The other day, EVO, the largest fighting game tournament in North America and perhaps the world, mentioned it would be hosting an announcement show that would reveal the EVO 2024 lineup. So I figured I’d go ahead and try to guess the EVO 2024 lineup, as I’ve done for EVO events, and pat myself on the back, depending on how close I get.
This year is a bit easier, seeing how several mainstay fighters were retired, paving the way for new ones. While others are so engraved in the fighting game community, they are easy guesses. Though, there still are some dark horses here. Ok, enough chit-chat, let’s get to guessing.
These guesses are likely 100% right on the money.
- Street Fighter 6 (With Street Fighter 5 being retired, this is an easy guess)
- Tekken 8 (With Tekken 7 being retired, this is an easy guess)
- Guilty Gear Strive (While the game is seeing fewer players, it’s still popular)
- Under Night In-Birth 2 [Sys:Celes] (The latest game in the series; expect it to be played)
- Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising (This is the game that’s eating all of GGST players, so expect to see this)
- Dragon Ball FighterZ (this is the new Marvel vs. Capcom 2; it’s always going to be played)
- King of Fighters XV (KoFXV is top-tier KoF, nuff said)
I’m unsure about these; either could be swapped for the final slot.
- Mortal Kombat 1
- Them’s Fightin’ herds
- Melty Blood: Type Lumina
- Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3
There’s no way any of these games are part of the lineup.
- Anything Super Smash Bros.
- Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike
With seven games guessed, I have one more game to guess, and honestly, the harder one out of every other title. Any version of Super Smash Bros. is automatically out unless Sony has convinced Nintendo to allow it. Despite that, fans constantly ask for Super Smash Bros., so maybe anything is possible. Them’s Fightin’ herds has fallen on hard times and had its change, but thanks to… well, issues, it never happened. I’d say Melty Blood: Type Lumina won’t be back, either. I’m certain Mortal Kombat 1 will be hanging on by a thread for various reasons, but the powers that be are trying to convince me that Mortal Kombat 1 will be there.
There’s Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, a game that refuses to die, and the crowd was into the EVO 2023 Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 tourney, so there’s a good chance it may be back. Though…. I’d love to see Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike make a return, but I doubt we’ll see it this year.
That’s my EVO 2024 lineup! I look forward to seeing how close I am to the official EVO 2024 lineup.