Play, Learn, Evolve: EVO 2011 Fighting Game Tournament

please share

Me: "Hey Legs how's it going? You enter any events?"

Broly: "yea, played Brawl and Melee."

Me: "If I see you in SF casuals, can I get a game?"

Broly: "Sure."

Me: "Cool, Thanks."


I retreat to the center of the lobby just outside the convention doors of the Rio Casino with Broly and about 300 others. Its 8:00am , the second day of the EVO 2011 Fighting Game Tournament. You might think 2,400 competitors , many more fans from 44 countries around the world playing fighting games at the hightest level isnt very special, but if you saw how Broly plays , and competes, you'd be amazed. Its stories like Broly's or the 8 year old that made it to the quater finals, or the underdog that wills his way to a championship that makes you quickly realize that there's something more here. And its just getting started.

Evolution fighting game tournament is a 2400 player competition spanning 6 games. It includes the best competitiors from Japan, France,Korea, Barzil,Canada, and the US. For 3 days, from July 29-31 these players go toe eliminiating each other one by one, till the best is crowned. The games are definitely the focus but this event is more thatn just high level play. Attendes dont come just to compete in the game they have put hundreds of hours in (in fact most dont), they come to participate in a multicultural, international, open community that exists for two reasons to challenge each other and have fun. Over the years this community has traveled and battled each year. We have generated more energy , focus , and ability. An esence of our culture that we call in the fighing game community "Hype." Hype is an intensity a faith that over comes a competitor and allows them to achieve great heights. Hype is when the butterflies leave your stomach and instead of an uneasy nervousness they move to your brain and give the gamer a heightend focus and confidence. Evey EVO the community has been building more Hype in the individual players as well as in the overall community.

Noel, "finger-banged all of EVO."

This community has lasted for years, but if you look at the people that make up this culture you will not find any pattern in the competitors except the passion for their game. The community started in the arcades accessible to all. From the very beginning it accepted any one who would put their quarter next in line. This hasnt changed, this scene still supports all challengers no mater what size, race, or financial status. No high barriers to entry like equipment (about 300 for a home console) and no referees to inject human error in to the outcomes. Just the skill and the will of the competitors , mono e mono. This community has no restrictions it also has no bounds. Any one that wants to join and grow our competative borders, has a hunger for constant self improvement and challenge, and wants to do it on an even playing field, now has a home.

We don't die we multiply.

At EVO 2011 I saw a passion I knew was there (it was already within me) but I saw something more, bigger than our community. I saw people from all walks fo life enjoying each others company. And this is not just fighting games, but all gamers just want to have fun and grow. This is what we have to show the world , open/transparent competition and fun. Nothing to be scared of just bring the pain (and a pint to forget the loss). Our community has done this all along , but now our strnegth has grown and its time for us to step outside out living rooms and PC desks and start bringing the Hype to them. We should take our numbers and help the community (ours and others). Let it be known that this is the new evolution of man, coming together, blending cultures ,and having fun in a never ending quest to be stronger and be better.


We're in there!

P.S. Sorry for the crappy pictures left my camera at home and had to use my
phone


Super thanks to EVO staff and creators Tony and Tom Cannon ,and the SRK staff. Team spooky and I play winner running the streams and manking the event even more entertaining. The international players making it all the way over.To the US players and the fans.

Shout out to Boston scene team Hate Nestor, Earnest, Edpachi. Shout to all my CVS2, MVC2, and super turbo players bringing back the classics.

And I would like to extend my hand and give a shout out to Day9,
DJ Wheat, Star Craft 2 players and all gamers of the world.