The Evolution Championship Series (Evo) represents the largest and longest-running fighting game tournaments on Earth. In 2024, the Las Vegas event featured 10,244 competitors becoming the largest tournament in esports history. Evo brings together the best of the best from around the world in an electric showcase of skill and fun, as players and fans gather to honor the competitive spirit in an open bracket format that reveals the world’s strongest fighting game players. Evo was established in 2002 after a series of local arcade tournaments run by Tom and Tony Cannon were first held in 1996.

The invite-only event will honor the icons of the fighting game community and the future trailblazers and will reveal the winners across 22 categories voted by the fans, Hall of Fame inductees, and publisher reveals. 

Evo Awards Run of Show (times are subject to change)

5:00 p.m. PT -  The Evo Awards Pre-Show hosts Tasty Steve and Hollywood RobTV kick-off the evening that will stream live on Evo’s Twitch Channel and Evo's YouTube Channel. Additional special guests include Maximilian Dood, Faye Mata and Evo Award Nominees.

5:15 p.m. PT - Pre-Show continues with Arcade Carpet Interviews and the Marvel vs Capcom 2 “Tournament of Champions” featuring FGC Legends Justin Wong, Michael “IFC Yipes” Mendoza, Sanford Kelly, and Duc Do and commentated by Mike Ross and GoldenBoyNeo.  

6:45 p.m. PT - Pre-Show wraps up with major announcements about Evo 2025 including ticketing, hotels, special guests and more game reveals.

7:00 p.m. PT - The Evo Awards presented by Qiddiya Gaming hands out the first of 22 Awards that include Player of the Year, Match of the Year and Moment of the Year.

The Evo Awards will also see three FGC Legends - Tokido, John Choi and Alex Valle, inducted into the Evo Hall of fame.

During the show fans can expect a multitude of world premiere announcements from several of our partners, including a major announcement from Cygames for Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising. There will also be updates from Arc System Works with a world premiere announcement for their upcoming title  HUNTER×HUNTER NEN×IMPACT. There will also be a world premiere announcement for UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes.

Additionally, we’ll have World Premiere announcements from SNK for Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves at the Evo Awards, with attendees able to access a demo of the game on-site. Fans tuning in can expect an exciting exhibition match featuring several fighting game champions and personalities. The Open Beta Test will be starting from Feb. 20th and running until the 24th, giving everyone a chance to get in on the action. Fatal Fury: CotW is available for preorder on PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC (Steam and the Epic Games Store).

Fighting game fans can look forward to Capcom promoting the upcoming Capcom Fighting Collection 2 at the event, giving fans a sneak preview of the arcade classics, including: Project Justice, Power Stone 2, Capcom vs. SNK 2 and more.  

Chipotle, who returns as presenting partner for the third year in a row for the flagship event in Las Vegas on Aug. 1-3, will also present the “Best Meme” and “Best Custom Hardware” Awards, while Zenni will present the “Best Dressed Award”. The show will also be supported by PlayStation Tournaments who will present the “They’ve Got Next” award, and NACON will present “Comeback of the Year”. To crown the unforgettable evening, the Evo Awards’ powering partner Qiddiya Gaming will honor both the Player of the Year and Moment of the Year Awards.

Additional partners for the Evo Awards include Red Bull and SEGA’s Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.

“With the Evo Awards, we are thrilled to be presenting an event acknowledging the achievements of the game community now and in the years ahead,” said Rick Thiher, General Manager of Evo. “These Awards are an opportunity for us to celebrate and inspire the passionate players, fans, publishers, and developers that make fighting games so exciting.”

The list of Evo Award Categories and Nominees are below. 

Evo Awards Categories:

• Best Pop Off
• • Nominees: Hayao NoahtheProdigy, Nitro, AK, Punk
• FGC Content of the Year
• • Nominees: TEKKEN 8 Tutorials, Marvel vs Capcom 2 Streams, Sajam TEKKEN Slam, Will It Kill?, Trash Talk Podcast
• FGC Meme of the Year presented by Chipotle
• • Nominees: The Wazzler, Hand Heart & Thumbs Up, Hayao Does The Splits, Let’s Go Gambling, Attacks IRL
• Comeback of the Year presented by NACON
• • Nominees: Hayao, Arslan Ash, G_Conceptz, SonicFox, Yagami
• Match of the Year Award
• • Nominees: Punk vs Big Bird, Hayao vs FrankieBFG, Xiao Hai vs Kusanagi, Nitro vs Tatuma, Arslan Ash vs ATIF
• Best On-Air Duo
• • Nominees: IFCYipeS + Sajam, RIP + Tasty Steve, Sajam + Tasty Steve, Justin Wong + IFCYipeS, Vicious + Justin Wong
• Best Commentary
• • Nominees: That is a Worthless Button!, This Could Be Game…And It Is, Arslan’s Gonna Do It! He’s So Close! He’s So Close, Steve!, That Could Be an Evo-Losing Anti Air, Break His Guard!
• Best Custom Hardware presented by Chipotle
• • Nominees: C.O.M.B.O. Extension Buttons, Snack Box Micro, MPress Nano, Custom Claiomh Solais Arcade Stick, Haute Pad T-Series
• Best FGC Cosplay
• • Nominees: Chonibu, MSValentine, Chiba Josui, Onesaya, Kryrayne
• Best Dressed presented by Zenni
• • Nominees: Tasty Steve, Logan Sama, Vicious, Hollywood RobTV, IFCYipeS
• Best Button of the Year
• • Nominees: Dragunov Ignition Switch (QCF+4), Luke Crouching Medium Punch, Dash Light Attack, Johnny Cage Forward 3, Ken Crouching Medium Kick
• Tech of the Year
• • Nominees: Pro KO Leverless, SWORL Arcade Controller, Hit Box Ultra, Sapphire Leverless Controller, LVL Controller
• Marketing Campaign of the Year
• • Nominees: Evo + SFG + TEKKEN 8, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves X Cristiano Ronaldo, 2XKO, Street Fighter 6 Season 2, ECT Commercial
• Fighting Game Release of the Year
• • Nominees: TEKKEN 8, Street Fighter 6 Season 2 DLC, Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Series, Under Night In-Birth II Sys:Celes, Rivals of Aether II
• They’ve Got Next presented by PlayStation Tournaments
• • Nominees: EnzoTheHokage, Booce, NoahtheProdigy, KingReyJr, Blaz
• Best FGC Local 
• • Nominees: Tatakai Tuesday, NLBC, Abou Dojo, FGC Meetups, Ozimeme
• Invitational of the Year
• • Nominees: Red Bull Kumite, Sajam TEKKEN Slam, Crazy Raccoon Cup, Red Bull Golden Letters, Topanga Championship 5
• Best Online Series
• • Nominees: CasaBunch, TNS Online, Saltmine League, The Kolosseum, Can Opener
• Content Creator of the Year
• • Nominees: Sajam, Justin Wong, Brian_F, Broski, Diaphone
• Commentator of the Year
• • Nominees: IFCYipeS, Tasty Steve, Sajam, Rynge, Vicious
• Player of the Year presented by Qiddiya Gaming
• • Nominees: Punk, Arslan Ash, MenaRD, Xiao Hai, Nitro
• Moment of the Year presented by Qiddiya Gaming
• • Nominees: Punk Wins Street Fighter 6 at Evo, Hayao “Moment 38”, Xiao Hai Wins Esports World Cup, Lilypichu vs Harada at Evo Showcase, MenaRD Wins His First Evo

Evo returns to Japan on May 9-11 at Tokyo Big Sight and will also feature two five-on-five tournaments with STREET FIGHTER III 3rd STRIKE -Fight for the Future- and Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. Its flagship and biggest event, seeking to become the largest tournament in esports history once again, returns to the Las Vegas Convention Center on August 1-3 with Chipotle as presenting partner. Registration to compete is open at evo.gg in the eight featured Arena tournaments with spectator tickets on sale on Feb. 15. Evo will make its European debut at the Palais des Expos in Nice, France, on October 10-12 and also announced it will expand to Singapore in 2026.