The year’s premier fighting game tournament, Evolution Championship Series, more commonly known as just EVO, has officially been moved online. The event, originally scheduled to begin at the end of July, was canceled earlier this month due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
EVO 2020 has now taken on the name EVO Online, and will instead run over the course of five weekends throughout July. Most of the previously announced games will be included in the competitive lineup, though the popular Nintendo Switch title Super Smash Bros. Ultimate will be left out. Smash is considered to be an EVO staple, having first been included in the event’s lineup in 2007, and now having been included every year since 2013.
Smash Ultimate’s online modes pose many logistics issues for a tournament of this scale, which likely led to the title’s exclusion. EVO has not yet commented on why the game has gone missing from the event. The other games announced in the original lineup will be included, along with four other titles, which will be played in open tournaments.
EVO Online’s competitive lineup includes:
- Dragon Ball FighterZ Tekken 7 Soulcalibur VI Street Fighter V: Champion Edition Granblue Fantasy: Versus Samurai Shodown Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[cl-r]
EVO Online will host open tournaments for:
- Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath Them’s Fightin Herds Killer Instinct Skullgirls: 2nd Encore
EVO Online will begin on July 4th, and will run every weekend until August 2nd.
