The coronavirus pandemic has thrown the state of the world into an uncertain flux, and major events in the video game industry have been hit hard by the outbreak. So far, events such as E3, GDC, Gamescom, and more have either been cancelled or postponed, with EVO 2020--one of the world's largest fighting game tournaments--having recently joined them. However, in light of not having a physical event this year, EVO is transitioning its competition this year over to an online format, with the official roster of games revealed.

EVO Online has officially been revealed by the EVO event organizers, which will take place over the course of five weekends throughout July and the beginning of August (July 4 - August 2) in a virtual format. The official line-up for the online iteration of the competition will include the following games:

  • Dragon Ball FighterZ
  • Granblue Fantasy: Versus
  • Samurai Shodown
  • SoulCalibur VI
  • Street Fighter V Champion Edition
  • Tekken 7
  • Under Night In-Birth Exe:Late[cl-r]

Compared to the original roster that was first announced for the event, which featured nine games, the two titles that have been shut out from the competition are Marvel vs. Capcom 2 and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Presumably, these decisions were made based on which games would perform best in an online format versus being played in-person, with Nintendo's online infrastructure being infamously inconsistent. This is definitely a bit of a blow to Smash Bros., which has had a long presence at EVO for several years, but hopefully we can see its return in a future EVO event once it can return to being held in-person.

In addition to the roster of seven games that will be in official competition, EVO Online will also be hosting open tournaments for four titles, allowing the public to join in the fight. The open tournaments will include the following games:

  • Killer Instinct
  • Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath
  • Skullgirls 2nd Encore
  • Them's Fightin' Herds

The four titles chosen for the open tournaments have had solid reputations for stable netcode experiences, making them seem prime for an online-focused tournament setting. Registration details for both the official competitions and open tournaments have not been officially revealed yet for EVO Online, but stay tuned for more information once it gets closer.