After Saudi Arabia RTS purchased Evolution Championship Series (Evo) this week, fans took to the internet to blast the decision, and some have called the event dead.
Earlier in the week, Qiddiya City, Saudi Arabia’s RTS, announced its decision to purchase 100% of the Evolution Championship Series (Evo), the world’s most renowned fighting game competition, which was raised from the ground up as a grassroots, fan-organized tournament. As NODWIN Gaming exits co-ownership (PlayStation left as a co-owner in August 2025), it will continue to work with Evolution, focusing on marketing. Meanwhile, key leadership will remain in position to attempt to ensure consistency with the tournament’s legacy
At the time of purchase, CSO of the Qiddiya Investment Company, Muhannad AlDawood, said, “This is about investing in the future of play, and safeguarding what makes Evo special,” in the official announcement. The event started more than 20 years ago as a small, community-focused 40-person Super Street Fighter II Turbo and Street Fighter Alpha 2 tournament and has grown into a global sensation, with fans regarding it as the premier FGC (Fighting Game Community) event.
The now-Saudi-owned RTS was founded in 2021 and purchased by the Qiddiya Investment Company (QIC) in September 2025. The Qiddiya Investment Company is under the same umbrella as Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), and it has been busy this year. The PIF acquired a huge stake in Electronic Arts in 2025 and holds significant stakes in CAPCOM, Nexon, and Nintendo. Community Events like Evo were just the next step.
It has been nearly a week, and fans are still scathing about the decision. On forums like Reddit, fans have been quick to declare the event “dead” already. One fighting fan advises others to go to their local game shops for the fighting game community, saying, “I was already on my way out of Evo because I don’t like how corporate the scene has become. I don’t even want fighting games to be a scene anymore, just play and watch the games you like, give feedback that you care about, and growth will come organically.” With many fans echoing the sentiment, agreeing they don’t like how corporate and over-produced the event has become.
Other fans have even suggested ‘making their own community,’ rather than support what ‘Evo has become.’ Other fans have said they’ll still support CEO 2026 (another fighting game community-led tournament) and other events like Combo Breaker, which are both run by former Evo organizers. Many fans have already started to grieve the tournament, with one saying, “This is just the final nail in an already well-sealed coffin. Glad I got to go before the ticket became $200.” It’s worth noting that Evo tickets have been circling that price point since Sony and RTS outright purchased the event as co-owners in 2021.
While many fans are jaded regarding the purchase, it remains to be seen how ‘corporate’ things become. More information (and how to attend) can be found on the official tournament website.
