By Sagar V. Mankar 
The Fighting Game Community (FGC) will celebrate its first-ever Evo Awards ceremony on February 15, 2025, featuring 22 award categories and special gaming announcements.
This groundbreaking event aims to honor the achievements of players, tournament organizers, and memorable moments within the fighting game community.
The ceremony will welcome notable figures like content creator Maximilian Dood and multiple-time Evo Champion Justin Wong, adding star power to the celebration.
According to Evo general manager Rick “The Hadou” Thiher, the awards represent a significant milestone for the community. “These Awards are an opportunity for us to celebrate and inspire the passionate players, fans, publishers, and developers that make fighting games so exciting,” he explained.
The event kicks off at 5 PM PT with a pre-show featuring “Arcade Carpet” interviews and a special Marvel vs. Capcom 2 “Tournament of Champions.” This exhibition match will bring together four legendary MvC2 players, showcasing the game’s enduring legacy. At 6:45 PM PT, viewers can expect exciting announcements about Evo 2025’s ticketing, hotels, and special guests. The main ceremony begins at 7 PM PT, streaming live on both Twitch and YouTube channels.
Fighting game enthusiasts will also witness world premiere announcements from various developers, including SNK and Cygames. Cygames will present Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising, Arc System Works will showcase HUNTER×HUNTER NEN×IMPACT and UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes, while SNK will reveal their upcoming title, FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves.
A highlight of the ceremony will be the induction of three fighting game legends into the Evo Hall of Fame: Hajime “Tokido” Taniguchi, Alex Valle, and James Chen. Their inclusion recognizes their lasting impact on the fighting game community.
The awards span diverse categories, from “Best Pop Off” and “FGC Content of the Year” to technical achievements like “Tech of the Year” and “Best Custom Hardware.” Notable nominations include Punk, Arslan Ash, and Nitro for Player of the Year, while moments like “Punk Wins Street Fighter 6 at Evo” and “Hayao Moment 38” compete for Moment of the Year.
Fighting game fans can participate by voting for their favorites across all categories via official website – Evo.gg/Awards.
Here are all the Evo Awards 2025 categories and their nominees:
1. Best Pop Off
- Hayao
- NoahtheProdigy
- Nitro
- AK
- Punk
2. FGC Content of the Year
- Tekken 8 Tutorials
- Marvel vs Capcom 2 Streams
- Sajam Tekken Slam
- Will It Kill?
- Trash Talk Podcast
3. FGC Meme of the Year
- The Wazzler
- Hand Heart & Thumbs Up
- Hayao Does the Splits
- Let’s Go Gambling
- Attacks IRL
4. Comeback of the Year
- Hayao
- Arslan Ash
- G_Conceptz
- SonicFox
- Yagami
5. Match of the Year Award
- Punk vs Big Bird
- Hayao vs FrankieBFG
- Xiao Hai vs Kusanagi
- Nitro vs Tatuma
- Arslan Ash vs ATIF
6. Best On-Air Duo
- IFCYipeS + Sajam
- RIP + Tasty Steve
- Sajam + Tasty Steve
- Justin Wong + IFCYipeS
- Vicious + Justin Wong
7. Best Commentary
- “That is a Worthless Button!”
- “This Could Be Game…And It Is”
- “Arslan’s Gonna Do It! He’s So Close! He’s So Close, Steve!”
- “That Could Be an Evo-Losing Anti Air”
- “Break His Guard!”
8. Best Custom Hardware
- C.O.M.B.O. Extension Buttons
- Snack Box Micro
- MPress Nano
- Custom Claiomh Solais Arcade Stick
- Haute Pad T-Series
9. Best FGC Cosplay
- Chonibu
- MSValentine
- Chiba Josui
- Onesaya
- Kryrayne
10. Best Dressed
- Tasty Steve
- Logan Sama
- Vicious
- Hollywood RobTV
- IFCYipeS
11. Best Button of the Year
- Dragunov Ignition Switch (QCF+4)
- Luke Crouching Medium Punch
- Dash Light Attack
- Johnny Cage Forward 3
- Ken Crouching Medium Kick
12. Tech of the Year
- Pro KO Leverless
- SWORL Arcade Controller
- Hit Box Ultra
- Sapphire Leverless Controller
- LVL Controller
13. Marketing Campaign of the Year
- Evo + SFG + Tekken 8
- Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves X Cristiano Ronaldo
- 2XKO
- Street Fighter 6 Season 2
- ECT Commercial
14. Fighting Game Release of the Year
- Tekken 8
- Street Fighter 6 Season 2 DLC
- Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Series
- UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes
- Rivals of Aether II
15. They’ve Got Next (Rising Star Award)
- EnzoTheHokage
- Booce
- NoahtheProdigy
- KingReyJr
- Blaz
16. Best FGC Local
- Tatakai Tuesday
- NLBC
- Abou Dojo
- FGC Meetups
- Ozimeme
17. Invitational of the Year
- Red Bull Kumite
- Sajam Tekken Slam
- Crazy Raccoon Cup
- Red Bull Golden Letters
- Topanga Championship 5
18. Best Online Series
- CasaBunch
- TNS Online
- Saltmine League
- The Kolosseum
- Can Opener
19. Content Creator of the Year
- Sajam
- Justin Wong
- Brian_F
- Broski
- Diaphone
20. Commentator of the Year
- IFCYipeS
- Tasty Steve
- Sajam
- Rynge
- Vicious
21. Player of the Year
- Punk
- Arslan Ash
- MenaRD
- Xiao Hai
- Nitro
22. Moment of the Year
- Punk Wins Street Fighter 6 at Evo
- Hayao “Moment 38”
- Xiao Hai Wins Esports World Cup
- Lilypichu vs Harada at Evo Showcase
- MenaRD Wins His First Evo
The Evo Awards mark the beginning of Evo’s 2025 event calendar. Following the awards, Evo will return to Tokyo Big Sight, Japan, from May 9 to 11, featuring tournaments for titles like Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike and Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O.
The flagship event is set for August 1 to 3 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, aiming to be the largest tournament in esports history.
Additionally, Evo will make its European debut in Nice, France, from October 10 to 12, and plans to expand to Singapore in 2026.