Evolution Championship Series 2023 (Evo) in Las Vegas, United States has been the most successful edition to date by multiple metrics, according to the organisers.
A release details that more than 9,000 players participated in the event, representing 71 countries. This is 81% more than in 2022. The State of Nevada also proclaimed August 6th as Evo Day in the state. Viewership figures for the event were not disclosed.
Evo is the largest fighting game tournament in the world. The 2023 edition was the 21st time that the tournament took place, with the event garnering its largest number of applicants in the history of the tournament. The tournament saw high-profile competitions in Street Fighter, TEKKEN, Marvel vs Capcom, Mortal Kombat and other FGC franchises during the first weekend in August.
This year saw several high-profile sponsors support the event, with the likes of Sony’s INZONE, Red Bull, Crunchyroll and AT&T brought on as partners.
Chipotle was the presenting sponsor of the event. New fighting games such as Project L, Mortal Kombat 1, and Tekken 8 were also showcased during the event. Many games announced new characters, skins and other exclusives.
According to the organisers of the tournament, Evo 2023 has set several all-time franchise registration records, with most players ever registering in Street Fighter 6, Guilty Gear Strive, Melty Blood: Type Lumina, and Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3. In addition, the Street Fighter 6 tournament saw a total of 7,081 players participating. Evo organisers noted that this might even be a Guinness World Record, but confirmation is pending.
Evo also served as a stage for the organisers to share details about its upcoming events. Evo Japan will take place between April 27th and 29th, 2024, and the Las Vegas event will return on July 26th to 28th.
Interestingly, Clark County Commissioner Tick Segerblom presented the Evo organisers with a key to the Las Vegas strip ahead of the Street Fighter 6 tournament. Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo also proclaimed August 6, 2023, as Evo Day in the state of Nevada.
Rick Thiher, GM for Evo, commented: “This year, we witnessed a turning point in Evo as it cemented itself as a lifestyle gathering and rally point for fighting game culture. We saw generations of players and fans celebrating their love of the fighting game genre, and that’s what Evo is here to develop.”
