EVO 2017, once again, exceeded expectations from a competitive perspective. The annual tournament saw the world’s best fighting game players converge in Las Vegas for a three day event across nine of the most popular fighting games available today. Beyond the competition, though, EVO 2017 gave us reasons to look toward the future. Let’s round up the handful of game announcements made at EVO 2017.
A new fighter from the Street Fighter EX team
Surprise, surprise. Arika, the studio behind the long dormant Street Fighter EX spinoff series, announced that it will in fact develop a new entry in the EX series. We said will in fact because a comical trailer was released for April Fools Day earlier this year.
While Arika’s comedic tendencies held up in the game’s current code name — “The Mysterious Fighting Game (Title Still Undecided)” — you will be able to get your hands on the next EX game in 2018 for PS4. A beta is expected later this year.
As of now, all we know is that the game will feature some of the characters from earlier entries in the series. Since it’s been more than 17 years since Street Fighter EX3, the series will receive a huge overhaul, at least from a visual perspective.
Season 2 of Street Fighter V brings Abigail to the fray
As part of season two of Street Fighter V DLC, Final Fight’s outrageously large Abigail will come to the game on July 25. A member of the Mad Gear gang, Abigail will easily be the biggest character in Street Fighter V to date. He will become the fourth DLC character of season two, following Akuma, Kolin, and Ed. Abigail’s Metro City Bar Area stage will also be available July 25 alongside a “Nostalgia” DLC pack which includes costumes for Alex, Juri, and Ibuki, and the Suzaku Castle from Street Fighter II.
Dragon Ball FighterZ beta, Trunks announced
Arc System Works producer Tomoko Hiroki revealed that Trunks will be a playable character in the upcoming Dragon Ball FighterZ. In the trailer above, Trunk spars with both Vegeta and Frieza.
On top of the Trunks reveal, a closed beta was announced ahead of the game’s early 2018 launch on Xbox One and PS4. Beta registration begins on July 26, and players who get in will be able to play as Trunks and eight other characters.
BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle revealed
Arc System Works also debuted the next entry in the BlazBlue franchise, BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle. As suggested by the title, Cross Tag Battle will crossover with other franchises, featuring characters from Persona 4 Arena and Under Night In-Birth.
From the looks of the trailer, it appears that BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle will feature two-versus-two action, all of which will be rendered in 2D.
BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle will launch in 2018 for consoles, although it’s unclear which consoles at this time.
Additionally, Arc System Works announced that Jubei will become a playable character in BlazBlue CentralFiction in the near future.
King of Fighters‘ Geese Howard comes to Tekken 7
For the first time, a SNK character will be featured in a Bandai Namco game. Tekken 7’s director Katsuhiro Harada revealed that Geese Howard, a villain from Fatal Fury and King of Fighters, will come to Tekken 7 later this year. Geese will join Akuma (Street Fighter) as the second non-Bandai Namco character to be included in Tekken 7.
Darkstalkers‘ Jedah in Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite
At the end of the Marvel vs. Capcom 3 EVO tournament, Capcom showed off the latest addition to the roster of its upcoming Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite. Jedah, from the Darkstalkers franchise, joined Iron Man and vanquished Mega Man and Ultron in a match designed to show fans what the Darkstalkers character can do. Jedah’s moveset in Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite appears to line up closely with his home franchise, including his “pinwheeling” attack. Marvel vs. Capcom Infinite launches September 19 for PS4, Xbox One, and PC.
