it looks like a pretty packed schedule.

What's in the Evo 2024 Showcase?

Every year, Evo has added more developer news and panels to its production schedul????e, and this year looks to really maximize the stage time. From 10 a.m. through the end of the day, the Evo Showcase will be putting on decidedly different programming from the bracket play on the other channels.

Here's a rundown of the Evo 2024 Showcase schedule, via the Evo site (times in US PT):

• 10 a.m. â€?HUNTERxHUNTER NENxIMPACT Panel
• 11 a.m. â€?HUNTERxHUNTER NENxIMPACT Exhibition Tournament
• 1 p.m. â€?Live Rivals React with Justin Wong and Yipes
• 1:30 p.m. â€?Capcom Panel
• 2:30 p.m. â€?GBVSR Panel from Cygames
• 3 p.m. â€?Sajam Slam: Beat a Pro
• 4 p.m. â€?TEKKEN 8 X Chipotle â€?SPECIAL EVO PANEL
• 4:30 p.m. â€?Cannon Awards
• 4:45 p.m. â€?FGC Feud with JMCrofts
• 5:30 p.m. â€?The Art of Guilty Gear -Strive- Panel
• 6:15 p.m. â€?Rivals 2 Panel
• 6:30 p.m. â€?Seth Killian Interview with SonicFox
• 7 p.m. â€?FATAL FURY: CotW & KOF XV - SNK Developer Panel
• 8 p.m. â€?FATAL FURY: CotW Exhibition Tournament

As you can see, it's a mixture of developer panels, content creator segments, interviews, and even an awards show. Upcoming games like Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves and Hunter x Hunter Nen x Impact will get some stage time, and there will also be some neat conversations, like Seth Kilian interviewing legendary competitor SonicFox.

While you might miss the fighting game action on Friday for this, it's a good way to catch some news. I would expect the major reveals—namely, any new games or fighters—to be saved for Grand Finals Sunday, between the Top 6 events. If you want the granular details though, the Showcase ??will probably have you covered.

What other streams are airing during Evo 2024?

As always, the action isn't limited to just the main stage at Evo 2024, or ev??en just the mai?n Evo channels. Several community-driven organizations and broadcasters will be airing their own streams throughout the weekend, whether that's a community tournament on-site or a rowdy suite set-up.

A major facet of this will be the Community Showcase, which spotlights various fighting games that didn't make the cut for the main stage 8, but still often feature st?ell?ar competition between devoted players. Here's the Community Showcase schedule, alongside the Twitch channels they'll be airing on (all times in US PT):

Friday, July 19

Airing on ten/O:

• 10 a.m. - Guilty Gear +R Pools
• 2 p.m. - Guilty Gear +R Top 6
• 4 p.m. - Capcom vs. SNK 2 Top 4
• 6 p.m. - Marvel vs. Capcom 2 Top 8

Airing on FunkyP:

• 10 a.m. - Melty Blood: Type Lumina Pools
• 2 p.m. - Melty Blood: Type Lumina Top 16
• 4 p.m. - Ultra Street Fighter IV Pools
• 6 p.m. - Ultra Street Fighter IV Top 6

Saturday, July 20

Airing on teamsp00ky:

• 10 a.m. - Melty Blood: Type Lumina Top 6
• 12 p.m. - BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle Top 6
• 2 p.m. - Killer Instinct Top 16
• 4 p.m. - Killer Instinct Top 6

Airing on ten/O:

• 10 a.m. - Guilty Gear Xrd Pools
• 2 p.m. - Guilty Gear Xrd Top 24
• 4 p.m. - Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Pools
• 6 p.m. - Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Top 24
• 8 p.m. - Samurai Shodown Top 24

Airing on FunkyP:

• 10 a.m. - Soulcalibur VI Pools
• 2 p.m. - Soulcalibur VI Top 24
• 4 p.m. - Dragon Ball FighterZ Pools
• 6 p.m. - Blazblue Central Fiction Top 24
• 8 p.m. - Vampire Savior Top 6

Airing on Reversal:

• 6 p.m. - Dragon Ball FighterZ Top 24
• 8 p.m. - Dragon Ball FighterZ Top 6

Sunday, July 21

Airing on teamsp00ky:

• 10 a.m. - Guilty Gear Xrd Top 6
• 12 p.m. - Blazblue Central Fiction Top 6
• 2 p.m. - Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Top 6

Airing on ten/O:

• 10 a.m. - Street Fighter V Pools
• 2 p.m. - Street Fighter V Top 6

Airing on FunkyP:

• 10 a.m. - Street Fighter 2 Super Turbo Pools
• 2 p.m. - Street Fighter 2 Super Turbo Top 6

Airing on MajinObama:

• 10 a.m. - Soulcalibur VI Top 6
• 12 p.m. - Samurai Shodown Top 6
• 2 p.m. - DNF Duel Top 6

Airing on bgcallisto:

• 10 a.m. - Skullgirls Pools
• 2 p.m. - Skullgirls Top 6

These are typically smaller tournaments than the main stage games, but the FGC has plenty of people who show up and play the games they enjoy, regardless of mainstream popularity. I highly recommend checking these out - if you recommendations, you really can't go wrong with some Melty Blood, Soulcalibur, or Skullgirls.

What are the storylines going into Evo 2024?

As for what to watch for, each game in the main stage lineup has its own legacy going into this weekend. Some are the new kids on the block, or maybe even the latest entry in a long-running series, while others feature scenes that have developed and changed over time, even playing host to their own rivalries and drama. The people make the competition interesting, and there's no shortage of ?interesting competitors.

For The King of Fighters XV, many eyes will be on Xiao Hai, a dominant competitor who took Evo Japan 2023 without dropping a set. Look for the Latin American scene to ??show up in force here to try and block a Xiao? Hai run.

Mortal Kombat 1 has been, to use a tired euphemism, a mixed bag. There are plenty of strong competitors, with SonicFox as the presumptive favorite, but the game itself hasn't seen the kind of enthusiastic reception you'd expect for Mortal Kombat or NetherRealm. This entry's Evo debut will definitely set the tone for MK1 moving forward.

Tekken 8 will also be setting a tone with its Evo 2024 debut, though it's entering the weekend in a more favorable position; Tekken 7 has, in my opinion, been one of the better fighting games to watch over the last few years. The competition has been fierce, the vibrant international scene has only raised the bar, and the players put their all into taking home the trophy?.

Both Tekken 8 and Street Fighter 6 look strong going into their respective tournaments, which feels reflected by their position at the top of the entrant numbers. Guilty Gear Strive is also still going strong at third, though the real pleasant surprise has been Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising, setting a franchise record for entrants at this year's tournaments. I'd love to see the Granblue fans really win some more folks over with a stellar Top 6 to open Sunday, and Under Night In-Birth II Sys:Celes should also be a fun time the night before.

Saturday night is going to end strong with the Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike Top 6, though. As this year's throwback game, garnering 1,101 entrants alone is already a testament to the long-lasting legacy of 3rd Strike. Older players will likely clash ??against new talent, and we could easily see a bracke??t full of titans.

All in all, it should be a packed weekend if you enjoy watching two players beat the health bar out of each other. Expect reveals, stunning matches, and more than a few pop-offs. Evo 2024 gets underway on July 19, at 10 a.m. PT.

The post Your complete guide to Evo 2024 – Schedule, games, and what to watch appeared first on Destructoid.