The hype returns to Vegas! EVO 2019 is coming!

The biggest fighting game tournament in the world, the most prestigious fighting game event of the year, returns to Las Vegas Nevada on Aug. 2-4 at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino! Check out the first trailer for the event here:

You can expect the mainstays like Street Fighter V, Dragon Ball FighterZ, Super Smash Bros., and Tekken 7 to make a return. The chances of newcomer Soulcalibur VI making it to the main stage are very high. But whether smaller titles like Blazblue Cross Tag Battle will return are anyone’s guess. Even newer titles coming out next year like Dead or Alive 6 are up in the air. Even if these games don’t make the main stage, you can guarantee there will be side tournaments for them, and side tournaments at EVO can be just as hype as the main event. Look at Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite; a game supposedly “shunned” by the majority of the FGC had a standing room-only final this year at EVO.

MVCI finals. No more chairs. Standing room only. pic.twitter.com/3auvjChP4m

— Maximilian Dood (@maximilian_) August 4, 2018

If you are planning to go to the event, start making your plans now. Plane tickets and hotels in Vegas can be expensive last-minute, but just putting aside $50 a month from now until the event will go a long way to making the trip happen. Take it from somebody who has already been: EVO is fighting game Mecca, and every fighting game fan owes it to themselves to make the journey at least once. Especially considering that now many fighting game developers treat EVO like fighting game E3 and huge announcements are made every year, from character announcements to brand new game reveals. Not to mention that EVO always has a huge indie game presence where you can try out new games, as well as preview builds of upcoming games, like how Soulcalibur VI was playable at the show this year.

More information on EVO, including the main stage lineup, will be revealed over time as we get closer to the event.