Evo 2023 Is Comic Con for Fighting Games

pcmag.com:

LAS VEGAS—The Evolution Championship Series, the world's highest-profile fighting game tournament, is underway, once again showcasing thousands of the best Guilty Gear Strive, King of Fighters XV, Mortal Kombat 11, Street Fighter 6, and Tekken 7 players. Although the event focuses on the tense, high-stakes, double-elimination tournament, this year's Evo expands the attendee's entertainment offerings with many new diversions that may appeal to people who aren't tourney competitors.

Fighting games thrived as quarter-devouring arcade staples until the entertainment establishments fell to the wayside with home consoles' rise. As a result, in-person competition is baked into the fighting game community, with that energy carrying over into small, midsize, and major local tournaments that see people compete in offline bouts. 

Evo 2023 continues that arcade tradition by housing a 10,000-square-foot arcade with dozens of titles, including NBA Jam, Rival Schools, and Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike. The playable titles aren't exclusively versus games, either; single-player games, such as Asteroids, Ms. Pac-Man, and Popeye are available for solo action, too. Even better, the massive arcade is a free-to-play affair, so attendees needn't shell out additional money after trekking to Las Vegas. There's also a free-to-play, bring-your-own console area for playing even more titles, and entering smaller, community-run tournaments. It's a much-welcome break from the headlined action.

This year's Evo has much more to offer besides the free-to-play arcade. For example, the Friday Showcase(Opens in a new window)—a nearly all-day event—lets attendees view competitor interviews, developer talks, and what may be the show's highlight for a very