New Releases and Big Announcements From EVO 2022

July 5, 2023

The weekend of August 5th played host to the biggest FGC esports event of the year, EVO. After being on hiatus during the covid era, the event was back in full swing with massive crowds and live competition. For those who are new to the fighting game community (FGC) I would strongly recommend checking out the tournaments from EVO this weekend. The production value, passion, and entertainment are unmatched whether you are a veteran or newcomer to the scene.

EVO is more than just a tournament, for fans of fighting games it’s an event. The Las Vegas venue is a meeting point for fans, artists, and top players to come together and celebrate another year of fighting games. Of course, the tournament brackets are legendary and international competition comes from all around to lay claim to the prestigious title of EVO Champion.

If you missed the live event this year: don't worry! All the gameplay is available to watch on the official EVO youtube channel.

EVO:

As is tradition, every EVO tournament ends with big reveals for the featured games and this year was no different. Developers jump at the chance to ride the hype and get the word out for big updates and new titles. With names like Street Fighter 6 and Guilty Gear: Strive Season 2 floating around expectations were high for this summers reveals. It’s safe to say that fans got what they wanted and more. Below you’ll find a recap of all the news and releases that came from this EVO weekend.

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New Character for Street Fighter 6

As we inch closer and closer to the release of Street Fighter 6 it should come as no surprise that the reveals are beginning to roll out. Capcom showed trailers for both returning fan favorite Juri and SF6 newcomer Kimberley. Both characters have embraced SF6's new design philosophy and their flashy fighting styles showed a little more of what the game has to offer. As more news arrives it's clear that Street Fighter 6 is shaping up to make a game changing entry into the FGC.

EVO 2022 may be the last EVO to feature Street Fighter V as a main event, and the tournament did not disappoint. Great showings from legendary players around the world made for a wonderful send off.

Check out the new trailers here:

Watch the full Top 8 here:

Bridget returns to Guilty Gear: Strive

Arc System Works’ flagship franchise Guilty Gear: Strive was the featured game at this year's EVO and fans were all anxiously waiting to see the newest fighter to join the cast. It’s safe to say that they were not disappointed. Bridget has returned to the Guilty Gear series with a brand new redesign and gameplay. Bridget was available to play the following day for season pass owners.

The first proper EVO for Guilty Gear: Strive was a sight to behold. With tons of entrants from around the world, we all got to watch the best of the best compete for the biggest prize in the FGC. The level of play during the top 8 was a joy to watch and every match came down to the wire.

Check out the Bridget trailer here:

Watch the full Top 8 here:

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Bandai Teases Tekken 8

Tekken is one of the most historic and storied franchises in the FGC. The fans and players never fail to deliver, and the passion shown for the game is hard not to fall in love with every year at EVO. That being said, Tekken 7 is coming up on 6 years old and it's past time for a new iteration. Thankfully, that may not be as far off as some feared. At this year's Tekken final Bandai dropped an incredibly brief teaser for a potential Tekken 8. Despite its length, the hype in the Las Vegas convention center was at a fever pitch and the future of Tekken still looks bright.

For those who have never watched a Tekken tournament, I would strongly suggest giving it a shot. The players are all playing at the very highest level. Decades of experience with the franchise has led to complete mechanical mastery and matches are decided by the smallest margins. The rivalry between South Korea and Pakistan for dominance never fails to entertain.

Check out the teaser here:

Watch the full top 8 here:

Rollback Netcode for Dragon Ball FighterZ and Samurai Shodown

The topic of rollback netcode has been at the forefront of FGC discourse for a long time. For those who are unfamiliar, a game that implements rollback netcode is guaranteed to have better and more consistent online play. The trend of retrofitting classic games with rollback has been going on for quite some time. However, for newer games with poor online the hopes of better netcode seemed slim. That was until we got these announcements at EVO. Both Dragonball FighterZ and Samurai Shodown are being retrofitted with rollback.

This is great news for fans of these franchises. Poor online play is a big turn off for potential players and this new implementation will breathe some life into games that deserve a moment in the spotlight.

Check out the Dragonball FighterZ Top 8 here:

Fatal Fury Returns

This one is for fighting game veterans. After over 20 years, SNK have announced that Fatal Fury will make its return. Fatal Fury is a game that takes place in the same universe as SNK’s flagship franchise King of Fighters, but features a unique cast of characters. It’s an odd announcement but a welcome one for long time FGC fans and SNK veterans. There were no trailers so it's hard to pull anything concrete from the announcement. That being said, it's always a joy to see old fighting games getting the chance to shine once again.

Check out the King of Fighters Top 8 here: