Arc World Tour fighting game championship — EVO 2026 features 12 main-stage titles

EVO 2026 is happening June 26–28 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, and the game lineup is the most interesting it’s been in years.

The big structural change: EVO is scrapping the Extended Lineup and Throwback Tournament formats. Instead, there are 12 main games, and the six with the highest registration numbers get the arena stage. This means every game on the list is competing for main-stage time — and some of these picks are genuinely surprising.

The Full Lineup

  • Street Fighter 6 — still the undisputed king, with Alex and Ingrid coming in Season 3
  • Tekken 8 — Season 3’s “back to basics” balance overhaul addresses Season 2’s controversial meta
  • Guilty Gear Strive — Version 2.00 reveal coming March 20-22 at ARC WORLD TOUR finals
  • 2XKO — Riot’s tag fighter hit consoles in January and is building momentum fast
  • Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves — SNK’s return to form
  • Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising — the sleeper pick for arena stage
  • Under Night In-Birth II Sys:Celes — anime fighters stay eating good
  • BlazBlue: Central Fiction — the legacy pick, still beloved
  • Rivals of Aether II — the platform fighter earns its spot
  • Invincible VS — the newest entry, riding the show’s popularity
  • Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. World Stage — the comeback story, now with rollback netcode
  • Vampire Savior — the throwback that hardcore FGC players have been begging for

The Surprises

Rivals of Aether 2 at EVO is a statement. Platform fighters have always been treated as a sideshow at traditional FGC events, but Dan Fornace’s game has earned its spot through clean mechanics and a passionate competitive scene. If it pulls strong registration numbers, it could make arena stage — which would be a first for a non-Smash platform fighter at EVO.

Invincible VS is the wildcard. It’s new, it’s riding mainstream IP recognition, and it could either be the breakout hit or the one-and-done novelty. EVO is betting on the former.

Vampire Savior over any other legacy title is a deep cut. This is the game FGC veterans have been running side tournaments for since 2004. Putting it on the main list acknowledges that the “throwback” audience is real and worth serving.

What’s Missing

No Mortal Kombat 1. After the mixed reception of its Kameo system and ongoing balance issues, NRS’s fighter is notably absent. Whether that’s by choice or by EVO’s curation is unclear, but it’s conspicuous.

No Dragon Ball FighZ 2 either — likely too early in development to commit to a tournament slot.

The Bigger Picture

Twelve games at EVO means the fighting game scene is healthier than it’s been in a decade. Street Fighter 6 proved the FGC could grow. Tekken 8 brought aggression back. Strive made anime fighters accessible. And now 2XKO, Rivals, and Invincible VS are expanding what “fighting game” even means.

The FGC’s problem was never talent — it was always games. Now they have twelve worth watching.