The lineup of games for EVO 2018 was revealed during a recent live stream, and it features two new entries from Arc System Works with BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle and Dragon Ball FighterZ.
Here’s the official EVO 2018 lineup:
- BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle
- Dragon Ball FighterZ
- Guilty Gear Xrd Rev 2
- Injustice 2
- Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition
- Super Smash Bros. for Wii U
- Super Smash Bros. Melee
- Tekken 7
The lineup has the usual big games for the event with Street Fighter V, Tekken 7, and the Smash Bros. games as well as Guilty Gear Xrd Rev 2 which made a huge showing at EVO Japan last month, and will also be getting a game balance patch in March.
As for the newcomer titles, we have the worldwide hit Dragon Ball FighterZ that reached 2 million units shipped around the world before its release in Japan and Asia. BlazBlue: Cross Tag Battle is the second new title. While there’s been a lot of controversy surrounding its DLC characters that will make up half the game’s roster, Arc System Works just announced that RWBY’s Blake Belladonna and Yang Xiao Long will be available for free.
Noticeable absent from this year’s tournament is a Marvel vs. Capcom game. Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 made it into EVO 2017 through the Make-A-Wish Foundation charity campaign, where fans donated and voted for their favorite titles. Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite is the newer title of the series and won’t be in the lineup, but perhaps we’ll see it compete in another fan voting campaign for the last game.
Another big name that’s missing from the lineup is The King of Fighters XIV, which was also big with the Asia crowd during EVO Japan, so perhaps it may also find a way to get in through fan voting if EVO organizers decide to hold something similar for this year’s event.
As for the finals, that will take place at the Mandalay Bay Sports Arena on the last day, it’ll feature the following titles:
- Guilty Gear Xrd Rev 2
- Super Smash Bros. Melee
- Tekken 7
- Dragon Ball FighterZ
- Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition
EVO 2018 takes place on August 3-5, 2018.