The Evolution Championship Series (Evo), the long-running fighting game tournament series, has announced a major global expansion set to begin in 2027.

Starting in 2027, Evo will add new events in five countries, including Brazil, Morocco, Mexico, Saudi Arabia, and China. Evo said that its existing events in the US, Japan, France, and Singapore will not change.

The policies, format, and level of investment will also stay the same. The stated goal is to bring the same experience to more regions around the world. The company said it wants to welcome players from all countries and backgrounds while building sustainable events that highlight each region’s local community.

This expansion announcement comes shortly after Saudi Arabia-owned RTS secured 100 percent control of the Evolution Championship Series through the purchase of NODWIN Gaming’s share. NODWIN had built its position in the fighting game tournament through a share purchase from Sony, and the most recent deal now places the property fully under the Qiddiya-backed company.

Global Esports Industry Week (GEIW) will return in 2026 with a bigger and bolder edition, taking place across 18–21 June in Cologne, Germany, alongside IEM Cologne. The schedule and details about ticket sales are available in this link.

In addition to the expansion, Evo also announced the company plans to work directly with local organisers around the world starting later this year, aiming to leverage resources to local tournaments and support the community that has been the foundation of competitive fighting games.

Evo also unveiled a new Fighting Game World Championship in the official announcement. Unlike most world championships that focus on one game, this new format will require players to compete in multiple fighting games.

The organiser said it will work closely with game publishers to decide which games will be included. The selection will focus on competitive titles, including both modern games and older classics. The new World Championship will take place in either the United States or Japan, which are Evo’s two founding countries.

Evo plans to reveal more details soon regarding its future growth, specifically concerning international events, prize increases, and new tournament formats.

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