Evolution 2016 Has Kicked Off, And Competition Is Fierce: Who Will Take The Crowns As The Fighting Game Community’s Champions?


Evolution 2016, the biggest fighting game tournament in the world, kicked off on Friday and will continue through the weekend.

Players from all over the world have come together to compete. Held in Las Vegas, Nevada, Evolution 2016 brings many fighting games to the big screen, where players fight for money, bragging rights, and the title of “champion.” Many big names are in attendance at Evo this year, and each one is looking to walk away with the spoils. Mandalay Bay is the center where players are slugging it out to be named the best.

Evolution 2016 features games such as Street Fighter V, Guilty Gear Xrd: Revelator, Tekken 7: Fated Retribution, Mortal Kombat X, Killer Instinct, Ultimate Marvel Vs. Capcom 3, Pokken Tournament, Super Smash Bros. for Wii U, and Super Smash Bros. Melee. Thousands have entered each game, and fans are watching from their homes and devices to root for their hometown heroes and favorite players.

We’ve already seen some major upsets. According to ESPN, the Super Smash Bros. for Wii U portion of the tournament has crowned Elliot “Ally” Carroza-Oyarce champion. Using Mario, Ally has taken down many of the international players who are considered top contenders in the Smash community. Every year seems to bring in new faces to surprise and delight the veterans of any given game. This adds to the overall experience of Evolution 2016, raising the bar every year for bigger and better results.

The fact that ESPN is covering Evolution 2016 sparks major change within the fighting game community. For years, eSports (electronic sports) have been largely denied as a true competitive sport. Much controversy has surrounded this thought for years, and it speaks volumes that Evolution 2016 is the first of many tournaments to be supported by ESPN. Could this be the opening of a new door for those who play video games competitively? Perhaps. Time will tell, and the future looks bright for members of the gaming community who make games their career choice.

Mortal Kombat X has crowned its own champion: cR_Sonicfox. The prodigy of Mortal Kombat X, Sonicfox has quickly taken the reins as one of the greatest players in the fighting game community. Besting fellow Mortal Kombat X player Tekken Master in the grand finals, Sonicfox’s Erron Black and Alien plowed through the competition. Sonicfox is only 18-years-old, making him a young champion who constantly exceeds expectation.

Despite these upsets and the venue being one of the biggest to hold a fighting game tournament, there appears to be room for improvement. Not every match is properly streamed. Furthermore, there are hundreds of participants who enter the tournament. This leaves players exhausted if pools last into the early hours of the morning, lending no help to 8 a.m. matches that have to be conducted. Of course, tournament organizers can only estimate the amount of participation at any given tournament. Looking beyond these hiccups, Evolution has always been the grand stage for fists to fly.

Considered to be the biggest game of all, Street Fighter V will conclude today with its grand finals. Players such as Omgitzandre made a grand showing in the top 32 out of thousands of entrants, and Nash player Li Joe Ciaramelli is hoping to take home the win against fierce competition out of the top 8 bracket. Tune into the stream for the explosive matches to take place today.

If you’re interested to see other results from Evolution 2016, as well as the live stream that’s currently hosting games, there are a multitude of sites available with rankings that are updated on a regular basis. Eventhubs has reported the current winners and stream results, following the action closely to ensure that fans from across the world get their dose of tournament action.

What are your thoughts on Evolution 2016? Has your favorite player taken the crown? Let us know your experience and thoughts in the comment section below.

[Image via Evolution 2016]

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