Crunchyroll Partners With EVO 2023

Key insights

6 takeaways

01
Crunchyroll has partnered with the EVO 2023 fighting game tournament, held August 4–6 at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas.
02
Both Crunchyroll and EVO are owned in full or in part by divisions of Sony, which facilitated the collaboration.
03
EVO 2023 experienced significant growth, recording an 81% increase in player registrations compared to previous events.
04
The tournament reached a milestone of more than 20,000 tickets sold for the 2023 event.
05
Crunchyroll’s activations at the event include a 10,000-square-foot retro arcade featuring titles like Street Fighter: Duel, live DJ performances, and themed photo opportunities for series such as SPY x FAMILY and JUJUTSU KAISEN.
06
Financial terms of the partnership agreement between the two Sony-affiliated entities were not disclosed.

Summary

Crunchyroll and the Evolution Championship Series (EVO) have established a partnership for the 2023 iteration of the fighting game tournament, held August 4–6 at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. While the financial terms of the agreement remain undisclosed, the collaboration is notable as both entities are under the corporate umbrella of Sony.

The partnership integrates anime-themed activations into the event, including a 10,000-square-foot retro arcade featuring Crunchyroll titles like Street Fighter: Duel. Additional programming includes live DJ performances and dedicated photo opportunities centered on popular anime franchises such as SPY x FAMILY and JUJUTSU KAISEN. These efforts aim to enhance the attendee experience by blending anime culture with competitive gaming.

The collaboration coincides with significant growth for the event. Organizers reported a record-breaking year for EVO 2023, characterized by an 81% increase in player registrations across all competitive titles and the sale of more than 20,000 tickets. This surge in participation underscores the expanding scale of the fighting game community and the strategic value of aligning entertainment networks with major esports tournaments.