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EVO Japan 2019 main line-up revealed

Neoxon

Neoxon

Spotlighting Black Excellence - Diversity Analyst
Member
Oct 25, 2017
85,251
Houston, TX


In case you can't see the tweet, the games are...
  • Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition
  • Tekken 7
  • Guilty Gear Xrd: REV 2
  • Soul Caliber VI
  • BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle
  • The King of Fighters XIV
As for some games that are missing...


So it seems like Nintendo & Bamco (likely Toei-induced for the latter) didn't give their blessings for Smash/ARMS & DBFZ respectively. There will likely be side events for some of the missing games, but they won't be main events.

Sources: EVO (Twitter), Mark Julio (Twitter)
 
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Mauricio_Magus

Mauricio_Magus

Member
Oct 25, 2017
12,988
I only care about DBFZ and Smash so this is a hard pass.

I don't get why the "blessings" part matters. Something about streaming rights I assume.
 
Valkerion

Valkerion

Member
Oct 29, 2017
7,224
doemaaan said:
Well that's unfortunate... No Smash or DBFZ for main event? Can't imagine why not.
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They are extremely strict with IP here. Side analogy and my constant complaint, Namco Bandai can't even release some of their games on PC here in Japan for... reasons apparently. DBZ, Naruto, Tales and more are all in an IP limbo on steam here.

I can't imagine they did not want them to host Dragon Ball though given how successful the brand in general is and how popular the game has been. But there were probably more hoops to jump through than we can imagine. I suspect somewhat similar with Nintendo. Though Nintendo hosts several events a year for their own games as "tournaments" too but they tend to be aimed at kids and prizes are simply brand goods.

It sucks and I hope they can work it out, but its only two months away so I doubt we will see them on the main stage. Honestly feels more like a missed opportunity for the companies than anything.
 
Carpathia

Carpathia

Member
Oct 25, 2017
1,199
It's blessings related to money?. No DBFZ when other Arc games are there it's kinda weird but I guess it's Namco's desire not to have the game at EVO.
 
Peleo

Peleo

Member
Nov 2, 2017
2,656
They way Nintendo of America handles competitive Smash seems to be completely different from Japan.

We've already been through these EVO shenanigans in 2013, would think Nintendo would have changed their approach at this point :/
 

Uraizen

Member
Oct 26, 2017
1,217
I can understand Toei being dicks because ... they are. Not sure what's up with Nintendo; too many guest characters causing issues for streaming rights?
 
Valkerion

Valkerion

Member
Oct 29, 2017
7,224
Rockman ZX said:
It's blessings related to money?. No DBFZ when other Arc games are there it's kinda weird but I guess it's Namco's desire not to have the game at EVO.
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Namco also makes Soulcalibur and Tekken. Having their 3 big IP right there on display marking them as the premire fighting game publisher/developer at the moment would be something they wanted for sure.

It might be also Japan's odd takes on e-sports in general. Where the rest of the world is rolling deep on grass roots made events, Japan has just noticed the competitive scene in the last two years and already made it into the typical Japanese tv experience. Celebrity hosts are there to commentate the events and what not. Since this is more or less and English created tournament and official info is coming from the English side it might be a while before we get some dirty details, if any.

Looking forward to going though still.
 
SinCityAssassin

SinCityAssassin

Member
Oct 25, 2017
15,171
Peleo said:
They way Nintendo of America handles competitive Smash seems to be completely different from Japan.

We've already been through these EVO shenanigans in 2013, would think Nintendo would have changed their approach at this point :/
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Nintendo had both Smash Wii U and ARMS in the last EVO Japan, so it's not like NCL rejects it on principle. It's something else probably.
 
SinCityAssassin

SinCityAssassin

Member
Oct 25, 2017
15,171
Peleo said:
That's a good point, completely forgot about that. Any guess on what it might be? Missing Evo Japan seems like a big miss
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It may or may not be the fact that EVO Japan 2018 ended with a million in the red, a necessary growing pain but still not too good of a look. Unless NCL is hosting a lot of its own shit on February, that's the only thing I can think of.

Can't rule out Ultimate being a side event though.
 
Kewlmyc

Kewlmyc

Avenger
Oct 25, 2017
26,670
Gegz said:
You know smash will still be @ EVO right ?

Hope we'll get two of them just for you
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It's not confirmed yet if Ultimate will be at EVO. It most likely will be, but if Smash Wii U was okay at EVO Japan last year, but Ultimate isn't this year, then there might possibly be some sort of legal rights issues with Ultimate that will cause an issue in western EVO as well. Only time will tell.
 
Magneto

Magneto

Prophet of Truth
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
14,449
Kewlmyc said:
It's not confirmed yet if Ultimate will be at EVO. It most likely will be, but if Smash Wii U was okay at EVO Japan last year, but Ultimate isn't this year, then there might possibly be some sort of legal rights issues with Ultimate that will cause an issue in western EVO as well. Only time will tell.
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The reasons why Ultimate isn't @ EVO Japan are really simple to understand : Nintendo has a certain way to market the game in Japan, and being part of EVO Japan would go against that.

We can bet anything you want on the inclusion of Ultimate for EVO 2019.
 
SinCityAssassin

SinCityAssassin

Member
Oct 25, 2017
15,171
Gegz said:
The reasons why Ultimate isn't @ EVO Japan are really simple to understand : Nintendo has a certain way to market the game in Japan, and being part of EVO Japan would go against that.
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Them having Smash and ARMS in the previous one sort of goes against that, though I wouldn't doubt them going in for an EVO Japan 2020.
 
SliceSabre

SliceSabre

Member
Oct 25, 2017
4,556
This is a dream EVO since we don't have to suffer through 5 hours of Smash Melee.

Sorry but I don't find competitive Smash entertaining to watch at all and their matches tend to take forever. I do miss DBFZ not being there though.

Hype for BBTAG though!
 
Marossi

Marossi

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
3,997
Love the Smash diss on this thread. Stay classy FGCEra. /s

No DBFZ is pretty weird though.
 
sibarraz

sibarraz

Prophet of Regret - One Winged Slayer
Avenger
Oct 27, 2017
18,085
I will blame Konami for the lack of smash in Evo

Is a big hot take, but they are the only new publisher who appears in Ultimate versus WiiU
 
Magneto

Magneto

Prophet of Truth
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Oct 25, 2017
14,449
sibarraz said:
I will blame Konami for the lack of smash in Evo

Is a big hot take, but they are the only new publisher who appears in Ultimate versus WiiU
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It's a big hot take, yeah.

Especially when there is a national tournament currently happening in Japan (with items On), which is part of Nintendo's Marketing in Japan.
 

Deleted member 5491

User requested account closure
Banned
Oct 25, 2017
5,249
There was no price pot to win last time Smash was at EVO Japan, because Nintendo doesn't put up a price bonus and EVO can't(?) due to not taking entrance fees, so no Top Player was there the last time and why would they now with only expenses and no way to make some money in return?
 
Philly Cheesesteak

Philly Cheesesteak

Banned
Oct 27, 2017
3,297
As someone who plays competitive fighting games and Smash, thank goodness it's not in the lineup. Let's take it back to the real shit, SBO style.
 
BadWolf

BadWolf

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
12,148
Did not expect KOF to make it in again, wooo!

Wonder if M' or Laggia will finally be able to get an Evo win for Japan in KOF. JP hasn't been able to win in XIIII or XIV.
 
Auto

Auto

Banned
Oct 25, 2017
858
Smash is a great game but competitive tryhard Smash is so boring to watch. I think it's a good decision.
 
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