Sony Interactive Entertainment has acquired the Evolution Championship Series, better known as Evo, in conjunction with new esports venture, RTS.
The Evolution Championship series (known as “Evo”) is the world’s largest fighting game event. The event first emerged back in 1996 and has grown into an iconic esporting phenomenon. In a recent Sony Interactive Entertainment blog post, the company unveiled its acquisition alongside its plans for the event:
“Today, we’re thrilled to announce the next chapter in the story of PlayStation and Evo, the world’s largest and longest-running fighting game tournament. Sony Interactive Entertainment has teamed up with RTS to acquire Evo through a joint venture partnership.
“With expertise spanning esports event management, brand and developer consulting and gaming talent management, RTS is a new venture led by CEO Stuart Saw and backed by investors including global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor.”
“Evo co-founders Tom and Tony Cannon will remain closely involved in an advisory role to ensure Evo continues to service the fighting game community and support its vibrant growth.”
“This partnership marks a new collaboration, bringing together the resources and expertise that will allow us to elevate the global reach, scale and fan engagement surrounding this iconic gaming tournament.”
Evo is also set to return in the form of Evo Online, a digital version of the competition taking place in August. Entry tot he event will be free and will feature games like Tekken 7, Fighter V: Champion Edition, Mortal Kombat 11 and Guilty Gear. Qualifier events will be live-streamed for fans, and more details are to be revealed over at evo.gg.
The blog post also covers PlayStation’s involvement with Evo, which will “foster growth of the fighting game community and esports”. It’ll be interesting to see how Sony’s involvement with Evo shapes the event in the future. Hopefully, the fighting game scene will continue to benefit from Evo’s presence in the industry.
Featured Image Credit: Evo