The biggest fighting game event in the world never disappoints.
Evo 2024 was the biggest the event’s ever been, that’s a fact, and with that comes some truly unforgettable moments. Across three days, fighting game fans, developers, competitors, and more traveled to the Las Vegas Convention Center in Nevada to celebrate the genre that always brings the hype.
So many amazing things happened in Evo this year that we can’t possibly list, or even catch, them all. But we do have five legendary moments that we believe makes Evo 2024 the best one so far.
Heihachi Mishima is Dead Back
Just when you thought you were finally safe, the patriarch of the Mishima Zaibatsu shows that he’s still got some fight left in him. Literally embodying the “man too angry to die” meme, Heihachi announces his return in Tekken 8 in bombastic fashion. To say that the whole arena was floored would be an understatement.
There was a bit of gloom when Tekken 8’s final roster was announced and Heihachi wasn’t included. People understood why but it was sad to see a character who was part of every single Tekken game to date just not be there. Now that he’s coming back this August, there’s an electrifying excitement in the air as fans can’t wait to see how he’ll be terrorizing the world this time around.
Bringing The Fighting Game Community Together
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Evo has always been a great time to bring the FGC together but it felt like there was a much bigger thrust for it this year. From developer interviews and live audience interactions with Maximillan Dood to fun community events like Sajam’s Beat-A-Pro, it felt like the FGC has never been more open and engaging than this year.
The Birth of a New Evo Moment
There’s just something about Evo that makes competitors shine brighter than ever before. The combination of the stage, the lights, and the crowd just hits players differently. And in those crucial, high pressure moments, that energy can make or break a player.
Fortunately for Hayao, it was his moment to make Evo history. Losers semifinals at match point, playing one of the worst characters in 3rd Strike against one of the best. He was almost out of life but he was not out of options. Evo 2024’s 3rd Strike tournament was a nod to one of the most iconic moments in Evo history. I guess it’s only fitting that a new iconic moment would be born from that same game 20 years later.
Hayao Wins the Hearts of the Evo Crowd
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Of course, that moment wouldn’t have been as spectacular without the antics of the Japanese “Hugo God” himself, Hayao. Relatively unknown outside of the 3rd Strike circles in Japan, Hayao really made a name for himself for not only bringing a low tier character to Evo top six, but also for his boundless and infectious energy.
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The man is 41 years old but he has more life in him than people half his age. Even though he didn’t win the 3rd Strike tournament, he certainly won over the Evo crowd.
Punk’s Emotional Victory
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For Victor “Punk” Woodley, winning Evo was more than just winning a trophy. It was the culmination of years of hard work, setbacks, and improvement. Punk has an inflammatory personality among Street Fighter pros, which is backed up by his actual skill in the game. He is also his own harshest critic, and Evo in particular has been something of a mental block for him.
Some would say that Punk doesn’t need an Evo trophy to prove he’s one of the best Street Fighter players in the world but any competitor knows that a trophy means more than just winning a tournament. You could see it in his face during his winning moment and when he accepted his trophy. Evo 2024 was a well deserved win for Punk and will be one of those moments that will forever define his career.
Banner photo by Evo.
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