EVO

[Nyu Nozomi Hyuga]

Getting Strong Now: The Pros Share Their Training Tips for EVO

Daigo, Combofiend, and Seth Killian on how they prep for the fight game community's most prestigious tournament.

Shhh. I know. You're freaking the hell out because EVO is this weekend. Sure, your plane ticket is ready, your hotel is booked, and that beautiful custom stick of yours is sitting by your suitcase, ready to be your only trusted companion on this pilgrimage to Las Vegas.

But logistics aren't the problem, though. Staring bleary-eyed into that foggy mirror, you're terrified of the contest itself; your muted cries into the night deafening in the silence. "Have I practiced enough?" you ask. "What will the atmosphere be like?" you wonder. "What if I run into Daigo or Xian in the first round of pools?" you shudder.

Worry not, baby birds, for we will feed you. Even though time is certainly running short for your EVO prep, we contacted three luminaries of the fighting game community to drop some sage advice for last minute training, Apollo Creed-style. While hard work and practice will certainly trump sideline advice, a little knowledge from the FGC mountaintop certainly can't hurt (but if you run into the Clubber Langs of Daigo and Xian in early rounds, you still might be on your own).

The Fiend

Peter "ComboFiend" Rosas is a community manager for Capcom, and is the living link between the developer of one of the biggest fighting game franchises in the world and the audience that plays it. Though he doesn't participate in tournaments any longer (he's a company man, after all), he knows his way around a major or two, EVO included.

On training: "I didn't really have a training regime. Any practicing I did was to make up for anything I felt deficient at. For me, it was all about feeling comfortable. I would ask myself whether I could perform what I wanted (combo, rush sequence, anti-air, etc.) at will, and if I could, it meant that I could probably do it in a tournament reliably. Once I felt competent on performing a tactic or combo, I would just play people to make sure what I thought was effective was actually effective. I would also watch videos of others using the same character for possible ideas."

On the jitters of a major tournament: "Nerves are a big part of doing well at tournaments. When I first started in tournaments, my hands would shake from nervousness, which would cause me to miss a lot of things. That in turn would make me angry because I knew I was better than what my performance showed. To solve for that, I began to accept a win as a win, regardless of how I pulled it off and not think of how much better I could've played. I would also look at my right hand and try to reduce the shaking to the same level as when I'm not nervous. That would help to calm me down and keep my mind clear, which allowed me to maintain my game plan in the matches that followed."

"Players should realize they're not going to play as awesome in a tournament as they do in casuals and shouldn't beat themselves up for not doing so. That's a recipe for disaster. If anything, think about what went right (or wrong) during the match, lock it into your memory and go onto the next fight as calmly as possible."

Some last minute tips: "It's all about comfort and being able to reliably pull off what you've been practicing. If you can pull off something with ease (aka difficult combos), work on situations or anti-airs. I'd even recommend finding out a gimmick or two you can pull off. You'd be surprised how fast players unravel when hit with something unexpected. Also, watch videos. It's good to stay up to date on what tactics others are using with the same character or against your character."

The Beast

If you play fighting games, you know Daigo Umehara. Quiet and unassuming if you saw him on the street, Daigo is perhaps the most famous fighting game player in the world, not simply in his native Japan. Best known for his YouTube-sensation Third Strike comeback against Justin Wong at EVO 2004, Daigo exemplifies "cool under pressure," even as his high damage/ high risk style of play earned him the nickname "The Beast." (Note: Answers translated by his business manager).

On the basics: "I don't think there's a set rule [for training], but I believe in basics. Without a solid foundation, you can't build anything on it. If you have any character match or combo you don't feel comfortable with, you go at it until you get it. Then you move on to next on your list of weakness. The consoles are very good at helping you with that. Live matches will be a place where you can apply your practices and learn how to adjust your play to each player style. You will grow each time you match against a live player – but the key is you take each of those practices seriously and reflect on yourself. You have to think."

On confidence: "I think it's unavoidable to feel overwhelmed or nervous at a big tournament, especially at EVO for its scale in number and competitive level. Most people, if not all, do experience that. But your belief in yourself would be your fallback -- the confidence that derives from your hard work. If you can say to yourself that you did your very best, you can override the overwhelming feeling."

On live opponents vs. online (or consoles vs. arcades): "They serve different purposes. Consoles are suitable for drilling each basic move including combos. The arcades are where you apply and try out what you have acquired against in live against live opponents. And you further learn and grow from each game. Certainly you could do that with consoles, the arcades hold a very special place in my heart. There is a distinct air and atmosphere I am fond of."

The High Priest

Just considering his fighting game resume alone, Seth Killian would be an impressive specimen. An early tournament player when fighting games were in their infancy, Killian went on to not only co-found EVO, but also be the first player-turned-employee for Capcom as a mouthpiece for the larger FG scene. Now a producer for Sony Santa Monica, he regularly attends EVO to commentate big matches. Articulate and insightful, when both the player base and the media seek deeper Dragon Punch gestalt, they look to their high priest. They look to Seth Killian.

On major tournaments: "One thing to keep in mind: everyone, from the most seasoned pros to first-time tournament players, gets nervous. It even has a name: "first game jitters." There's only one proven way of overcoming that, which is just exposing yourself to more of it. If you can survive your first match, it will get better, and if you can keep coming back to tournaments, from local to international, it definitely gets better with time. A really good approach is to just have a core basic strategy, and do your best to stick to it. The more you can avoid having to think on the fly, or perform really tricky techniques, the more mental resources you'll have to focus on the match and your opponent's choices. A lot of fighting games really do boil down to the smart allocation of mental resources, so the less you have to think about your game plan, the more you can think about your opponent, which is a really strong position."

On preparation: "Grinding out specific combos is definitely important for some characters, especially as many of the highest damage options can require 1-frame precision. If you go for them and fail, you not only lose the damage you might have done, you're also often open to being punished. This means if you're going to go for a combo, you want to be executing at a very high percentage (not "I did this once in training mode!" but "I can do this with my eyes closed 99% of the time").

If you don't have the fanciest combos down perfectly, that's okay - just stick to what you know you can do under pressure. It's may not be optimal in terms of damage, but it avoids the pitfalls of screwing up, then being angry at yourself for screwing up, etc., which is usually a death-spiral. In tournaments, it's all about playing the percentages. Often you can score wins without doing anything spectacular, and just capitalizing on your opponent's mistakes. This means minimizing your own mistakes is really crucial, so sticking to basics is a legitimate strategy for anything below the very highest levels of competition.

As games evolve, specific matchup knowledge is also extremely important. You need to have at least a basic idea of how to approach every character in the game, or you can lose to easily-avoided tricks. From there, elite players (who know they can beat most other competitors with their basic game plan) often focus their training on studying the tactics of other specific elite players. They'll study their matches to try and spot patterns or weaknesses, take notes, and consult them if they cross paths in the tournament.

Among the best of the best, there's a fair degree of formal, structured training that can look a lot like training for other kinds of competition. You grind combo execution like you'd do drills or practice shooting free throws, play some regular matches (like scrimmaging), and "watch the tape" of other players to pick up new trends and meta-game developments. Daigo Umehara in particular has made a point in recent years to mix in broader physical training a part of his routine, with daily gym visits, which I think is extremely valuable."

On over-thinking it: "Probably the #1 mistake people make at tournaments is to spend time staring at the bracket, carefully scrutinizing who is in your pool, and theorizing about "If I beat so-and-so, and that guy beats that other guy, I'll have to face Famous Guy in the third round!" That kind of stuff burns a ton of mental resources, and makes you worry about things that might not even happen. Playing well requires staying in the moment, and playing well in a tournament requires conserving your mental energy as much as possible. Worrying about a bracket works against you on both of those fronts. You aren't in the moment because you're thinking about multiple possible futures, and you are wasting mental resources you should be preserving for your next match. Put simply, you never need to think further into the future than your next match. Any more than that just doesn't help, and gets in the way of your doing what you need to do, so don't worry about the bracket, and just focus on executing your game plan.

Can you imagine how Frodo would have reacted if you told him in advance everything he'd be up against in his battle against Sauron? He would have freaked out and collapsed under the enormity of the task. Tournaments are similar. If you think about everything you have to do, all the greats you'd have to beat, it can quickly start to seem impossible. Instead, just take things one step at a time. Realize your job is only ever to beat the one guy you are facing next--just one opponent! If you approach competition like this, even world-class challenges like EVO suddenly look less foreign and impossible, and more like what you already do."

Source: usgamer

[Nyu Nozomi Hyuga]

Of Gods and Men: Super Smash Bros. Melee at Evo 2016

In Melee, the words “Evo Champion” are synonymous with”‘Legend,” because only legends have claimed that crown. In fact, only three players have ever raised the Evo trophy: Adam “Armada” Lindgren, Joseph “Mango” Marquez and Ken “Ken” Hoang. Since roaring back onto the stage in 2013, only members of the Five Gods have soaked in that heady acclaim, and even the challengers who fell just short find themselves among the best known names in the game.

It seems that every time Melee players meet in Vegas, great stories are made. Robert “Wobbles” Wright tearing his way to second place in 2013 is one of the most memorable runs in Melee history, and even though he fell short of the grandest prize of them all, he made sure that Melee’s return to the greatest stage was a tough act to follow. Every year since, it has done just that, with matches like Jeffrey “Axe” Williamson against Otto “Silent Wolf” Bisno going down as some of the greatest in Melee’s storied history.

This year is set to be no different, with the incredible tournaments played out in the first half of 2016 setting the scene for one of the biggest, and potentially most interesting, tournaments of all time. With nearly 70 of the top 100 players in the world set to attend, it is one of the densest gatherings of pure Melee skill the game has ever seen, with many of those attending aiming to take down an increasingly shaky set of Melee Gods, who look more mortal than ever before. There is little doubt that there will be new legends born this year, but will they be able to topple the Gods? Or will the Gods prove themselves more than mere man?

A Vulnerable Pantheon

On the approach to Evo, it’s clear that the much vaunted Five Gods are no longer so divine as they once were. None are quite so infallible as they were in years gone by, and though one of Mango, Armada, Juan “Hungrybox” Debiedma or Jason “Mew2King” Zimmerman are still a good bet to win any given tournament, they have all suffered missteps or embarrassing losses over the course of 2016 that suggest that they could fall short this year.

Of course, they’re known as Gods for a reason; they have sustained incredibly high levels for years. These are the players who have proved that no matter how unlikely, they are the ones who will come out on top. If they do so this year, it will be more than business as usual, however. No matter the winner, it will be a hard fought battle and, if it is one of the Gods who is champion, that victory will be a statement of continued holiness against all the odds.

A New Age of Demigods

Only one man, William “Leffen” Hjelte, is the godslayer. His ability to claim sets and tournaments from the Five Gods is nearly unique in the competitive scene, though there are a handful of others–like Wobbles–who have just one more god left to conquer.

Then there are those who are forging their own legacies–not yet able to stand among the pantheon, but more than capable of challenging them. With Leffen out of the picture for a large chunk of 2016, there has been room for new contenders for the title of Godslayer. And though Leffen’s extraordinary performance at Get On My Level in Canada proved that he is one of a kind, players like Justin “Plup” McGrath have proved that they cannot be overlooked.

Time and again this year it has seemed that a tournament has been in Plup’s hands, only for it to slip away. It seemed that he was well on the way to breaking that stigma at the second Smash Summit, only for Mango to clutch his way to giving Plup yet more heartbreak. It’s easy to imagine that, if a few crux matches had gone his way, 2016 could be the year of the Plup, and now it almost feels like the Evo stage has been set perfectly for him, with the Gods of Melee more mortal than ever. It’s not too late to make 2016 his year, and a good run at Evo could make for a major trophy in Plup’s hands at last.

Hoping to stand in his way will be Axe, who seems to come alive at Evo. After making top 8 at the last two Evos, Axe will have his eyes on going a step further this year. Narrowly escaping the fate of being unseeded thanks to EG|PPMD’s withdrawal from the event, Axe can now focus fully on the task at hand: beating Gods and mortals alike and taking home the Evo 2016 crown. To that end he has finally begun to relax his unflinching dedication to his Pikachu main, flashing an incredibly fast and technical Falco at several tournaments this year. It may well be enough for him to leap that last hurdle.

The gap between Gods and mere Man is smaller than ever before, as players just a step or two short of divinity use each other as launching pads to push ever nearer the top of the mountain. We’ve seen Joey “Lucky” Aldama and Justin “Wizzrobe” Hallett fall just short of the podium this year already; will they be able to take the last great leaps and challenge for the title of Evo Champion? Or will one of their contemporaries–the likes of Weston “Westballz” Dennis, Zachary “SFAT” Cordoni, Lucky, Edgard “n0ne” Sheleby, or a half dozen others–be the one to take that leap? One thing is for sure: Leffen will have the bit between his teeth on his return to American soil and no doubt plans to leave slain Gods in his wake.

The Year is 20IC

There’s a common joke in the Melee community about the Ice Climbers. The gist of it is that, at National level tournaments, there is almost invariably a token Ice Climbers in the top 8. It’s tongue in cheek, but it’s also an acknowledgement that in a game of such slender margins, the Ice Climbers and their nearly unique ability to instantly remove a stock are incredibly dangerous. It’s also true of Melee since its return to the Evo stage in 2013; after Wobbles took second, Jeremy “Fly Amanita” Westfahl and Daniel “Chudat” Rodriguez claimed 7th in consecutive years to keep the streak alive.

Yet, despite some brilliant performances and being able to lay claim to some of the most cerebral players in the scene, the Ice Climbers have never claimed victory in a major. Most of this is down to some incredibly tough matchups. Peach is a popular character that the Icies have a really hard time pinning down, for example, and when you’ve got to get past a certain Swedish God to win a major, that’s a big problem. Yet, Wobbles has come agonizingly close, and other Ice Climbers have fallen just short.

Evo this year could be the best chance to change that statistic, as it’s set to feature some of the best Ice Climbers in the world. Wobbles might be the most recognizable name–especially when it comes to Evo–but he will be joined in Vegas by Fly Amanita, Chudat, Kyle “DizzKidBoogie” Athayde, Michael “Nintendude” Brancato and Jason “Infinite Numbers” Gauthier. Each of them are known for their unique styles–watching DizzKidBoogie and Fly Amanita is as different an experience as you can get without changing characters–but this time they all have something in common. They are all going be gunning to make their mark as the first Ice Climbers player to raise a major trophy.

The Stage is Set for a Breakout–or a Handful of Upsets!

As is customary at Evo, only the top 32 is seeded, which means that in a packed field like this there is every chance that there is going to be a couple of serious upsets. With almost 70 of the Melee It On Me top 100 confirmed to be present, there will be more ranked players unseeded than there will be seeded, which no doubt means we are going to see some serious matches in even the earliest stages of the competition.

2016 has already seen one major breakout performance, when Infinite Numbers made good on his name and wobbled opponents into oblivion on his way to 9th place at Pound 6. He came out of nowhere with a brand new main, and with Evo 2016 already giving the aura of an event where anything could happen, there’s every chance that we might see another such performance from another relatively unknown player.

We might even get the chance to see an old hand in resurgence; someone like Ken, the fabled Marth player, or Fly Amanita, who has been on hiatus, may just be inspired by the luster that Evo gives off and give us a glimpse of the days of Melee past.

15 Years Old, but Evo This Year Could Redefine the State of Melee

In short, Melee at Evo 2016 is a tournament that is already bursting at the seams without a game yet played. Mango, Armada, Hungrybox and Mew2King may be among the best that have ever played the game, but that is far from a guarantee at Evo glory. They will have to fight off a veritable battalion of challengers, some of whom have already had a taste of divine blood and are hungry for more.

2016 has thus far been the year of the Hungrybox; he has been dominant throughout and, in losing to Wizzrobe at WTFox, suffered his very first loss against a player ranked below #5 all year. Recently he hasn’t been quite so assertive, but with all his efforts focused on being the next God to chisel “Evo Champion” onto his resume, he will no doubt be a force to be reckoned with. The other Gods, shaken though they may be, have also shown signs of returning to form just in time for the big event; Mew2King, with the backing of Echo Fox, is once again a consistent threat in any Smash Bros. game he picks up a controller for, and Armada, despite struggling with illness, is once again approaching his dominant best.

Evo 2016 could well prove to be an event that defines the current state of Melee. Will the pantheon stand firm? Might vanquished legends come back to life? Or can the challengers to the deities mark out their own measure of lore?

Will the status quo remain unchanged, or can a game celebrating it’s 15th birthday redefine itself once again? One way or another, at Evo 2016, we will find out.

Source: shoryuken

[The Big Daddy C-Master]

Do you utilize any of these tips when you play?

[Nyu Nozomi Hyuga]

MASTERCUP EVO 2016 Tekken 7 FR Public Viewing Event On July 16

We are just a single week away before EVO 2016! With the announcement of TEKKEN 7 Fated Retribution being a main game in the EVO line-up, MASTERCUP has come forward to organise a 'Public Viewing' event on July 16 (Saturday) in Fukuoka prefecture within Japan's south. The location for this event is at the luxurious Manon Lescaut Cafe and will be set-up so that attendees will be able to come in; play any of the Tekken games on the set-ups, enjoy the fine dining menu and come together to watch all the action and excitement from EVO 2016 on the big screen. There is going to be a lot of TEKKEN action taking place and it will all be broadcasted live with famed MASTERCUP commentator Genya present to commentate the stream. If you happen to be in the area, come on down and enjoy TEKKEN at EVO with friends!

MASTERCUP EVO 2016 PUBLIC VIEWING ≫ mastercupofficial.com/14614

▌MASTERCUP EVO2016 PV
￣ ￣ ￣ ￣ ￣ ￣ ￣ ￣ ￣ ￣ ￣ ￣ ￣ ￣ ￣ ￣ ￣ ￣ ￣ ￣ ￣

[Date & Time] Saturday - 16th of July, 2016 at 11 PM ~ 12PM (Next day until EVO 2016 Tekken 7 FR is finished)

[Venue] Cafe Manon Lescaut www.cafemanonlescaut.com/

[Address] Google Maps URL: goo.gl/maps/diaikY8JpTS2

[Available Games] Arcade TEKKEN 7 Fated Retribution - Console Tekken Series Games

[Commentary] Genya (@genya1107)

[Admission] 2,000 Yen

[Activities] Watching EVO2016 Tekken 7 Fated Retribution. Set-ups are available for other games to freely play on (Prior Registration necessary)

[Participants] 30 People pre-entry

[Food / Drink] "Bring your own food" not allowed. Please enjoy the Cafe Manon Lescaut menu.

[Schedule] (Japan time)

23:00　--　Event Start - Accepting Admissions & Commence Tekken 7 FR Stream
01:00　--　Mini Tekken 7 Fated Retribution Tournament and other planned activities
07:00　--　Minors allowed to enter
12:00　-- End Time of EVO 2016's TEKKEN 7 Fated Retribution event.

Source: avoidingthepuddle

[Nyu Nozomi Hyuga]

A Preview of Competition to Come: Evo 2016’s Pokkén Tournament Players, Characters, and More

Evo’s Pokkén Tournament competition is shaping up to be hotly contested. It’s the most entered non-SF and non-Smash game with over 1000 entrants registered from across the globe, and the meta is new and flexible enough that anything can happen. It’s incredibly risky to guess or gamble on this game, but let’s look through some data to try and make sense of what we’ll see at Evo.

The Current Character Meta

We now have enough majors under our belts that, even without a proper tier list, we can definitely say which characters are most commonly seen. Burnside has put together some excellent graphs of character usage at Pokkén Nationals and CEO, for example, and we can see some trends.

Regardless of where you are in the brackets, you’re going to see a lot of Mewtwos, Shadow Mewtwos, Chandelures, Sceptiles, and Suicunes. The matchups of these characters tend to really be shaping the tournament landscape right now.

The Two MewTwos

Though nerfed in the most recent patch, Mewtwo and Edgy Mewtwo sit comfortably on the throne of Pokkén character selection. These high-damage, option-heavy characters fear very little and have a tons of representation. Shadow Mewtwo’s numbers may drop off come Evo time, however–not only was this glass cannon hit a lot harder with a nerf than his sturdier brother, but his place at the top has been getting more and more exposed in some recent high-profile tourney matches.

xhttps://www.twitch.tv/pokkentournament/v/74444989?t=12h34m02s

Chandelure and Suicune

These two are the primary zoners in tournaments, and probably the two most common non-Mewtwo(s) selections you will see. If you can’t get around a fireball in Street Fighter, you’re probably not getting around a laser in Pokkén, and that fact alone will shave at least a handful of the 1000+ entrants out of the race for the top. It doesn’t hurt that two of the best players in the business–newly-crowned US Champ Suicune Master and Chandelure expert CatFight–are repping these characters.

xhttps://www.twitch.tv/pokkentournament/v/75791687?t=10h13m

Sceptile

Sceptile can be simply explained as a trap character, zipping in and out of battle, playing footsies, and scattering stun-causing, health-sapping plants across the field. Though he’s probably seen less than some of the others from the top overall (mostly bolstered by representation from BIM? And TeeJay), he can easily steamroll over players that still haven’t figured out the way he controls the pace of the match. His skill cap on his techy combos probably prevents him from having the same representation as those listed above, but with a mega-evolution that grants him some of the strongest throws and combos in the game, don’t sleep on him in any matchup.

Wild Cards

Lately, there’s been some heat in the brackets from the fire starters in the game. Blaziken’s simple, safe, matchup-defining Flare Blitz has started to wreak havoc in tournaments recently, as seen with BadIntent’s defeat of TLoc at WNF. Charizard, thanks to representation from Cyberman65 primarily, has started to place better and better as well. Both characters seem to have favorable matchups to the recently-nerfed Shadow Mewtwo, which certainly doesn’t hurt their chances of success.

Japan’s best players also play wildly underrepresented characters here in the states–the space-consuming Braixen and the Gief-style grappler Machamp. Their matches in particular will be exciting to see versus American players.

Though Pokkén is generally seen as being an incredibly balanced game with no weak characters thus far, there is certainly an established character meta. Pay close attention to anyone not playing one of the characters above, and see if they reveal any tricks that shift the paradigm.

A Quick Support Guide

Assists make up a fundamental part of the meta in Pokkén, so it helps to have a brief look at some of what you’ll be seeing.

Croagunk and Sylveon: This set went from rarely seen to meta-defining literally overnight. Croagunk received a massive buff in the latest patch that causes his attack to remove recoverable health on block. Given its versatility and ability to setup a perimeter for its user, Croagunk alone makes the set worth picking. The defense debuff is nice, too. Suicune Master has started repping this set, but he’s certainly not alone. Teejay and BIM? also have been using this set in tourney, and surely, many others will too, if CEO is any indication.

Mismagius and Ninetails: Mismagius’s lingering attack hitbox allows for amazing lockdown and unblockable setups, and the invincibile, attack debuffing Ninetails is arguably the ultimate get-off-me option in Pokkén. This set gives Charizard users nearly broken amounts of unblockables on wakeup with their air-grabbing command grab, and Cat Fight has been known to use Mismagius in Chandelure’s zoning.

Espeon and Umbreon: A different Chandelure, Abadango, reps this set. Espeon is a get-off-me wake up similar to Ninetails, but trades the attack debuff for synergy absorption. More importantly, Espeon cures debuffs, effectively giving Chandelure a semi-free Overheat.

Snivy and Lapras: Snivy hits anti-air and has armor, Lapras is anti-horizontal and absorbs projectiles. DreamHack Summer winner Bolimar has used the latter fairly effectively to chase down zoners.

Emolga and Fennekin: Emolga is the anti-counter attack set with its nearly full-screen armor piercing bolt, and coupled with a speed debuff, it’s a valuable and common anti-zoner set. Fennekin was a popular invincible wake up attack at one point in time, but has dropped somewhat out of the meta since more players have discovered how to effectively bait and punish it. Coach Steve uses Emolga on reaction as a get in method with his rushdown Garchomp.

Reshiram and Cresselia: Prior to their nerfs, this was the best set in the game. Reshiram does tons of guard damage and punishes most full-screen actions on reaction for lots of damage, and Cresselia provides a huge synergy burst. While still used by many players, perhaps most notably Yeah It Do!, Reshiram lost some damage and Cresselia lost some random invincibile frames that it perhaps should have never had in the first place. These nerfs, particularly the Cresselia nerf, almost completely killed its spot in the meta.

Jirachi and Whimsicott: A curious set that’s worth noting purely as the set of choice for JP Machamp star Azazel. Whimsicott gives the player temporary projectile armor against weak projectiles, obviously making it a lot easier for Azazel’s grappler ‘mon to get in. Jirachi is also useful for its ability to make synergy mode stronger.

The Players To Look For

SuicuneMaster, BIM?, Swillo

South Florida could make the claim they are the strongest players in the world, and considering how well-traveled they are, it would be hard to argue. BIM? and Suicune Master are both major tournament winners (DreamHack Austin and Seattle for BIM?, CEO for Suicune Master), Swillo consistently places in the top of any tournament he enters, and Suicune Master himself was just recently crowned the US Champ. Though these are the biggest names from their scene, they didn’t get this good in a bubble–ZERK, Omagma, Kino and many more all play regularly at VSGC, and the competition is always high-level.

xhttps://www.twitch.tv/vsgc

CatFight and Coach Steve

These New Yorkers have proven to be among the best not just in the north, but in the world. Apex Champion CatFight is one of Pokkén’s most recognizable faces, seemingly present at every event and working hard continually to improve his cerebal zoning style. By contrast, Street Fighter and Marvel vet Coach Steve has been rushing down the competition with brutal, split second 50/50s, bringing his vortex knowledge from other games into the forefront. Both have served as gatekeepers to Japanese players at CEO, and both have been kept just shy of the gold by South Florida players.

T-Loc and BadIntent

T-Loc and BadIntent, SoCal and NorCal respectively, have been incredibly strong players repping their individual scenes across the country. T-Loc has run and won most Wednesday Night Fight events, until recently when BadIntent’s Blaziken burned him up in a 6-0 comeback in grand finals. There’s been murmurs that Shadow Mewtwo just isn’t the top tier king anymore, but T-Loc seems intent to see him through to Evo… for now.

Obscure

Obscure has been anything but–the man has been placing top 8 at basically every single Pokkén event he’s entered since the game came out, including the day-after-release of Final Round. Given his 3rd place finish at CEO, it doesn’t seem like he’s going to be going away anytime soon. Originally a Mewtwo main, he’s recently added Suicune to his roster and comfortably alternates between each in tourney. He was the first person to dominate Abadango at CEO, and given how well-traveled he is, it’s hard to think of many other people more ready for the new playstyles coming over to the states at Evo.

Teejay

An up-and-coming dominating Sceptile, Teejay has also shown a penchant for using a variety of support sets, seemingly ready to adapt to any player or character he may be up against. He won Momocon and got 2nd at CEO, and if his most recent interview at PokkénArena is any indication, he’s hungry for more. Some are making the argument that he’s the best Sceptile around now, post-CEO, but with competition like BIM? and with a prize as handsome as Evo’s, the truest test is still on the horizon.

pokkenarena.boards.net/thread/1715/pokk-narenas-player-spotlight-teejay

Japan

Team Japan is slated to come out in full force, and thanks to the publicity of FujiONE’s televised event and the efforts of Shi_Gaming, we don’t have to guess too much on who will be showing up and what their capabilities are. In fact, we really don’t have to guess at all. Thanks to PokkénArena Mod Milin’s efforts in Twitter hunting and communicating with famed Japanese Gengar Sasahune, we have a working list of some exciting names:

pokkenarena.boards.net/thread/1604/japanese-evo-squad

殿様 Tonosama: The winner of FujiONE’s televised event and argubly Japan’s premiere talent. He is best known for his highly streamlined and smart Braixen–a character that America has, for whatever reason, largely ignored. Given his reputation and footage, there is a certain air that Evo is his event to lose.

Azazel: If there is a player that is most likely to shred through all of the US’s defenses, it’s Azazel. He is frequently in Japan’s grand finals and he plays Machamp, a Zangeif-style grappler that almost no one in the world has good matchup experience against.

小路KOG: This is the famous SFII T-Hawk player!

あばだんご: Abadango, currently wrecking in Smash 4, has also made a name for himself by recently making top 8 in the states with Chandelure.

こもりきり: Komorikiri, another one of Japan’s Smash 4 Gods–turns out he plays Pokkén too!

GO1: It’s GO1. SFV and Pokkén players know him quite well at this point. He won Final Round, but was kept out of top 16 at CEO. He is likely looking to get revenge versus CatFight and Cyberman65.

And, of course, this is just what’s known. With 1000+ entrants, a developing meta, and a wildly new way of playing fighting games, Pokkén could very well be the most unpredictable game at Evo.

Source: shoryuken

[Nyu Nozomi Hyuga]

PND Ketchup and Mustard Discuss Balrog and Ibuki’s Legality in Street Fighter V at Evo 2016

With the big announcement of both Ibuki and Balrog being legal to play at this year’s Evo, a lot of people have been discussing whether this decision is necessarily a good idea. Historically, characters that have been released so close to Evo have usually been banned from usage during the tournament, just in case players discovered game-breaking tech that would ruin the spirit of the competition. However, other players argue that realistically, if you aren’t good enough to beat someone’s 2-week-old Balrog when you’ve had since February to finely hone your Ryu or Nash, you’re probably not destined to go that far at Evo.

Eager to weigh in on the topic, PND’s Ketchup and Mustard have made a short discussion video on ESL UK, going over the pros and cons of both sides of the legality argument. They bring up examples of character loyalists like Evil Geniuses’ PR Balrog finally being able to play their long standing mains with the release of these two fighters, along with the previously mentioned issue of veterans of the game not being able to beat a character that’s only been out for 2 weeks.

Having these new characters playable at Evo is also a great marketing strategy, as it allows the best of the best to show off what these fighters can do and may sway a couple of on the fence fans to buy Street Fighter V. However, there could also be a problem if there is a notable glitch or exploit that sees abuse at the event, like Ibuki’s period of invincibility after a whiffed air throw. Luckily, Capcom have stated they are fixing the air throw glitch as soon as possible, but it is unknown whether this will come into effect before Evo.

Source: shoryuken

[Nyu Nozomi Hyuga]

Low Tiers and High Rollers: Super Smash Bros. for Wii U at Evo 2016

With WTFox 2 signalling the final big tournament ahead of Evo 2016, it’s now time for everyone to make their predictions and place their bets before the big tournament weekend that lies just around the corner. For other games, this may be fairly easy, but if the past few tournaments have taught us anything about Smash 4, there are absolutely no guarantees of placing high. CEO was a prime example of just how volatile Smash 4 can be and with Evo only seeding top 32 and pools being even larger than the ones at CEO, expect to see many more top players drowning and sleeper picks charging on through to top 128.

However, we’re getting ahead of ourselves here. Between Evo 2015 and 2016, Smash 4’s meta has changed drastically, thanks to the addition of new characters, new techs and players starting to master the engine to create high speed and high damage combos. Of course, Smash 4 will always be behind its energetic older brother but the general pace of matches has increased overall, bar a few matchups which send everyone to sleep. This speed increase has been aided by the abandoning of custom moves, which was a major point of contention surrounding last year’s Evo, with many top players complaining about these moves overcentralising the meta and making the mid-levels of play a question of who picks the most broken custom character set. Luckily, the reign of Wind Kongs and Trip Sapling Villagers is over, with customs being dropped unanimously after last year’s Evo, never to return to competitive play again. Twitch chats everywhere will probably breathe a sigh of relief at not having to watch a Villager ditto where both players camp behind a sapling and wait for the other to run in and trip up.

Speaking of reigns being over, Evo 2016 is taking place after TSM|ZeRo’s tournament dominance has ended and competition has widened massively. As mentioned earlier, the last couple of tournaments have shown just how inconsistent Smash 4 is as a whole, with top 10 ranked players not even making it to top 64 while hidden regional bosses are able to take down those who are tipped to be the next big thing. While we do finally have a global ranking in the form of the Panda Global Rankings, it will be very much a relic of a bygone time after Evo. Everything is currently in flux among the top 25, with players like Zinoto having breakout performances and surging up the rankings while players like ZeRo have to contend with the rest of the pack finally challenging him after a year of being uncontested. Rather than having our ‘Gods’ or whatever Smash 4’s equivalent is, the top level of players has only increased, as more and more people are being able to compete with the upper echelons of Smash 4, which makes every tournament so exciting as anyone could come out of the shadows and deliver that deathblow to knock a top flight player out of the whole competition. Moreover, anyone who is anyone will be attending Evo, making those pools absolutely full of potential sharks and future champions. No one can afford to be complacent, especially with the incredibly wacky seeding that’s currently in place at time of writing, which places someone like Ally down at 31st position and has players like Tweek and Larry Lurr facing off in round 1 of pools.

Similar to actual player rankings being in flux, the current character ranking in Smash 4 is up for as much debate. If you have had any real contact with the Smash community as a whole, you know we love our tier lists, but at present, no one can really decide on who are the top 5 or top 10 characters in the game. This is mainly thanks to the DLC fighters like Cloud and Ryu who were either not allowed in the tournament or were added after Evo 2015 and proved to be some of the most powerful combatants on the roster, shaking up the established order and knocking some characters down the list. Combined with patches which have nerfed characters like Sheik and Bayonetta (who had her 2 tournaments of fame) or buffed less popular fighters like DK and Ike, it’s impossible to give a definitive tier list. People are also reconsidering top tiers that were previously dominating like Zero Suit Samus, despite many of these characters featuring somewhere in top 16 at almost every tournament. There are so many viable characters in Smash 4 and match up knowledge seems to be the weak point of many top players, so low tier heroes do have the chance to do well if they run up against a top player who simply does not know what someone does. CEO was a clear example of that, with Bowser Jrs and Palutenas being able to take on Diddys and Ryus to cause huge upsets. Having a roster of about 2 or 3 characters to use seems to be the way forward at the high levels of play, as seen with players like ANTi, Dabuz and Abadango having secondaries or pocket characters to call upon in times of strife but character specialists have been doing equally well, as seen with Zinoto, Mr-R and Hyuga making high placings using a single character. This year’s top 8 will be incredibly interesting, seeing if the noted counterpickers place higher than those who are dedicated to a single character.

Just looking back at the top 8 from last year’s event, my prediction is that only 4 of the players present there will actually make it back for this year’s finals, based on current results. So much has changed in a short space of time that I could quite easily reorder top 25 and still miss out some players that could reach that level of the tournament. Seeing as this is the case and most of you reading this know about players like ZeRo, Ally, Nairo and Dabuz, I’m going to list 8 players who didn’t appear in last year’s top 25 but could quite easily make it this year. 4 of them will be American players and 4 of them will be Japanese, seeing as Japan are really bringing out the big guns to take the Evo crown this year. All of the following players have the potential to go far, so keep your eyes peeled and maybe put them on your fantasy bracket if you’ve got a spot spare.

www.ssbwiki.com/EVO_2015

7SeS|Saj (USA) – Last of the Umbra Witches

After the lauded 1.1.6 nerf which focused only on Bayonetta, it was expected that many players would drop the character and switch back to their previous main or join the growing army of Cloud players. Some players did stay the course though, learning that even after the nerf, the Umbra Witch was still a force to be reckoned with. One such player is Saj, a Bayonetta and Peach main from Florida who has been placing regularly in top 16 of majors like Pound and CEO, even with a nerfed Bayonetta. On his CEO run, Saj was able to beat Nietono, DJ Jack, ESAM and Jtails before falling to False, just before reaching top 8. His Peach is no slouch either, defeating ANTi at Smash the Record 2015 and achieving 7th place. For his efforts, he was recently sponsored by Seven Seas eSports, allowing him to fly out to Evo and to represent Bayonetta at the biggest Smash 4 tournament in history.

Kamemushi (Japan) – The Super Fighting Robot

In contention for the world’s best Megaman, Kamemushi is one of Japan’s heavy hitters, regularly placing within top 8s of most tournaments he attends and currently ranked number 1 on the Umebura Power Rankings for Smash 4. After winning KSB 2016, defeating the likes of Komorikiri, Nasubi and 9B, Kamemushi won a trip to an American Smash tournament of his choice and of course, he picked Evo 2016 to show his Megaman off to the world. His next tournament win at Umebura 23 displayed his confidence, stating that he would win Evo just like he did Umebura. Kamemushi’s overconfidence can be his own worst enemy though, as he then went out at 97th place after sandbagging with random characters at Sumabato 11. He did go on to win the Amateur bracket mind you, only going Megaman during grand finals to please the stream. His Megaman is infamous for its Z-Drop Metal Blade shenanigans, which shred opponents’ shields and lead into devastating jab lock kill setups. His style of Megaman is different to ScAtt, who is known for its solid defense, using Leaf Shield to edgeguard opponents and slowly build up damage with the Mega Buster. This different style of Megaman, along with Kamemushi’s cockiness could lead to some interesting matches during pools and I would not be surprised if this robot makes its way to top 8.

Wrath (USA) – Sonic’s the Name, Patience’s my Game

For a character known for their speed, Sonic is infamous in Smash 4 for slowing the pace of a game to an absolute crawl when played defensively. The current pioneer of the defensive Sonic is Wrath, a 14-year-old player from Georgia who has been taking names and causing a fair amount of stream rage at recent tournaments. Getting his start in tournaments around Georgia and being a regular player and high placer on SmashLadder, Wrath rose to prominence after a stellar performance at Momocon, defeating Ally and best Bowser LordMix to eventually get 3rd place. He then made 13th place at CEO, defeating C3PO and even taking a game off ZeRo in his losers run, before being dispatched by the current number 1. While his Sonic may not be to everyone’s taste, Wrath is clearly playing to win, and if his defensive Sonic does the job, it’s up to the rest of the world to learn how to deal with a shielding hedgehog. Out of the Sonics attending Evo, which includes both notable Japanese Sonics KEN and Komoriki, it will be a sight to see how Wrath’s Sonic stacks up against others spin dashing their way to Las Vegas.

DNG|Nietono (Japan) – The Travelling Monk(ey)

As opposed to other Japanese players who have been practicing for Evo back home, Nietono and doubles partner Umeki have been travelling around the USA in the last month or so, training up against American players in readiness for Evo. Japan is a region known for its inconsistency whenever it travels westward but like fellow world traveller Abadango, Nietono seems to be finally warming up to the US metagame and placing high in both Japan and America. At the last 3 Umeburas he attended, Nietono placed 3rd each time; he followed up this feat by placing 3rd at APEX 2016, defeating Tweek, Marss and Mew2King before losing to CLG|VoiD in Losers Finals. Clearly having an affinity for the number 3, Nietono placed 13th at CEO, defeating fellow teammate Umeki, as well as Master Raven and TheReflexWonder before losing to Saj in a very close 3-2 set. While the days of the Hoo-Hah may be behind us, Nietono’s dominating stage control with the banana make it very hard to mount a defense against his Diddy, should he gain the momentum.

PG|Trela (USA) – The World Warrior

While his performance at CEO looked more like Dan rather than Ryu, Trela should not be counted out in the run up to Evo. If anything, his failure to make bracket has only inspired the Texan Ryu to fight harder and learn those tricky matchups that caused him so much trouble last time. Despite all that, Trela’s resume should not be overlooked, placing 1st at the last 3 tournaments he entered before CEO and defeating top players like CLG|VoiD, FOW, eLevate’s Larry Lurr and Vinnie to name but a few. His recent posts about improving on Facebook and Reddit show that this world warrior wants his home state to improve too, so expect a determined Ryu to be taking the stage on Evo weekend.

https://www.reddit.com/r/smashbros/comments/4qy19a/trela_posted_this_to_his_local_fb_group/

HIKARU (Japan) – The Smash Sumo

A crowd favourite from Japan, HIKARU hopes to win one for heavy players everywhere, through his use of grapplers DK and Bowser. His DK is no slouch, coming 3rd at Sumabato 10, outplacing players like Komorikiri and Shimitake, while defeating notable Wario Natsubi on his way to 3rd. His Bowser is equally as formidable, covering certain matchups with the King of the Jungle just can’t deal with. I’d love to see an exhibition between DKWill and HIKARU for the title of best Donkey Kong in the world. Either way, I hope HIKARU puts on a show for us heavy players and gains some more fans over the course of Evo 2016.

dT|ANTi (USA) – Counterpicking Champion

And now to the two big contenders out of this group of 8. Starting off with the US hopeful, we have Dream Team’s ANTi, fresh off his victory at CEO and ready to ride the momentum all the way to Evo top 8. Known mainly for his Mario but having a Diddy, a Zero Suit Samus, a Rosalina and a Cloud to bring to bear whenever he needs to, ANTi is ready for almost any matchup that someone could throw at him. Much like fellow teammate Dabuz who just took first place at WTFox 2, his sponsorship has only improved his play and increased his drive to win, with his sights being firmly set on the Evo title. However, he has been causing some friction with other Smashers as of late, most notably with fellow Mario main and Twitter monster Ally, who had some choice words about ANTi’s recent behaviour at CEO. Whatever the situation between the two, it should make for some interesting viewing should they meet in bracket during Evo. You might want to have Twitter ready after the fact.

Ranai (Japan) – Murabito Master

The sleeping giant of Japan, many were reminded of Ranai’s attendance at this year’s Evo after Komorikiri stated he was teaming with him during the doubles side event. He has been in semi-retirement as of late, choosing to focus more on Street Fighter V rather than Smash 4 and his results show this, placing 9th at Shots Fired 2 and KSB 2016. Having said that, Ranai has not competed in a tournament since April so we have no clue if the man has been in the training room practicing his Villager or his Ryu. He is the great unknown out of the Japanese contingent attending Evo, as he could perform like he did at Genesis 3 or he could buster out due to his inactivity, especially since the meta is growing so rapidly. Even so, Villager is a character that is rarely seen in top 32s of most nationals, so matchup inexperience could still carry Ranai to that top 8 spot. Who knows, we could see him in Street Fighter V’s top 32 instead.

Source: shoryuken

[Nyu Nozomi Hyuga]

Japan vs. the World: Who Will Rock in Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR- at Evo 2016?

When it comes to Guilty Gear, the Evolution Championship Series is not just a test to see which player outshines the rest; it’s also a reunion of sorts. Though the distance between the island of Japan and North America hasn’t shrunk at all, maybe the same can’t be said about the skill gap. Will the Japanese triumph once again at the Las Vegas crowning tournament, or will a player from another country upset their dominance and earn worldwide respect?

Usually, console releases lag far behind the arcade, which gives Japanese competitors an innate advantage. Arc System Works slightly changed this flow with an “early access” PlayStation 4 demo of Guilty Gear Xrd -REVELATOR-. While even that extra month or so is not that meaningful of a timeframe, it at least gave valuable preparation time for new characters like Johnny, Jack-O’, and Jam. Raven and Kum Haehyun, the two console-exclusive entrants, will also have a chance to display their tech. -REVELATOR- has been out in arcades since August 2015, though other than a few system changes, there aren’t drastic modifications to the cast. It’s not like Dizzy is coming out right before Evo, right (ahem, Street Fighter V)?

Moreso than the demo, in other ways, there’s been more communication than before between the two scenes. Thanks to MajinObama, we have English commentary on premiere exhibitions streamed by Joniosan. GodsGarden regularly streams on YouTube, usually showcasing top players like Machabo, who frequently explain how to beat certain characters. Short of an actual “Fighting Game Player Wiki,” which Japanese players actually have, it’s easier than ever for international fighters to find resources and communicate thanks to services like Twitter and Discord.

So Who’s Coming?

An online resource lists 87 Japanese players (Gear players are marked with ギル) confirmed for Evolution. Two notable names that are not on the list are Karinchu and Ain. As MajinObama stated during an interview with Shoryuken, work and other life reasons can get in the way of traveling abroad, even if it’s for a tournament as important as Evo.

Jonio, Samitto, Machabo, Rion, Nage, Kazunoko, Nakamura, Koichi, and FAB are probably the more famous names on the list.

FAB is a legendary Potemkin player, and watching him bury unprepared players should provide some of the most hype at this year’s Evo. Potemkin is a rare breed, so that’s all the more to FAB’s advantage, not to mention frame-perfect execution and other miracles he performs on a regular basis. It’s also worth keeping an eye out on 310, a Venom player known for crazy setups.

The players who are tying up with characters considered particularly strong, like Sin and Johnny, are Dogura, Machabo, and Jonio. Machabo in particular presents himself as a potential winner, though it was Dogura who had the opportunity to gain experience at Community Effort Orlando 2016, the biggest US event leading up to Evo. HM|Dogura not only triumphed but started to use Johnny in addition to Sin, a monstrous combination. On a more intriguing note, GGP|Kazunoko fought against him as Raven. Raven’s had a short run since he’s a console exclusive character, so Evo will be a stage that helps players decide their thoughts on the immortal masochist.

Can’t forget about Ogawa, the winner of the last year’s Evolution. No Woshige this time, however.

What about the players from other countries and the US?

While the Japanese players dominated CEO, that event and Combo Breaker 2016 point to some standouts, most notably Kid Viper (Johnny), PAG|Lost Soul (Elphelt), Faulty Defense (Sin), and PG|MarlinPie (Zato-1). Those players also happen to use very strong characters in the game, so the odds are in their favor in many matchups.

Lost Soul had an amazing set against MarlinPie at Combo Breaker, which definitely contributed to the Japanese players’ recognition of Lost Soul, who set up a Wiki page for him. Elphelt has a terrifying reputation in the States, and interestingly, it’s not quite the same in Japan. Perhaps Lost Soul will change that even more with this tournament. Faulty Defense also fought Kid Viper at that tournament.

@kid Viper vs Faulty Defense

3:14:41

@lost Soul vs MarlinPie

4:27:35

Reunion

Obviously, there are many more great players from US, Canada, Colombia, and Korea, among other countries. While the above listed can be seen as “favorites,” there’s certainly room for surprises. Upsets can come from a lesser-known player, a new console character like Raven, or a fighter considered less powerful. Heck, FAB has good chances of getting far despite using a character easily killable by Sin. What’s going to be exciting to see is a check of skill between Japan and the rest of the world. This event is going to tell us a lot about how far apart the scenes are.

Furthermore, the highest placing North American player qualifies to play at Toushinsai 2016, a Fall tournament in Japan. Aksys Games will also run a separate Toushinsai Qualifier tournament, so two people have a chance to step up.

www.aksysgames.com/2016/07/06/toushinsai-qualifiers-update-02/

Source: shoryuken

[Nyu Nozomi Hyuga]

Exclusive Seimitsu x Arcade Shock Massage Ball Top Coming to Evo 2016

Arcade Shock is no stranger to collaborations with Japanese arcade part manufacturers on special limited edition items. This time, they’ve teamed up with Seimitsu for a very special, limited edition ball top.

The Seimitsu x Arcade Shock “Massage” ball top is unique in that it features a set of dimples that are supposed to help alleviate stress on the player’s palm. Each ball top takes 4 to 5 hours to make via 3D printing since traditional molding is unable to perfectly create the massage dimples. The surface of the ball top is hand washed and smoothed with no paint or chemical coating applied.

Only 60 of these will be made, 30 of which will be available exclusively at Arcade Shock’s booth at Evo 2016. The remaining 30 will then be made available for purchase online at a later date.

Source: shoryuken

[Nyu Nozomi Hyuga]

Vegas Lan to Host 3rd Annual Pre-Evo Tournament

Going to be in Vegas early? Press Start Gaming Center is hosting their 3rd Annual PSG Classic on the 2 days prior to Evo. Now at their new location, PSG is just four short miles from the Westgate at 1550 E Tropicana Ave Ste 7.

www.psglv.com/

The events will be held over 2 days with Wednesday being Super Smash Bros. Melee and Super Smash Bros. 4, and Thursday being Street Fighter V, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3, Killer Instinct, and Mortal Kombat XL. Registration for both days starts at 5 PM, and the tournaments will start at 7 PM. If you’re in town early trying to get in last-minute games and looking to size up the competition for Evo, this will be worth checking out.

The shopping center is also home to A Gamer’s Paradise, a retro game, arcade and repair center that is bringing arcade cabinets to Evo this year; T-Zero, an anime shop that is having their grand opening that Wednesday; and the world famous Pinball Hall of Fame, so there’s plenty to do and see while you’re there.

For more information surrounding these tournaments, you can head over to the following Facebook pages: SSBM; SSB4; SFV, UMVC3, KI, and MKXL

SSBM: www.facebook.com/events/1708300376107823/

SSB4: www.facebook.com/events/1624212727901195/

SFV/UMVC3/KI/MKXL: www.facebook.com/events/257854874569013/

Source: shoryuken

[Nyu Nozomi Hyuga]

English Translation of Daigo Umehara’s First Book Available Exclusively at Evo

Four years after its original publication, Daigo Umehara’s book, The Will to Keep Winning, is soon to be available in English for the first time ever.

The book, which will be sold exclusively at Evo this Friday and Saturday at the Red Bull booth, will set you back $15. The first 200 interested parties can opt for the $30 “limited edition pack,” which includes the book, a Daigo Evo 2016 t-shirt and a rally towel.

In addition to offering his book for sale, The Beast will also be hosting a “book club session” followed by an autograph session at noon on Saturday, also at the Red Bull booth.

Below, we have included the book’s preface in full.

The Will to Keep Winning Preface

My First Book is Now in English!

I turned thirty-five this month, and yet I’m still playing fighting games. It’s been twenty-five years since I started, but nothing has changed. My plans are to keep up my childish lifestyle as long as I can and give my best effort, one year at a time.

As my approach to gaming hasn’t changed since, we’ve decided to leave the content without updating. Here’s an update on what’s happened in my life since.

This year, I signed with a new sponsor—Red Bull. Joining up with my new team of Red Bull Athletes has rekindled my competitive spirit and strengthened my resolve. I also took on this new challenge in publishing a book in English for the first time. We’re currently making our final corrections to the text in a mad rush to finish it in time for EVO in July.

When I was growing up, “pro gamer” wasn’t a career option. I never thought I could support myself by playing games. I thus left the fighting game world for a few years, first trying my hand at mahjong, then working as a caregiver at a nursing home. Apparently, some American gamers even thought I had died. It may seem a roundabout way of doing things, but I needed time away to appreciate the importance of fighting games in my life.

Street Fighter V was released this year for home consoles only; for the first time, there are no machines in the arcades. As someone who’s been hitting the arcades daily since childhood, playing games at home alone is a desolate experience. I got hooked on fighting games not just from the excitement on screen, but also because I loved the arcades and the crowds that gathered there. As a pro, I thus see working to build offline gaming opportunities as one of my responsibilities.

While Japanese players remain among the top fighting game players, only allowing us to play online will make it difficult for us to maintain our edge. It’s no surprise to see complete unknowns who didn’t play SFIV climbing the podium at SFV tournaments. As I discuss in the book, success in one game doesn’t guarantee success in its sequels.

Recently, I don’t worry too much about how much time I spend practicing. I did practice SFV for over ten hours a day immediately following its release, but recently I’ve settled back into playing four or five hours a day, and then spending the rest of my day living life. But even when I’m not playing, I’m thinking about games. Add in this mental aspect, and I still probably devote ten hours a day to gaming. Operating a joystick is second nature to me at this point—I’ve been using them since I was a kid, and it’s not like there are going to be any major innovations in joystick tech, so I don’t need to practice that.

I haven’t changed my play style much for Street Fighter V; I’m still more interested in improving my own skill than in winning tournaments. I’m not saying that I don’t care whether I win or lose, just that if you’re strong enough, the wins will follow. With enough ability, practicing less keeps your mind fresh, which is necessary to get results. Luckily, SFV is a masterfully crafted game. I sincerely enjoy it—playing it is a pleasure and only half feels like work.

In May 2016, Japanese satellite channel WOWOW finally aired Life as a Pro Gamer, an internationally produced feature-length documentary. The documentary crew followed me closely for a while, along with other pros like Momochi, ChocoBlanka, Gamerbee, Luffy, and Justin Wong. The documentary is of course a production, but it isn’t manufactured. There are no lies and no attempts to make eSports any bigger than it is.

I’d love to see more candid representations of eSports like this. Fighting games used to be nothing more than games, but recently they’ve taken off along with the increased worldwide popularity of eSports. This is a good thing, but overly romanticizing the pro-gamer life will turn the eSports boom into a bust. I don’t want prospective gamers to be dazzled with the prospects of status, honor, and prize money; I want them to honestly experience the wonder of eSports without making it out to be something it isn’t.

I recently donated my entire runner-up prize money of $60,000 from the Capcom Cup Finals 2015 to the Evo Scholarship Fund for the Department of Game Design at New York University. I’m grateful for the opportunities the gaming industry has provided me and wanted to give something back. I know there are young pro gamers out there struggling like I did, unsure what the future holds, and I want to help them. I’m happy for the support my new sponsor Red Bull provides me, and I hope they’re willing to take a chance on some of the new blood out there. We pros depend on a thriving gaming industry to make a living.

My motives in donating the money were purely for the gaming industry, but for some reason my actions resonated with my father. No matter how much public praise I get or prize money I win, gaming skill means nothing to my father and others in his generation. After my donation to NYU, six years into my pro gaming career, my father paid me a rare compliment. Compliments were rare in my household—not surprising, given all the trouble I put my parents through over the years—so his appreciation made me feel that I’ve grown as a person.

I’m grateful to have gained such a creative, powerful ally in Red Bull and to have this book translated into English so that I can share my ways of life and thinking with a wider audience. In addition to fighting game fans everywhere, I hope that non-gamers will read it and get something out of it.

The release of this English edition has made me reflect on what has changed since the Japanese release. While my outlook on life, the fighting game community, and my sponsorship situation have all changed, my commitment to fighting games remains as strong as ever. I’ll keep putting in the effort and trying to stay humble so that I can continue to win.

Daigo “The Beast” Umehara

May 2016

Source: shoryuken

[Nyu Nozomi Hyuga]

Brook and Paradise Arcade Bringing Limited Edition PS3/PS4 to Xbox 360 Converter to Evo 2016

Against all odds, Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 is once again returning to the main stage at Evo 2016. This brings up something of a conundrum, however. With most other games at Evo now being played on PlayStation 4, players who are competing in UMvC3 need to consider bringing a second controller just for the game.

To help these players out, Brook and Paradise Arcade Shop have come together to bring a limited edition PlayStation 3 and PlayStation 4 to Xbox 360 converter to Evo 2016. With this, players joining the Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 tournament at Evo can simply pick up the converter for their existing PlayStation 3 or PlayStation 4 stick instead of having to bring a separate input device for Xbox 360.

The limited edition Brook PS3/PS4 to Xbox 360 converter will be available for $44.99 at Paradise Arcade Shop’s booth at Evo 2016. Take note however that this is an extremely limited stock item with only 65 being made. Availability of these after the event is entirely dependent on whether or not they have any remaining stock.

Source: shoryuken

[Nyu Nozomi Hyuga]

Twitch Will Beta Test New Cheering System at Evo 2016

As a way to beta test their new Bits and Cheer system which they are planning to fully implement in the near future, Twitch is enabling viewers to Cheer for their favorite players during the Evo 2016 finals on Saturday and Sunday. For those who aren’t fully up to date on what Bits are, they are a special currency you can buy on Twitch which, when used, donates a certain amount of money to the streamer in question, as well as showing a cool chat emote called a Cheer based on the amount of Bits used.

blog.twitch.tv/cheering-at-evo-for-the-players-and-moments-you-love-3d2e62ce64a7#.yxo57a8n8

The way this Cheer system will work at Evo is as follows: say Daigo is playing Infiltration’s Chun-Li and he manages to full parry Chun-Li’s Critical Art, you can then Cheer to celebrate this hype moment. To do so, you’d type Cheer1000 (if you wanted to donate 1000 Bits) and then use #daigo to register your support. You should be able to Cheer on all the finals on Saturday and Sunday on the main Evo stream so have your Bits in your account should you wish to Cheer your favorites. The cash generated from Cheers has 70% attributed to the streamer/player while the remaining 30% is given to Evo itself, with a Bit being equal to 1 cent per Bits used in a Cheer. So, if Daigo does said parry and you did an 1000 Bit Cheer, he would receive around $7.

At the moment, the money donated via Cheers will only go to players with a Twitch partnership but as this featured grows and evolves into something greater, any player who is Cheered for should receive that money. Again, this system is still in beta and you can consider Evo as its first test run, ahead of it rolling out for other big streamed events. For more information on the general Cheer and Bits system, check out Twitch’s big FAQ for all the gritty details.

help.twitch.tv/customer/portal/articles/2449458#How%20to%20buy%20Bits%20for%20Cheering

Source: shoryuken

[Nyu Nozomi Hyuga]

The Fate of the Iron Fist! Tekken 7: Fated Retribution at Evo 2016

After Street Fighter, Tekken is probably the second-biggest fighting franchise in the genre’s history–yet despite its pedigree we’ve seen a bit of a lull over the last few years as other games have grown. The latest iteration, Tekken 7: Fated Retribution holds the second-lowest registration of any EVO 2016 event, topping Killer Instinct by only three players! This may be due to the lack of a console version of the game–Tekken 7 at Evo 2015 was played on the arcade version, and Tekken 7: Fated Retribution will be played the same way this year–reportedly we won’t be seeing the game’s console release until early 2017. But 549 competitors is still a lot of players eager to exchange blows in the Iron Fist Tournament, regardless of being dwarfed by Street Fighter V’s numbers.

THE GAME

Tekken is one of the greats of the 3D fighting genre, and as a 3D fighter it has a much different feel and dynamic than its original 2D inspiration. Tekken 7 introduced new gameplay mechanics such as Power Crushers (moves that can absorb damage without being interrupted) and Rage Arts (similar to Street Fighter IV’s Ultra Combos), and a refined okizeme system. The game currently boasts a character roster of 29 playable fighters including classic characters such as Kazuya Mishima, Heihachi Mishima, King, Paul, Nina, and Yoshimitsu; newcomers include mysterious Kazumi Mishima, Arabian warrior Shaheen, and perky cat-girl Lucky Chloe. The Fated Retribution upgrade added improved graphics, the Rage Drive mechanic, and the most notable addition to date: Street Fighter’s Akuma.

THE DEMON

Tekken 7 got a huge boost to hype when it was revealed that Akuma would be joining the roster, and not just as a bonus character but actually integrated into the game’s lore. After Street Fighter X Tekken, this wasn’t really that much of a shock, as a Capcom/Bandai Namco pattern of collaboration has already been established. In fact, many believe that the demon joining battle with the Mishima family paves the way for the much-delayed Tekken X Street Fighter, but time will tell.

However, Akuma’s crossover has drawn some prominent Street Fighter players to join the 3D fight…

THE PLAYERS

While there’s a fair amount of footage of EG|Justin Wong taking Akuma into battle, Wong is not registered for Tekken 7 this weekend in Vegas. His opponent in the above video, however–Hoa Luu, AKA Circa|Anakin, was the winner of Community Effort Orlando‘s recent Tekken 7 event (using JACK-7, Paul, and Shaheen) and he also took the top spot at Combo Breaker 2016 earlier in the year using JACK-7 and Dragunov. With these two big wins under their belt, this may be our Tekken 7 champion at Evo 2016.

They are not without competition, however! Secret|PoongKo took the top spot at CEO’s T7 Auction Tournament with Akuma, making them another one to watch in Vegas. Other recent high-rankers that are in this year’s Tekken pools include Mateo (Matthew Szabo), Fred Distance (Fredrick Osei), Circa|Speedkicks (Stephen Stafford), NG|Obscure (Vante Flint), and Reflex (Dick Varian). But the top eights seem to vary significantly between Tekken 7 events so far, so there’s still a lot of room for a newcomer to step in and place high.

Kazuya, Heihachi, Law, King, Steve, Paul, and JACK-7 are all popular choices among the top players, but there is still some variety in character selection. Even Lucky Chloe saw some play from RenoFace, Combo Breaker’s 3rd place finisher. But as much attention as Akuma’s addition has drawn, he doesn’t yet appear as a popular choice for the serious players (aside from PoongKo above). We’ll have to see how far the Satsui no Hado will carry Akuma into the Tekken fight–but at this point, it looks like he might be more useful for marketing than winning tournaments.

THE FUTURE

This will be Tekken 7’s last fight as an arcade-only title at Evo; next year (presuming its return), the console release should really shake up the competition as the game becomes more readily available for training. In the meantime, look forward to seeing some fierce 3D action from these contenders–will CEO’s and Combo Breaker’s fighters hold their claim, or is there a new King of the Iron Fist Tournament waiting to be crowned?

Source: shoryuken

[Nyu Nozomi Hyuga]

5v5 US vs. Japan Pokkén Tournament Crew Battle Set to Happen at Evo

It’s happening!

Team Japan and Team USA are going head to head in a 5v5 Crew Battle at Evo. Talks about a possible crew battle at Pokkén’s largest international event thus far have been in the works for a little while. Through a considerable amount of organization from players of both sides, the event is set to happen directly following the Pokkén Tournament finals on Saturday in Evo’s BYOC room, and the players have been chosen.

www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1sos9ks

There’s a lot of interesting things already to consider in this showdown.

The lack of one of Japan’s absolute finest, Azazel, is surprising. Azazel’s exclusion is the equivalent of Suicune Master or BIM? sitting out. Given his unusual character choice, and the fact that he and Suicune Master have at least an hours’ worth of training experience with each other, he could have been a wall for Team Japan.

On the flipside, the character diversity of Team Japan is also likely to be a considerable asset. Though it’s probably safe to say Team USA is ready for the Mewtwo Bros and Sceptiles (and probably, to an extent, Pikachu Libre), Braixen/Weavile are almost completely invisible in the US brackets and could provide problems if every member of Team USA doesn’t come completely prepared. The represented character diversity means Team USA has to prepare for twice as many opponents, potentially. Min-maxing theory vs. flexibility is really on display between these character selections.

It’s currently unclear–and unlikely–if this (very unofficial, community organized) crew battle will be streamed in any meaningful way, but Cat Fight himself has promised to record all matches, which is good, as this will be the most capsulized measurement of US vs. Japan Pokkén yet.

Source: shoryuken

[Nyu Nozomi Hyuga]

The King of Fighters XIV’s Pre-Launch World Premiere Tour Will Kick Off at Evo 2016

SNK’s The King of Fighters XIV is launching on PlayStation 4 in a little over a month from now. To help keep the hype train going on the way to the launch, the company has just announced the KOF XIV: World Premiere Tour.

This tour will see the game making appearances at multiple events around the world and kicks off this weekend at the the biggest fighting game tournament in the world, Evolution.

The tour itself will feature the final balanced version of the game with 48 playable characters (bosses not included). Those interested can check out the initial set of dates and locations below.

Dates Location Event
July 15 (Fri) – 17 (Sun) Las Vegas EVO 2016
July 22 (Fri) – July 24 (Sun) South Korea Bifan 2016
July 28 (Thu) – July 31 (Sun) Shanghai Chinajoy 2016
July 29 (Fri) – August 2 (Tue) Hong Kong ACGHK 2016
August 5 (Fri) – August 7 (Sun) Taipei PlayStation Gaming Festival in Taipei
August 19 (Fri) – August 21 (Sun) Philadelphia Summer Jam X
August 20 (Sat) Osaka SNK Event
August 21 (Sun) Tokyo SNK Event

Additionally, SNK has stated that they will be announcing further dates and venues in the coming weeks.

Source: shoryuken

[Nyu Nozomi Hyuga]

Controller Chaos Presents the Limited Edition Evo 2016 Mad Catz Tournament Edition 2+ Arcade Stick

Evo is no stranger to having limited edition arcade stick made just for the event, and this year is no different. This time, however, Evo has partnered with Controller Chaos for a super limited edition variant of the Mad Catz Arcade FightStick Tournament Edition 2+.

The Evo 2016 Mad Catz Arcade FightStick Tournament Edition 2+ features a white shell with black trim. The top panel art is the familiar blue and purple Evo starfield. This same art also extends to the stick’s custom painted sides.

Only 30 of these will ever be made and each one is individually numbered. Interested players should hurry to pick one up at Evo 2016.

Source: shoryuken

[Nyu Nozomi Hyuga]

OG Legend BAS Returns for EVO 2016

I can't think of too many players from the old guard who aren't familiar with the legendary competitor Ryo 'BAS' Yoshida. He's known as one of the most iconic Street Fighter Alpha 3 and Capcom vs. SNK 2 players, and his impeccable abilities impressed his peers and contenders alike.

Although a lot has changed over the years, BAS is still passionate about competing. He previously attempted to get back into the competitive scene when Street Fighter IV released, but the mechanics didn't seem to resonate with him. Now that Street Fighter V is in the wild, BAS feels a bit more at home. He'll be en route to Las Vegas later in the week where he's lined up something special for avid old-school enthusiasts.

We caught up with BAS to briefly discuss a few topics in regards to EVO, his Street Fighter V experience, and more.

Now that Street Fighter V has been out for several months, what are your thoughts on the series?

Street Fighter V is like back to old Street Fighter series but also they have some new systems. Especially V-Trigger is a great idea. Currently I'm not good enough to compete in the tournament yet, but I have fun playing this game now.

What aspects do you find makes the title challenging compared to Street Fighter IV?

I started Street Fighter IV very late and it was already big distance against top players. So I gave up that game. But with Street Fighter V, I could start from the beginning. There is already a large [skill gap] between me and top players, but I think I still have enough chance to compete with them. (Not sure when I can reach that level. [laughs]

And the reason I play Street Fighter V is I want to come back the Top 8 main stage like EVO once again and play with top players. It is super tough but worth to try it.

Which characters do you currently consider to be the strongest in the game?

I think Ryu and Chun Li are among the top two characters. Instant air leg. Oh, plus R. Mika can destroy all players.

But it seems they're isn't big character advantages [in Street Fighter V]. It's up to your skill and knowledge. I also want to try Urien when he is released but many players will try him and make crazy reflector set-ups haha.

I hope all characters are released soon.

The competition is looking stacked for EVO this year. In your opinion, which players do you predict we'll see in Top 8?

My player predictions for this year's top 8 players are (in no particular order): Tokido, Infiltration, Momochi, Fuudo, Haitani, Kazunoko, Mago, and Daigo.

Wow, no U.S. or European players, huh?

[Thinks] Hm, well Justin, Luffy, and Phenom. . .maybe even NuckleDu are strong [but not sure of their odds]. I am not too familiar with the U.S. and European players. I don't watch tournaments really.

Well, we know you're delighted to offer some old school action and understand that you have plans to host a special Capcom vs. SNK 2 event at EVO. What inspired you to host the event?

Yes. I will host the Capcom vs. SNK 2 event on Saturday in the BYOC (Bring Your Own Console) area. I also hosted last year because there were many players wanted to play. You know old games are still popular everywhere. They just they need a spot place and enough players to make it happen.

Evo is honestly the best place to have the event. Last year, we had about 80 players and everyone had fun the event. I hope I can make [the tournament] good one this year too. If you want to play. . .please drop by and join us.

If CVS3 was developed, what features would you like to see?

It would be great if Capcom vs. SNK 2 is developed. I hope the game is contained the good point both Capcom and SNK again. (Ex spacing, footsies like cap side and speedy like SNK side). But I also hope that the new system if they use groove like Capcom vs. SNK 2. I wish there will be cc system again because you know I love custom combos very much. [laughs]

No CC, no life.

Source: pvplive.net via shoryuken

[Nyu Nozomi Hyuga]

Daigo Umehara to Participate in Reddit AMA Live from Evo This Friday

Back in 2014, Daigo Umehara took to Reddit to answer the questions of his fans in the form of an Ask Me Anything (AMA) thread. While a number of good questions arose from that discussion, much has changed since just shy of two years ago: a new iteration of Street Fighter is in the hands of players worldwide, and Umehara himself now fights beneath the banner of two major sponsors, Twitch and Red Bull. With these things in mind, the time is ripe for the community to pick The Beast’s brain once again.

shoryuken.com/2014/09/09/mczdaigo-umehara-tackles-user-questions-in-reddit-ask-me-anything-thread/

If you’ve got some burning questions for the most recognizable name in the fighting game community, the folks at r/StreetFighter will be running a brand new AMA session with Umehara this Friday beginning at 4 PM PDT.

The actual AMA session is set to run for just one hour, but a thread for brainstorming questions is already live. If you’re looking to participate, head on over to get involved in the discussion!

www.reddit.com/r/StreetFighter/comments/4spsjr/daigo_the_beast_umehara_ama_friday_at_4_pst_evo/?

Source: shoryuken

[The Big Daddy C-Master]

So who do you have your bets on for Evo?

[Nyu Nozomi Hyuga]

Marn as R. Mika, Infiltration as Nash... this year's EVO top player art by SaPikku is perfect

Some have already arrived in Las Vegas, others are beginning their treks soon, but come Friday thousands of FGC members will all be collected together in Sin City for EVO 2016.

Similar to last year, artist Ketchupmayomoutard, also known as SaPikku, has created a notable players directory wherein he's drawn some of the most known Street Fighter 5 fighters as their main characters. The art serves as a pool directory as well, as you'll notice it includes a schedule as well.

Below you'll see Ketchupmayomoutard's beautiful EVO image, along with a few other Street Fighter creations he's done in recent times:

Source: eventhubs

[Nyu Nozomi Hyuga]

Want to meet Vampy Bit Me, Tali XOXO and plenty of FGC pros? Don't miss Cross Counter's Barfights and EVO meet and greet

Cross Counter is doing it big at this year's EVO with events on both Friday and Saturday.

First, you'll be able to meet the likes of Mike Ross, RZR|Inflitration, EG|Justin Wong, EG|K-Brad and others while you check out the beautiful new Cross Counter artwork at their EVO booth.

Mike and Gootecks will then be hosting Barfights, (a free event) on Saturday night, wherein you'll have a chance to drink, game and meet the incredibly stunning cosplayers: Tali XOXO and Vampy Bit Me.

Source: eventhubs

[Nyu Nozomi Hyuga]

Jul 13, 2016 23:13:41 GMT -5 The Big Daddy C-Master said:

So who do you have your bets on for Evo?

I honestly don't have any bets for who is going to win on what game, I usually don't fully watch matches. Just a reminder since I'm going to EVO tomorrow, I'm more likely going to be gone and possibly won't be posting more details until I'm home at Monday (unless we get internet services in Hotel), so if anyone wants to find info to post stuff in My place they can do so.

[The Big Daddy C-Master]

Cool stuff overall.

Don't like the way the brackets are being handled. The very best fighters are knocking each other out very early from Asian countries while American players are largely getting free passes.

[JACK-2]

People have mentioned the bracket problems back in the 90's on usenet in socal tourneys. Sad to see this practice of pruning the best players from the get go. This is while tourneys can be an indication of skill, they often are not.

[The Big Daddy C-Master]

Brackets are never perfect and seeding is done so you don't get all the pros taking each other out early and bad players making it to the top. However the top American players consistently getting easier brackets while Japanese killers (who have to come over here) have to eliminate each other early is just garbage. Especially when you add on to that fact Justin Wong just farmed easy points by playing in easy tournaments because America has more of them with weaker players. He rose to prominence and he's not even close to the best. It just shows how the system is stupid from the start. Justin will be owned more and more as time goes on because it's only downhill for him. It's possible for him to win Evo but very unlikely even with the fixed brackets.

[Nyu Nozomi Hyuga]

My EVO beginnings: When I was preparing for EVO what I mainly spent My time doing was looking up risque SF images & old Tekken costumes along with writing scripts on what I plan to say to Ono & Harada, and when Me & My Family arrive we had our dinner at that one Asian place (from yesterday & today) which was pretty good and what can suck is the smell of cigarettes from part of the Casinos especially when someone coming & out just blows it but hey that is what to expect from Casinos when there is no smoke free area. Later Me & My Stepdad were picking My EVO badge which the line was really long which wasn't that fun (but hey it is what it is) after I got My badge Me & My stepdad went separate ways from My stepdad returning to the room while I went to the Casinos and gamble which I spent $70 and won $43 from Chinese themed slot machine along with other slots from Sakura Party (which has a cute anime-styled girl) and Monopoly Money Bonus. Today: When I arrive I've been exploring around to see what it looks like and been trying to search Ono which I wind up not finding (Capcom Panel was out of the question since I have SSBU), I did saw Harada once again and talk to his translator Michael Murray to ask Harada questions but he said "Maybe tomorrow." My attempt at SSBU (My character was Link) in Winners Bracket where My first opponent was Tamaba (I think thats how its spelled) he was Pikachu was just plain terrible 0-2, and at Losers Bracket I fought My first opponent in Losers which he was using Shiek which I had a pretty decent match 2-1 making it My first win then when I fought My next opponent which he was using Robin things went downhill especially first round I accidentally fell off the stage and didn't recover when I try to redeem I was reaching around 80%-100% I just commit to suicide since I already screw it up and even the next round I lost again 0-2. My attempt at Tekken 7 (My character was Kazuya) My first opponent at Winners Bracket where at first she was Steve (I think) but her main was Bryan Fury we had a decent match (little bits of dialogue exchanged after match) 2-1, but later was defeated by a Leo player which resulted 1-2. When Loser Bracket came along I had struggle with Yoshimitsu even worse (which I felt bit overwhelm) was slom mo moments where it look like I was going to hit him but first missed and the other is when I got KOd it was around 1-2 (if I remember correctly). The majority of My EVO was spent on playing Spaera and was mainly dominating even certain times helping out newcomers to the game. I even played other games from KOFXIV, Vanguard Princess, & Brawl Out (SSB type game for PS4, Xbox One, & PC). When I did some gambling spent $80 and won pretty big at Flintstones slot machine with the Yabba Dabba Do Bonus with $63 and didn't win Sakura Party again & Blackjack machine.

So this concludes on whats been going on so far at My trip to Las Vegas/EVO and tomorrow I will be playing Killer Instinct tournament and hopefully try to get My questions ask to Harada & find DOA5LR side tournament. This is NyuNozomiHyuga signing off.

[The Big Daddy C-Master]

Wow, you did quite a lot of stuff.

One tiny suggestion for the other readers since you wrote such interesting stuff. You might consider breaking the paragraph up into smaller ones so people don't miss a line or anything like that. I want them to get all the detail and everything.

[Nyu Nozomi Hyuga]

2nd Day at EVO: At the start of My day I had bit of some exercise from Me & Family forgetting My lunch money especially when I was in the convention center and at worse My phone battery was dying, even at some point originally was going to use My labtop as My timer which I realize that was just silly, so while I had time left until My Killer Instinct tournament was coming up I walked all the way to hotel room to pick up My charger. But hey I manage to get it charge at the Spaera booth.

My attempt at Killer Instinct (My character is Jago) both Winner & Loser brackets I was just plain garbage to a point of just being a punching bag the Winners opponent was Kisuke (Omen) he was mainly flying around & has multiple projectiles on his side which I can rarely get a hit on him, My next opponent was Shadow Jago I didn't as much problems compare to Kisuke but that is not saying much, when I'm combo breaking I'm either too slow or get move wrong. My records all I have under My belt in tournament 0-2 twice.

Later after Killer Instinct I began My search for Harada even visit the panel which already was empty, when I did found Harada & Michael Murry unfortunately we had some time issues they said maybe after 5PM which My only problem is that I have dinner schedule so I pretty much left and been searching for DOA5LR at certain times (which later that night I gave up), and has been playing Spaera like usual. There was like some competition where if you win 5 games you get a free T-Shirt, which after so many playtime I was a God Player completely destroying every single player even when I give some newcomers like tutorials on how the game works I mainly win regardless. I mainly was destroying 4 players (I was using Rafael) in a row but the 5th battle was a special one that I got screwed at the very last minute despite I had the upperhand. My opponent was nearly screwed especially My Level 4 where you can control your opponent's piece but what happen was part of his piece connect and it saved him I was like "What!?!" I even was grasping to keep trying but that wasn't enough which felt like it came from some Movie, but when I came back and defeated My 5th opponent I won My T-Shirt.

After playing bit of Tekken 7 and playing with My Lucky Chloe, I saw take autographs of Harada & Michael which I planned on waiting until I was going to ask them about the after 5PM, which later MarkMan came in and been asking whats been going on even gave Me his business card so that way I can fill My questions I didn't have the chance to do which was nice. After that I decided to play a Tekken 7 Exhibition and won a free T-Shirt, but whats special about it is it was random (similar to a Test Your Luck in MK series) My opponent got the short end of the stick which he was required to only use throws & nothing else while Me I only have to pick random characters which is already felt bit unfair. That was nothing but a free giveaway.

So then I return to the hotel which is where Me & My family went out for that Chinese dumpling restaurant which was at Paris (which EVO 2015 use to take place so good old memories), then I went back to look for DOA5LR (which I gave up) and played one more Spaera. Then I decided to just go to the Casinos played Flintstones slots again spent $25 which I had more bonuses than yesterday I started with the Dino bonuse where the more Dino licks the more you get more credit, at the beginning I didn't get the Yabba Dabba Do bonus until at the very end where I was running low on money & recover to play more, then I got to vote for one of the babies between Pebbles & BamBam and I picked BamBam got like 15 points, and when I got My second Yabba Dabba Do I just got $50. Then I gambled at another Chinese styled slots spent like $24 which I didn't win anything. So now I have $110 in My wallet.

Tomorrow I will more likely be watching EVO matches at Mandalay Bay. I will be signing off for now I need to arrange some stuffs in My bags.

[The Big Daddy C-Master]

Sounds like you're having a lot of fun. Shame this is your last day. Make the most of it.