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The Evolution Championship Series is returning to Las Vegas, Nevada in 2022 with nine competitive fighting games in tow. The tournament will run from Aug. 5-7 at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino.

The fighting games that are new to Evo this year include Skullgirls 2nd Encore, Granblue Fantasy: Versus, MELTY BLOOD: TYPE LUMINA and the newly released title THE KING OF FIGHTERS XV. Popular titles Street Fighter V and Mortal Kombat 11 will make a return. Here’s the full lineup:

  • Street Fighter V: Champion Edition – PS4 (Capcom)
  • Guilty Gear -Strive- PS4 (Arc System Works)
  • Mortal Kombat 11: Ultimate – PS4 (Warner Bros. Games)
  • TEKKEN 7 – PS4 (BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment)
  • THE KING OF FIGHTERS XV – PS4 (SNK)
  • MELTY BLOOD: TYPE LUMINA – PS4 (Project LUMINA)
  • DRAGON BALL FighterZ – PS4 (BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment)
  • Granblue Fantasy: Versus – PS4 (Cygames and XSEED)
  • Skullgirls 2nd Encore – PS4 (Autumn Games)

Evo 2022 organizers announce full lineup

“We are thrilled to present a slate of fighting games representing so many of the genre’s player-bases for Evo 2022,” said newly appointed Evo general manager Rick “TheHadou” Thiher in a statement. “Our team is incredibly excited to once-again host them in offline competition at Evo this August. There is nothing like the global Fighting Game Community’s energy when we gather for Evo, and I’m greatly looking forward to seeing what happens when we start the event series’ next chapter together later this year.”

Evo 2022 will be the first tournament in the series since 2012 to not feature one of the Super Smash Bros. games. The organizers released a statement on Feb. 26 saying that they are “saddened that Nintendo has chosen not to continue that legacy” with them for 2022. Nintendo’s new circuit, which the Japanese company is hosting alongside Panda Global, may have played a part in that decision.

The 2022 event marks a long awaited return for a tournament that has had a turbulent two years. The Evo 2021 Showcase, an in-person fighting game invitational, was cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic concerns. Evo 2020 was supposed to have been held online but was also cancelled due to sexual misconduct allegations against organizer and co-founder Joey Cuellar.