Evo 2026, the largest annual fighting game tournament, is set to take place in Las Vegas from June 26th to June 28th, featuring an expanded lineup of 12 games, including Riot Games' new entry, 2XKO. This marks the first Evo event in the United States since the tournament's acquisition by Saudi Arabian ownership late last year, and it appears to be significantly impacted by this change, as well as broader economic and logistical factors.
Attendance Numbers Plummet
This year's Evo has seen a sharp decrease in registration numbers. With 5,774 competitors, attendance has dropped over 30 percent compared to last year's 8,541. The most popular game, Street Fighter 6, which traditionally closes the event, has seen its competitor count nearly halved from 4,228 last year. Several factors are contributing to this decline. The United States' current travel climate may be less welcoming to international participants. Furthermore, Evo's expansion of tournaments to include events in France and Singapore offers international players more accessible options closer to home, negating the need for challenging U.S. visa applications. Rising travel and lodging costs have also made participation prohibitively expensive for many, even within the U.S. Additionally, an expressed animosity towards Evo's Saudi Arabian ownership has led some high-profile fighting game commentators to withdraw from the event. The fighting game community, which includes a significant queer presence, has also voiced concerns about the change in ownership.
Despite these challenges, notable figures are still slated to compete. Japanese Street Fighter legend Daigo Umehara will participate in Street Fighter 6, and Pakistani Tekken champion Arslan Ash is set to attend. SonicFox, a prominent figure known for their advocacy, will compete in 2XKO duos, having previously done so under the trans flag earlier this year.
Expanded Game Lineup
The tournament's game roster has grown from the usual eight or nine titles to twelve. While this expansion is generally positive, it has led to the elimination of tournaments for smaller games that were previously featured during off-hours. Notably absent from this year's lineup is Mortal Kombat, likely due to dwindling entrant numbers. In contrast, Guilty Gear Strive, now in its fifth year, remains one of the top six games by registration. The lineup also includes newcomers like Invincible VS, and an exhibition tournament for the unreleased Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls.
2XKO and Rivals of Aether II Shine
2XKO, Riot Games' foray into the fighting game genre, makes its Evo debut. Despite a rocky launch that saw layoffs within its development team, Riot Games has committed to its competitive schedule. The game's unique duo mechanic, allowing two players to control separate characters, promises engaging matches. 2XKO has secured the third-highest number of entrants, trailing only Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8, and its Top 8 matches are expected to boost its visibility.
Rivals of Aether II, a 2024 platform fighter, is another surprising addition to the top six games receiving main stage coverage. While the franchise has appeared at Evo before in its extended lineup, its significant growth—surpassing 1,000 registrants this year compared to 358 last year—has sparked debate within the fighting game community. The game's publisher, Offbrand Games, is partially owned by streamer Ludwig Ahgren, who admitted to purchasing numerous Evo passes to bolster Rivals of Aether II's participation. This move has divided the FGC, with some seeing it as a strong commitment to the game's community and others concerned it may have unfairly displaced other titles from the main stage.
Despite the controversies and decreased attendance, Evo remains a significant event for the fighting game community, celebrated for its ability to bring players together globally for a shared passion for competition.