A few are crazier than Melee being jettisoned
I’ve been followingEvofor a while now and have personally reviewed nearly every game announced for the main stage this year: 2019 is a huge shift for myriad reasons.
It’s not just the fact thatMeleeis missing: there’s a lot to unpack here. Shall we?
Samurai Shodownis back, baby.
I know a lot of people were expecting “noMelee” to top the list but really, SNK’s comeback kid tale after faltering for years is worth looking at.
SNK had nearly no presence in the early days of EVO (even if the Capcom-helmed and fantasticCapcom vs. SNK 2had a good run) withKing of Fighters XIIImaking an appearance in 2012-2014 andKing of Fighters XIVhaving a one-off run in 2017. In 2018, SNK had zero representation afterXIVwas eliminated for only pushing a paltry 32,760 viewers at its best the year before; the lowest viewership of the entire tournament.
It wasn’t always this way for SNK, though.Samurai Shodownwas a big deal from the early ’90s when the series debuted all the way through its relevance in crossover fighters like 2001’sCapcom vs. SNK 2: yet, SNK couldn’t keep up the momentum. Things started to die down forShodownaround 2009 and we haven’t heard anything from the series since. Now SNK is throwing a curve ball at us and beforeSamurai Shodown (2019)was evenofficially unveiled(all we had was a teaser), bam, it’s on the main stage of EVO 2019.
It might be a temporary victory, but its a win for SNK nonetheless and another chance for relevance amid a typically (now) Arc System Works and (previously) Capcom-heavy history.
There are three Arc reps at Evo 2019, but noGuilty Gear
Guilty Gear Xrd: Rev 2is arguably the best fighter out right now.
WhileDragon Ball FighterZis clearly the in-game at the moment,Rev 2absolutely crushedCross Tag Battlein 2018’s stream war (Rev 2on Sunday had 108,916 peak viewers compared toCross Tag‘s 39,919 on Saturday): yet,Rev 2is the one sitting Evo out in 2019. Hell,Under Night In-Birth ExeLate[st](published by Arc System Works) is also in! Someone is looking out for Arc but not forGuilty Gear.
Unless there’s a new entry or iteration on the way this might be the end ofGuilty Gearat Evo for some time. Given that it paved the way forFighterZit’s not a complete loss, but as my current favorite fighter (both to play and watch), it’s a personal one.
Soulcaliburreturns for the first time since 2012
The full embrace ofSoulcalibur VIhas been heartwarming. This is a series that used to mean so much to the fighting game community and it was completely absent for so many years. Now it’s making a triumphant return seven years later and it’s bringingThe Witcher‘s Geralt along for the ride. What a Cinderella story.
There isn’t much to say here that hasn’t already been said in various ways at the launch ofSCVI.Soulcaliburwas one of my first ever professional tourney games back in the day so I’m happy to see it back in the mix.
The eclectic cast should make for some great match-ups (hopefully we get to see Azwel play but Nightmare and Ivy will likely be among the top picks) and withGuilty Geargone it might be the game I want to watch the most.
NoMelee
Depending on who you talk to,Super Smash Bros. Meleenot making the main ticket is either a long time coming or [Jack’s] complete surprise.
Just last year at Evo 2018 it heralded in 195,164 peak viewers, which puts it in a solid third place afterFighterZandStreet Fighter V. That’s huge, asMeleebeat outTekken 7andCross Tag Battlein 2018: both of which are coming back for Evo 2019. If it weren’t for a massive 40,000 viewer boost solely from famous streamer Ninja peeking into theStreet Fighter Vfinals, it would have nabbed second place. But withSmash Ultimatein the mix, which promises to be the definitiveSmashexperience, something has to give.
Look, I was wavedashing and reading online tech right afterMeleecaught on and as a hugeSmash 64proponent (and local tourney winner with Ness), I was into the idea ofSmashhitting it big.Meleehas done a lot for the fighting game community at large but its omission after all these years of making it in is not a surprise.
It’ll live on, likely forever, through conventions (including one practically dedicated entirely toMelee) and even at Evo: just not on the main stage.
NetherRealm is poised for a comeback after lowInjustice 2viewership
While there must be a token western entry (typically NetherRealm) in the mix, that portion of Evo has been wavering for the past few years and it’s all Superman’s fault.
Last yearInjustice 2had a peak viewership of 20,516 viewers on Twitch. That’s half of the next-lowest game:BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle.Mortal Kombatcarries more clout andMK11, confirmed for Evo 2019, will likely make a splash. 2016, the last Evo showing forMortal Kombatin the form ofXL, championed 104,568 viewers peak.
NetherRealm is happy to haveMKback in the mix as the year before thatMKXhit 188,350: just belowMelee’s 206,839 andUltra Street Fighter IV’s 228,776. Everyone loves to watch fatalities after a heated match.
