EVO Fans Aren't Sure About Plans for an Online Fighting Game Event

EVO 2020, like many other events, has been canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. The new [...]

By Tanner Dedmon - May 1, 2020 05:01 pm EDT

EVO 2020, like many other events, has been canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. The new plan arrives at the same conclusion other companies have come to when pivoting their gaming plans into something else with the decision made to hold the event online instead so that the best of the best can do battle against one another in some of the best fighting games the scene has to offer. The only problem with that is that fighting games aren't always known for having the best online connections, and that problem has gotten some EVO fans and potential competitors worried about how well an online tournament will work.

It's not fair to lump all games under the umbrella of having poor online experiences since games like Mortal Kombat 11 have online play figured out, but for other games – namely the nine that'll be featured during EVO 2020 – some questions remain. No matter how smooth a game's online play is, the remote nature of online play won't be able to compete with the quality of two competitors sittings side by side in an event hall while they play.

But worries aside, EVO 2020 is still going to happen online based on what's been said by the event's organizers. EVO 2020 was originally supposed to take place starting on July 31st with the final day scheduled to be August 2nd, and as of now, there's been no new information shared on whether those dates or the list of games that'll be playable has changed or not. EVO 2020's organizers said they'd have more details to share on the situation soon.

In the meantime, people online have already started voicing their concerns about an online fighting game event, but some of said it could be a positive thing for the future of the competitive scene. You can see some of those initial reactions below while we wait for more information on EVO 2020 to come from the organizers.

EVO Online

Evo 2020 online huh? pic.twitter.com/CWWbaaDmzS
— Miraculous Maku (@RedMakuzawa) May 1, 2020

Being an EVO 2020 Champion

Imagining the future stigma of winning in this year's online EVO tourney.

"Yea man, I'm an EVO champion."

"Oh yeah, which EVO?"

"EVO..................................... 2020."
— HDKirin (@HDKirin) May 1, 2020

Training

EVO Champion bound pic.twitter.com/0DXHOCMyfp
— XiT DoomedDanny (@DoomedDannyTV) May 1, 2020

The New Champion

The character that will win EVO 2020 pic.twitter.com/laygvBao9v
— PrinceOfWhatever (@PrinceWhatever) May 1, 2020

Big Brain Moves?

Maybe this is actually a big brain move from EVO. Online tournaments SHOULD be legit, and this was a chance for our genre to shine. Showing the world some games are playable online and work properly while others are unplayable it's the right move to make things better next gen 🤷🏻‍♂️
— Javier Sanabria (@Sh4rin_Papito) May 1, 2020

EVO Online Starter Pack

The EVO Online starter pack: pic.twitter.com/rhQZeeQq27
— Peter (@ShinPusheen) May 1, 2020

EVO Smash Bros. Online

EVO 2020 Smash online be like pic.twitter.com/O8TetDyjtc
— Pixelbuster (@Nitomatta) May 1, 2020

When You Win Online EVO

Winning Evo online in 19f of delay pic.twitter.com/PqmkhHxNrY
— I N O B O Y Z (@GGINOBOYZ) May 1, 2020

Get Near That Wi-Fi

Taking a fat L at Evo finals because I wasn't sitting close enough to the wi-fi https://t.co/55DFTngELk
— Rata ☢ (@RANK10YGO) May 1, 2020

Time for a New Age?

If EVO is online this year, it's time for the new age of games with good netcode pic.twitter.com/ezK59IVEI2
— Dylan (@taco_xiv) May 1, 2020