16 Video Games to Watch at EVO 2025: Full Tournament Schedule for August 1 to 3 in Las Vegas

EVO 2025 brings sixteen video games to the biggest fighting game tournament of the year. It all takes place over three days in Las Vegas.

Players from around the world are ready to compete. Every match will be streamed.

Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, and Mortal Kombat 1 lead the lineup. Marvel vs Capcom 2 and other classics are back on stage.

Here is the full EVO 2025 tournament schedule for all 16 video games.

1. Street Fighter 6

Street Fighter 6 kicks off EVO 2025 with pools spread across Friday and Saturday. Bracket rounds fill both days, narrowing to the final 24 players by Saturday night.

The Top 8 face off during Sunday’s arena finals in front of a full live crowd.

All matches follow a double-elimination format. Early rounds are best-of-three. Top 8 shifts to best-of-five. All players compete on PS5, using personal controllers or fight sticks.

Finals Format and Prize Distribution

The Top 8 showdown for Street Fighter 6 happens on Sunday, August 3 at 8:00 PM PT. The match will be held on the main arena stage and streamed on the main Evo channel.

Prize pool starts at $30,000, provided by EVO and PlayStation, with potential additions based on entry numbers and sponsor contributions.

Winners also receive official Evo 2025 medals. The champion earns the Street Fighter 6 Evo trophy and possible CPT points.

Hype Matches and Featured Talent

Street Fighter 6 is the headliner for a reason. It draws the highest number of sign-ups and some of the biggest names in the fighting game scene.

Top Players to Watch

• Punk – EVO 2024 Champion
• MenaRD – Known for deep bracket runs
• Tokido – Legendary Ryu main
• ChrisCCH – USA favorite
• Kawano – Japanese technician
• Betty – Rising star featured in exhibition vs. Justin Wong

Big Storylines

• First EVO since the Season 2 patch rebalanced the roster
• New characters like Ed and Akuma are now legal in competition
• Justin Wong’s return to the main SF bracket after a long break

Additional Highlights

• Friday included a Street Fighter League NA vs EU exhibition
• Justin Wong vs Betty ran as a headliner match during Friday’s Evo Showcase
• Capcom had a booth on-site with demos and giveaways
• Spectators could meet pro players at the Capcom signing booth
• Arena seating for Sunday finals is reserved with a paid ticket add-on
• Friday and Saturday rounds are open to all badge holders
• Free-play setups available for casual SF6 matches on the venue floor

2. Tekken 8

Platform	PlayStation 5
Prize Pool	$30,000 minimum + Tekken World Tour points
Pools	August 1-2, 2025
Semifinals	August 2, 2025
Top 8 Finals	August 3, 2025 – 4:30 PM PT
Stage	Main Arena
Stream Channel	Evo3 / Main Evo Channel

Tekken 8 is one of the biggest draws at EVO 2025. Pools begin Friday and continue into Saturday.

The top 24 brackets run late Saturday to set up the Top 8 for the main event on Sunday. All matches are double elimination.

The game runs under Tekken World Tour-sanctioned rules. PlayStation 5 is the official platform. All matches are best-of-three until finals, which switch to best-of-five.

Finals and Prize Structure

The Top 8 showdown for Tekken 8 takes place Sunday, August 3 at 4:30 PM PT on the arena stage. It is streamed on Evo’s main Twitch and YouTube channels.

• Guaranteed base: $30,000
• Top placers also receive Tekken World Tour ranking points
• 1st through 8th place also awarded EVO 2025 medals and trophies

Featured Players and Bracket Focus

Tekken 8 brings in the global legends and new blood. The meta has changed after balance patches, and characters like Reina and Victor are now legal.

Players to Watch

@arslanash1 Alhamdullilah! Won EVO 4 Times. #foryou #tekken7 #pakistan #esports #fyp #arslanash #gamer ♬ original sound – Arslan Ash

• Arslan Ash – Pakistan’s four-time EVO champion
• Knee – Korean legend
• Anakin – USA’s best bet
• Chanel – Strong contender with unique character picks
• Book – Always dangerous on LAN

3. Guilty Gear Strive

Platform	PlayStation 5
Prize Pool	$30,000 minimum
Pools	August 1-2, 2025
Semifinals	August 2, 2025
Top 8 Finals	August 3, 2025 – 10:00 AM PT
Stage	Main Arena
Stream Channel	Evo5 / Main Evo Channel

Guilty Gear Strive opens the Sunday finals. Pools start Friday, continue into Saturday, and move to the Top 24 bracket by that evening.

Top 8 plays out Sunday morning on the main stage. The format follows Arc World Tour rules.

Matches use best-of-three in pools. Finals use best-of-five. All games run on PS5.

Arena Finals and Prizes

The finals go live Sunday, August 3, at 10:00 AM PT. The stream is on Evo’s main Twitch and YouTube channels.

Tournament Details

• Season 3 changes impacted most of the top tier
• Characters like Slayer and Asuka are in legal rotation
• Patch support continues with a new balance roadmap

Notable Players

• Umisho – one of NA’s most consistent Strive players
• Leffen – always dangerous across multiple titles
• Jonathan Tene – a key West Coast contender
• Mocchi – zoning specialist from Japan
• Slash – strong Sol play with tournament experience

4. Granblue Fantasy Versus Rising

Platform	PlayStation 5
Prize Pool	$30,000 minimum
Pools	August 1-2, 2025
Semifinals	August 2, 2025
Top 8 Finals	August 2, 2025 – 8:00 PM PT
Stage	Main Arena (Saturday block)
Stream Channel	Evo6 / Main Evo Channel

Granblue Fantasy Versus Rising plays out across Friday and Saturday. Pools and bracket rounds finish by Saturday evening, leading to the finals on the same day.

It is part of the Arc World Tour, so the tournament structure mirrors their global rules.

Matches are best-of-three in pools. Best-of-five for Top 8.

Prize and Recognition

Finals begin Saturday, August 2 at 8:00 PM PT on the main stage. Evo’s primary stream covers the full Top 8.

Tournament Highlights

• Recent updates included Grimnir, Sandalphon, and Vane
• Patch increased viability for charge characters and mix-up tools
• Tournament builds match the most current version

Players to Watch

• Ren – dominant in Japan, won multiple qualifiers
• SKD – well-known for strong footsies and pressure
• ZomBmu – strong reads and crowd-pleasing combos
• PGW Sora – top finisher in the European circuit

5. Under Night In-Birth II

Platform	PlayStation 5
Prize Pool	$30,000 minimum
Pools	August 1, 2025
Semifinals	August 2, 2025
Top 8 Finals	August 2, 2025 – 2:00 PM PT
Stage	Main Arena (Saturday block)
Stream Channel	Evo7 / Main Evo Channel

Under Night In-Birth II has a tight bracket. Pools run on Friday only, with semifinals Saturday morning. The Top 8 finals happen Saturday afternoon in the main arena.

Format is standard: double elimination, best-of-three until Top 8, best-of-five for finals. PlayStation 5 is the official console.

Tournament Coverage

Finals air on August 2 at 2:00 PM PT. Coverage goes live on Evo’s main stream.

Notes

• The latest update includes a new playable character, Izumi
• Tournament version uses the latest patch with all balance changes
• New guard cancel timing and GRD tweaks change match flow

Players to Track

• Redblade – top U.S. Wagner player
• Kiri – strong Hyde and Chaos main from Japan
• PhononMaster – consistent Midwest performer
• Clearlamp – previous Under Night finalist with high reactions

6. Mortal Kombat 1

Platform	PlayStation 5
Prize Pool	$30,000 minimum
Pools	August 1, 2025
Semifinals	August 1, 2025
Top 8 Finals	August 2, 2025 – 10:00 AM PT
Stage	Main Arena (Saturday opener)
Stream Channel	Evo4 / Main Evo Channel

Mortal Kombat 1 finishes pools and semis all on Friday. The Top 8 finals take place Saturday morning as the first main-stage event.

Finals and Rewards

Top 8 begins August 2 at 10:00 AM PT. The entire block is streamed live on Evo’s main broadcast.

Prize Pool

• $30,000 minimum
• Top finishers receive medals and trophies
• Winner adds EVO title to their NRS career track

Meta and Community View

• No DLC or Kombat Pack expansions since early 2025
• Tournament meta is stable, with strong zoning and pressure tools
• Smoke, Johnny Cage, and Kenshi are top picks

Player Standouts

• SonicFox – longtime NRS favorite
• Rewind – sharp spacing and reads
• NinjaKilla – still dominant after early wins
• A F0xy Grampa – UK legend and EVO veteran

7. Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves

Platform	PlayStation 5
Prize Pool	$30,000 minimum
Pools	August 1-2, 2025
Semifinals	August 2, 2025
Top 8 Finals	August 3, 2025 – 1:30 PM PT
Stage	Main Arena
Stream Channel	Evo5 / Main Evo Channel

Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves is SNK’s flagship entry at EVO 2025. Pools take place Friday and Saturday. Top 8 finals hit the main stage on Sunday. Format is double elimination, best-of-three until Top 8, best-of-five for finals.

Finals Information

Top 8 kicks off August 3 at 1:30 PM PT. The arena broadcast will feature this set between other headline titles.

Competitive and Fan Highlights

• This is the game’s EVO debut
• Terry Bogard, Rock Howard, Hotaru, and Marco are confirmed legal characters
• Ken Masters crossover from Street Fighter is included in the launch build

Players in Focus

• Laggia – strong SNK technician
• Bala – old KOF pro returning for this title
• Romance – known for high-pressure play
• Reynald – U.S. veteran with SNK fundamentals

8. Marvel vs. Capcom 2

Game Type	Main Tournament (Retro Showcase)
Platform	Dreamcast (via approved setups)
Prize Pool	$30,000 minimum
Pools	August 1-2, 2025
Semifinals	August 2, 2025
Top 8 Finals	August 2, 2025 – 5:00 PM PT
Stage	Main Arena (Saturday block)
Stream Channel	Evo6 / Main Evo Channel

Marvel vs. Capcom 2 returns as a featured retro game. Pools start Friday and continue through Saturday. The Top 8 block lands Saturday afternoon in the arena.

Match format stays true to old-school standards: best-of-three across the entire bracket.

Saturday Finals Overview

The top 8 finals take place on August 2 at 5:00 PM PT.

Historic Return

• Marvel 2 has not been on the main Evo stage for over a decade
• Dreamcast builds are used with strict tournament hardware
• The game is untouched, meaning there were no patches or balance updates

Player Legends Returning

• Justin Wong – 7-time Marvel 2 champion
• IFC Yipes – voice of MVC2 hype
• Duc Do – long-time magneto master
• Sanford Kelly – elite top-tier execution

9. Rivals of Aether II

Game Type	Extended Lineup
Platform	PC (official builds)
Prize Pool	Community-funded via entry fees
Pools	August 1-2, 2025
Semifinals	August 2, 2025
Top 8 Finals	August 2 – 6:00 PM PT
Stage	Extended Stage
Stream Channel	EvoEX1

All Rivals of Aether II matches are played in a double-elimination bracket. Pools and semis take place on Friday and Saturday. Finals occur Saturday evening.

Competitive Details

• The prize pool depends on total signups
• First official EVO appearance for the sequel
• Played on PC setups with Steam builds

Players to Watch

• CakeAssault – returning champion from Rivals 1
• Penguin – consistent finisher in pre-release tournaments
• Soma – known for fast-paced aggression
• ZB – strong neutral and ledge control

10. Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O.

Game Type	Extended Lineup
Platform	PlayStation 5
Prize Pool	Community-funded via entry fees
Pools	August 1-2, 2025
Semifinals	August 2, 2025
Top 8 Finals	August 3 – 10:00 AM PT
Stage	Extended Stage
Stream Channel	EvoEX1

Double elimination, best-of-three throughout. VF5 R.E.V.O. is an enhanced competitive version launched with input from veteran players.

Event Notes

• Finals take place Sunday morning
• Sega panel hinted at future VF announcements
• Played on PS5 using the official R.E.V.O. patch

Player Highlights

• Itazan – Japanese legend
• Shang – U.S. veteran
• Shiwa – known for advanced Akira combos
• Blackstar – community leader and top-level Jacky user

11. The King of Fighters XV

Platform	PlayStation 5
Prize Pool	Community-funded via entry fees
Pools	August 1, 2025
Semifinals	August 1, 2025
Top 8 Finals	August 3 – 4:00 PM PT
Stage	Extended Stage
Stream Channel	EvoEX2

One-day pool grind leads to Top 8 finals on Sunday. The game uses the latest SNK patch build. Played entirely on PS5.

Player Notes

• ZJZ – KOF specialist from Taiwan
• Xiaohai – high-level fundamentals
• ET – former world champion
• Reynald – strong U.S. competitor with solid reads

12. Killer Instinct (2013)

Platform	Xbox Series X (Evo stations)
Prize Pool	Community-funded via entry fees
Pools	August 1-2, 2025
Semifinals	August 2, 2025
Top 8 Finals	August 2 – 7:00 PM PT
Stage	Extended Stage
Stream Channel	EvoEX2

Double elimination. Evo tournament settings. Played on Xbox using the latest rollback patch.

Community Facts

• Return of KI to a major event stage
• Microsoft supported updates earlier in the year
• No new characters, but updated netcode and UI

Featured Players

• Nicky – known for a heavy control style
• Wheels – high-level gameplay using adaptive tech
• Thompson – dominant Jago player
• Letalis – excels with big-body characters

13. Samurai Shodown

Platform	PlayStation 5
Prize Pool	Community-funded via entry fees
Pools	August 1, 2025
Semifinals	August 2, 2025
Top 8 Finals	August 2 – 5:00 PM PT
Stage	Extended Stage
Stream Channel	EvoEX2

SamSho runs under SNK’s latest rollback build. The tournament uses the updated UI version. Played entirely on PS5.

Notable Entrants

• Infiltration – multiple EVO winner
• ViolentKain – aggressive neutral
• Score – strong technical player
• Rikir – Canada’s top SamSho competitor

The game is also available for other consoles, such as the Nintendo Switch.

14. Capcom vs. SNK 2

Platform	PlayStation 2 (tournament stations)
Prize Pool	Community-funded via entry fees
Pools	August 1-2, 2025
Semifinals	August 2, 2025
Top 8 Finals	August 2 – 1:00 PM PT
Stage	Extended Stage
Stream Channel	EvoEX2

Classic format, best-of-three. Played on real hardware or PS2 emulator with tournament validation.

Featured Competitors

• Justin Wong – strong A-Groove play
• John Choi – classic CvS2 master
• Bas – Japan legend
• ComboFiend – possible appearance, confirmed bracket interest

15. Guilty Gear Xrd REV 2

Platform	PlayStation 4
Prize Pool	Community-funded via entry fees
Pools	August 1-2, 2025
Semifinals	August 2, 2025
Top 8 Finals	August 2 – 10:00 AM PT
Stage	Extended Stage
Stream Channel	EvoEX1

Legacy GG title with rollback added. The tournament runs double elimination. All matches on PS4.

Players to Watch

• Kizzie Kay – strong Ky play
• Pepeday – rare FDC and movement tech
• Tomo – Slayer expert
• LostSoul – known for Elphelt

16. BlazBlue: Centralfiction

Platform	PlayStation 4
Prize Pool	Community-funded via entry fees
Pools	August 2, 2025
Semifinals	August 2, 2025
Top 8 Finals	August 3 – 1:00 PM PT
Stage	Extended Stage
Stream Channel	EvoEX2

The full event runs on Saturday. Top 8 plays out on Sunday. The tournament follows the rollback update version.

Top BB Players

• SKD – top Jin/Ragna in the U.S.
• Breaker Dave – known for tricky setups
• Fame96 – aggressive playstyle
• TomoRokko – consistent Japan finisher

Additional Event Info and Venue Details

EVO 2025 takes place at the Las Vegas Convention Center West Hall, located at 300 Convention Center Dr., with a full-scale arena setup for Sunday finals.

All main and extended tournaments happen in the same complex, split between the main floor and side stages.

Entry to the venue requires an EVO 2025 attendee badge, which grants access to all Friday and Saturday events.

Arena seating on Sunday requires a separate arena pass, which includes guaranteed seating and exclusive entry.

On-site activities include:

• Free-play arcade area with retro and modern games
• Cosplay contest on Saturday afternoon
• Developer booths for Capcom, Arc System Works, SNK, and Sega
• Food and beverage vendors are available throughout the venue
• Signings and meetups with pro players on Saturday

FAQs

What time does EVO 2025 open each day?

Doors open at 9:00 AM PT on all three days. The venue closes at 11:00 PM PT on Friday and Saturday, and after the final match on Sunday.

Can I still buy a ticket to attend?

Yes, general admission badges can be bought online while supplies last. Arena finals tickets for Sunday are sold separately and may sell out early.

Are there casual stations for non-competitors?

Yes, casual free-play setups are available across the show floor. Anyone with a badge can line up and use them.

Where can I watch the streams?

All matches are streamed live on Twitch via the Evo, Evo2-7, and EvoEX channels. Finals are also available on YouTube via PlayStation Esports.

Can I bring my own controller?

Yes, all players must bring their own fight stick or controller. Wireless controllers must be desynced after each match to avoid interference.

The Bottom Line

EVO 2025 strikes hard across all titles, with each match driven by skill, strategy, and ruthless precision.

Three days. Sixteen games. Thousands of competitors.

Every second will push the bracket forward.

Las Vegas will turn into the global capital of fighting games, and every match will prove why EVO remains the top stage in the world.