Evo 2020 organizers have revealed the lineup and details for Evo Online, and its competitive focus will be on the games with the best netcode. The online-only event will replace its annual in-person tournament in Las Vegas after Evo 2020 was cancelled due to the recent coronavirus pandemic.
Evo stuck to its guns for as long as it could before COVID-19 made the tournament an impossibility. The official Evo 2020 main-stage lineup had been announced earlier this year, notably featuring Marvel vs. Capcom 2 in celebration of its 20th anniversary. On the other hand, the highly popular Mortal Kombat 11 had been cut from the spotlight after just one Evo appearance in 2019. With cases of coronavirus still at dangerously high levels around the world, organizers eventually had no choice but to cancel the tournament and substitute it with an online event. Many people in the fighting game community believed this was inevitable, but it was still a crushing disappointment. There have also been questions about how an online tournament will work when most fighting games have inadequate online netcode - but now players have some answers.
The official Evo Twitter account has tweeted out a video unveiling details about its Evo Online event. It says the event will continue its tradition of bringing together people who love fighting games, albeit in a different way this year. Evo Online will take place over five weekends during July. It will include "special exhibitions and content" for the games in Evo 2020's original lineup, with the apparent exception of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, which is now conspicuously missing. It's not entirely clear what kind of content this will be, but it's unlikely that anyone will be playing these games online.
However, Evo Online will be holding four online tournaments of its own. Each one will be for a different game: Mortal Kombat 11: Aftermath, Killer Instinct, Skullgirls, and the newly-launched Them's Fightin' Herds. Registration for these tournaments will be open to everyone. The four games were evidently selected based on the fact that they all feature rollback netcode, which is necessary for effective high-level play in an online setting. Evo says that signups and more event info will be coming soon.
This is an especially big deal for the Killer Instinct and Skullgirls communities, which haven't enjoyed a major Evo showing in years. Them's Fightin' Herds will also benefit from this huge boost to its visibility as a new game on the scene. Some have pointed out a few notable absences, though: Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite, Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid, and a handful of others are known for their solid netcode, yet they weren't included in the online tournaments. Players will have to wait and see what special events Evo Online has planned.
Source: Evo/Twitter