Author: Casey "Waveflame" Rinaldi

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Get hyped for Evo Japan 2018 with these official trailers

The hype for Evo’s 2018 expansion into Japan continues, as the second and third official trailers for the event have just been released. In the first video, Japanese fighting game legends Echo Fox|Tokido, Hx.CYG BST|Daigo Umehara, Mago, GodsGardenPro|Kazunoko and Evo Japan Steering Committee Chairman Kaneko “Hameko” Noriyuki speak about their experiences with the Evolution Championship Series in America, and what it means to be able to bring the event over to Japan.

In the third official trailer, we see that the three-day event will be taking place in Tokyo, with the first two days on Friday and Saturday emanating from Sunshine City in Ikebukuro, while the Sunday finals will be held in Akihabara at the Akihabara UDX. The seven-game lineup will be as follows:

  • Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition
  • Tekken 7
  • The King of Fighters XIV
  • BlazBlue: Central Fiction
  • Guilty Gear Xrd REV 2
  • ARMS
  • Super Smash Bros. for Wii U

Evo Japan 2018 takes place on January 26-28. Registration for the event will remain open for one more month — until Sunday, December 31st, 2017 — and you can find more information here. If you’d like to be a part of history and make a trip to the Land of the Rising Sun, you can head over to EVO-Japan.net for more information, and be sure to follow @EvoJapanNews and @Evo on Twitter. You can see both trailers below!

Source: EVO Japan

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Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite’s Venom, Black Widow, & Winter Soldier showcased on today’s Capcom-Unity stream

Good news for all you True Believers out there. With the final three members of the 2017 Character Pass — the Marvel trio of Black Widow, Winter Soldier, and Venom — set to hit our consoles next Tuesday, December 5th (alongside the massive “Dante Must Die” balance patch) the official Marvel vs. Capcom Twitter account has announced that the three new challengers will be getting showcased on the Capcom-Unity stream today: Thursday, November 30th, at 3:00 PM PT (5:00 PM Central, 6:00 PM Eastern). Viewers will be able to tune in at twitch.tv/capcomunity.

With Black Widow packing some tricky evasive maneuvers and a variety of technological attacks — including a sticky bomb and nerve gas fired from her wrist gauntlets — the Winter Soldier carrying plenty of artillery, and Venom bringing back all of his classic shape-shifting symbiote goodness — complimented with new tricks, such as his six-way Venom Glide — it will definitely be interesting to get a closer look at how these fighters will stack up to the competition. You can see the announcement tweet below:

Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite is available now on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. Each of the six DLC characters can be bought individually for $7.99 (which includes their Wave 1 Premium Costumes) or can all be purchased at once with the 2017 Character Pass, which will set you back $29.99. In the meantime, you can check out Peck’s detailed analysis of what this Marvelous trio could bring to the table — based off their reveal trailer — here.

Source: Marvel vs. Capcom (Twitter)

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Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite Battle for the Stones Latin America Online Qualifier results

While many of us around the world were enjoying the Thanksgiving holiday with great food, loved ones, and Black Friday shopping deals, Latin America’s Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite‘s Battle for the Stones qualifier was raging in cyberspace, as some of the region’s finest battled in out in the second of three online qualifiers to determine the final three entrants in the BFTS finals at the Hilton in Anaheim, California this December. Currently qualified players include:

  • Evo 2011 Marvel vs. Capcom 3: Fate of Two Worlds Champion Jay “Viscant” Snyder
  • Evo 2012 Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Champion Splyce|Ryan “Filipino Champ” Ramirez
  • Evo 2013 Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Champion Job “Flocker” Figueroa
  • Evo 2014 Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Champion Echo Fox|Justin Wong
  • Evo 2015 Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Champion Nicholas “KaneBlueRiver” Gonzalez
  • Evo 2016 Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Champion EG|NYChris G
  • Evo 2017 Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3 Champion Splyce|Ryan “RyanLV” Romero
  • Space Stone Bearer Robert “Sacktap” Capps
  • Soul Stone Bearer RISE|Richard Nguyen
  • Time Stone Bearer GGP|Ryota “Kazunoko” Inoue
  • Power Stone Bearer Jonathan “Cloud805” Morales
  • Mind Stone Bearer Luis “Teemo” Gomez
  • Reality Stone Bearer Carlos “Linj” Silva
  • European Online Qualifier Alioune Camara

Results

mvci-tournament

Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite

1. Moise (Ghost Rider/Nova – Reality) – Qualifies for the Battle for the Stones Finals
2. NeoGeo (Jedah/Gamora – Space)
3. Serpentaurus (Thor/Dormammu – Reality, Strider Hiryu/Doctor Strange – Mind)
4. Zeca (Gamora/Ghost Rider – Reality)
5. Acido (Ultron/Dormammu – Space)
5. UB|Shin (Monster Hunter/Ultron – Soul)
7. DanteLinkX (Dante/X – Soul)
7. Coronel Massacre (Rocket Raccoon/Firebrand – Space)

With 15 of our 16 valiant heroes confirmed, all eyes now turn towards the North American Online Qualifier, taking place this Saturday, December 2nd, at noon CT, (which already has over 400 entrants, as of this writing) where we’ll learn the identity of the final competitor who will be able to vie for control of the MvC:I Universe, in addition to having a shot at a prize pool of over $30,000.

If you’d like to get in on the action, registration is currently live at smash.gg.

Source: BattlefortheStones

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Enjoy some high-level Injustice 2 action feat. a variety of players and characters in Ketchup & Mustard’s online FT10s

With their schedules becoming much clearer over the course of this month, top-level UK NRS commentators and content creators PND|Ketchup and Mustard are looking to return to the world of Injustice 2 by streaming a series of high-level online first-to-ten sets — featuring some of the top players and character-specialists from around the world — as chosen by the viewers and fans.

With the recent November update shaking the meta to its very core, there have been a wide variety of lesser-seen players and characters on display in these matches.

Notable encounters include: Bdon’s Dr. Fate taking on Atai’s Blue Beetle, UndeadJim’s newly-minted Hellboy squaring off against Yammini’s Green Arrow, Vertex|HeyGeorge’s (who nearly eliminated Echo Fox’s Sonic Fox from ELEAGUE) freshly-buffed Joker against CrazyFinger’s Swamp Thing, Method|REO’s Bane vs. Buffalo’s Sub-Zero, OmegaK’s beastly Gorilla Grodd opposing DizzyTTT’s Black Canary, Echo Fox|Theo’s Superman/Bizarro against Emperor Knick’s Darkseid, and many more. We’ve embedded a few matches below for your viewing pleasure, but you can catch all of the other sets on their YouTube Channel, or watch them unfold live, at https://www.twitch.tv/pndketchup, every Wednesday at around 12:00 PM CT (10:00 AM PT).

What do you think of these FT10s? Which players and characters would you like to see in future installments? Let us your thoughts — and which matches were your favorites — in the comments below.

Source: PNDK&M

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Get a visual before and after demonstration of all of the Injustice 2 patch 1.12 changes, courtesy of Noble|Raptor

NetherRealm Studios dropped the latest update, patch 1.12, for Injustice 2 earlier this month. While the last few monthly patches primarily focused on bug fixes, Gear adjustments and the addition of Legendary Multiverses and Fighter Pack 2 DLC characters, this latest patch served as the game’s second balance update, bringing with a host of changes to a variety of cast members.

Though NRS provided minor demonstrations and explanations of some of the more pertinent changes on their semi-annual Watchtower Livestream, Noble|Raptor has taken it upon himself to create a full “Before & After” video showing off every single notable alteration to the game between version 1.11 and 1.12.  This is an undeniable must-watch if you’re an avid Injustice 2 player, or if you’re just curious about what some of their wording means on specific bullet points in the notes.

Let us know if you found this dose of visual aid helpful, and what your thoughts are on the current state of Injustice 2‘s balance in the comments section below.

Source: Raptor

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Perfect your Fusion Dance with all the known anime and manga references for Gotenks in Dragon Ball FighterZ

As we continue navigating Snake Way, getting ever closer to the release of the highly-anticipated Dragon Ball FighterZ, we were recently gifted a trio of character reveals by Shenron in the forms of Gotenks, Ultimate Gohan and Kid Buu. After getting unintentionally caught up in the overpowering hype, IKevinX has released his latest anime and manga reference video, based off of the short gameplay trailer of Gotenks that recently dropped.

Drawing primarily on his battle with Super Buu — particularly the version depicted in the anime — the fused Saiyan warrior will be able to utilize shoulder rams, a tornado-like spinning attack that bears a striking resemblance to Ryu’s Tatsumaki Senpukyaku, his Continuous Die Die Missile and Victory Cannon, as well as some original attacks that seem to have been created for DBFZ. This does fit his extremely childish and flamboyant fighting style.

His specials include his signature Super Ghost Kamikaze Attack (complete with no eyebrows and the Super Saiyan 3 hairstyle), the Galactic Donut and Super Donut Volley, which look great for restraining foes from long-range, and, of course, the Charging Ultra Buu Buu Volleyball attack — which, despite being utilized with Piccolo to reenact the classic passing scene, will have character-specific passing animations depending on the characters you’ve chosen to team him up with him for the current battle. He also appears to assault Kid Buu with a barrage of Super Miracle Punches as well. You can catch the full video — as well as links to his coverage of previous cast members — below.

Dragon Ball FighterZ will be released in North America and Europe on January 26th, 2018, on PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. A Japanese release on those same platforms will follow on February 1st. An open beta period will also take place sometime in January, preceding the game’s full release.

Source: IKevinX

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Unequalled Media’s Tyrant and Maximilian break down Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite’s upcoming balance patch

Next month is shaping up to be huge for fans and players of Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite. The game’s final three DLC characters (as part of the 2017 Character Pass), Marvel’s trio of Black Widow, Winter Soldier and Venom will be available in two weeks on Tuesday, December 5th, along with their Premium costumes.

But arguably more important is the title receiving its first proper large-scale balance update: affectionately dubbed the “Dante Must Die” patch, due to the staggering number of changes to the Son of Sparda, as well as the Reality Stone’s Infinity Surge. The update is also providing a large number of bug fixes, imposing quite a few combo limitations on certain OTG and Capture State moves, as well as providing balance changes to a large number of frequently — and not-so-frequently — used characters.

While a massive wall of text chronicling the changes can be a lot to take in — particularly since it lacks developer notes from Capcom specifically explaining what some of the changes mean, or why they’re being applied — Unequalled Media’s Tyrant and Maximilian have taken it upon themselves to provide players with detailed breakdown videos covering the most significant changes coming to the game. Though both videos are a bit long, they’re certainly great resources for those curious on how their favorite heroes and villains may be impacted by these upcoming adjustments in a few short weeks. (Be advised though: there is a fair amount of NSFW language in both videos, so exercise caution if you’re at work or have family around!)

Lastly, for those worried about how this update could impact the upcoming Battle for the Stones Finals at Capcom Cup, you can rest easy. Capcom has officially stated that, in order to maintain the integrity of the tournament, the event will be using the current version of the game, with Black Widow, Winter Soldier and Venom, being unavailable for use in the competition.

What are your overall thoughts on these upcoming patch notes? Do you agree or disagree with Max or Tyrant’s opinions, after giving these videos a watch? Sound off in the comments section below.

Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite is currently available for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. A free Versus demo will also be available for PlayStation Plus subscribers — featuring all 30 members of the base roster — running from Friday, November 24th to Monday, November 27th.

Sources: UM Tyrant; Maximilian Dood

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Is Capcom France hinting at Sodom’s potential return in Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition’s Season 3 lineup?

Amid all of the new V-Triggers and falling cherry blossoms that closed out the weekend’s Red Bull Battle Grounds, Capcom France made an interesting post on their Facebook and Twitter accounts that could possibly be hinting at another veteran character returning for Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition’s third season. The two social media accounts cryptically posted a distorted  piece of artwork for a character, simply captioning it by asking, “Who is he?” followed by a smirking emoji and Capcom hashtag.

Capcom France even followed up on this by posting an unscrambled picture on their Facebook Page of a helmeted fighter: any longtime fans of either Street Fighter Alpha or Final Fight will immediately recognize the warrior as the sai-weilding American Japanophile member of the Mad Gear Gang, Sodom.

This isn’t the first time Capcom France has not-so-subtly hinted at upcoming content for SFV, as they tweeted out an image of the Metro City Bay Area Stage, shortly before the official reveal of Season 2’s Abigail at Evo. Leading up to the initial release of Street Fighter V, it was mentioned in an interview with Famitsu by Capcom Japan’s Koichi Sugiyama that “we have not forgotten Sodom,” clarifying that, “[He] was one of the candidates we were considering from the Alpha series, but he was difficult to fit into the story. If we include Sodom, that also brings in the Mad Gear Gang.”

Though neither he, nor the Gang, were mentioned in the game’s General Story, “A Shadow Falls,” Season 2 has introduced former Mad Gear member Abigail (along with Roxy, J and Axl) as well as Guy’s Master, Zeku, into the playable cast — which certainly widens the door for his return, compared to before.

Finally, Sodom’s name was mentioned, along with original Final Fight protagonist Cody, as a Season 3 roster addition in that massive Reddit Leak that spanned multiple titles. You can see both photos in question below.

Would you like to see Sodom in Street Fighter V? If so, what alterations would you like to see to his playstyle? Do you think it’s just a social media tease, leading to a bait-and-switch…? Give us your thoughts in the comments below.

Street Fighter V: Arcade Edition will be released on January 16th, 2018, for PlayStation 4 and Steam PC, as both physical release, as well as a free update for current owners of the title.

Sources: Capcom France (Twitter); Capcom France (Facebook); Famitsu

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Gordeau, Yukiko Amagi, and Azrael rip into BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle

After teasing a new Persona 4 Arena combatant entering the fray earlier this week, Arc System Works has revealed the latest trio of fighters heading to the upcoming BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle. Ragna’s officially got some competition for his “Grim Reaper” title — as the scythe-wielding Greedy Harvester Gordeau, has entered the fray, alongside Sector Seven’s “Mad Dog” Azrael and — as expected — the Investigation Team’s Yukiko Amagi. A trio of reveals highly anticipated by yours truly.

The former Amnesia member brings his signature large normals, along with his Assimilation (which seems to just function as a regular command grab with the absence of GRD and is also one of his Assists), Grim Reaper, Shade Harvest and Mortal Slide special moves. As with all other Under Night In-Birth characters, his sole Distortion Skill will be his Infinite Worth, Turbulence. The “Unconquerable Snow Black,” alongside her Persona, Konohana-Sakuya, will undoubtedly one of the game’s stronger zoners; boasting her signature fans, along with her Fire Boost mechanic. Finally, the newly-christened “Deathbringer” showcases all of his raw strength for the ultimate feast. His Sentinel Dump, current 2C and Rekkas have returned, along with his Exceed Accel, Full Spartan, now serving as a Distortion Skill. However, most interesting is the seemingly complete absence of his Drive ability — The Terror — as his 5C, the game’s Universal Overhead attack that uses his 5D animation, does not leave a weak point on Chie’s body when it connects.

There are also some noticeable HUD improvements, with Distortion Skills and Crash Assaults now turning the stage backgrounds a bright red, as well as a bright “CHANGE!” icon that seems to appear when switching characters. When entering a lower health threshold, character’s portraits will begin to glow red with a “Danger!” message.

Lastly, we’re not given any indication of when the next set of reveals will be — but the final line from Noel implies that Tsubaki, Makoto or even Mai, may be coming to us soon. You can view the full trailer below.

BlazBlue Cross Tag Battle will be released for PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch and Steam PC sometime in 2018. You can find the other reveal trailers at the links below.

Source: Arc System Works

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Brussels Challenge Road to Evo Japan #2 results

This past weekend, ZOWIE sponsored some major fighting game action in Brussels, Belgium, as the second Brussels Challenge Road to Evo Japan event was held. As its name implied, this was the second of a four-part qualifying series of tournaments that will allow the winner to get their trip to the upcoming Evo Japan in 2018 fully paid for.

The event featured competition in Street Fighter V, Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite and The King of Fighters XIV. With several members of Epsilon eSports in attendance, as well as CDV|WhiteBl4ck and Millénium|Will2Pac, the competition was guaranteed to be fierce across the entire trio of titles.

Though the competition has officially passed the halfway point, there will still be two more monthly challenges in December and January. ZOWIE will also be giving away a RL2460 gaming monitor. For more information, follow Younes on Twitter @ccl085.

Results

sfv-tournament

Street Fighter V

1. Epsilon|Brick (Zangief)
2. Epsilon|Takamura (Ken)
3. Kuja (Abigail)
4. Epsilon|Nightcross (Dhalsim)
5. Kashama (Balrog)
5. Millénium|Will2Pac (Laura)
7. Method|NastyNas (Balrog)
7. Konvy (Karin)
9. Prophecy|Zera (Akuma)
9. SoulBison (M. Bison)
9. Neo|ErCommander (Guile)
9. Prophecy|Akainu (Guile)
13. Neo|AeroRockMan (Guile)
13. exceL|X3Terror (Guile)
13. Momi (Cammy)
13. AngryMojoSan (Akuma)

kof-xiv-kofxiv-tournament

The King of Fighters XIV

1. Salim (Gang-Il/Benimaru/Iori)
2. Général (Joe/Leona/Benimaru)
3. Shadow|Davids (Clark/Benimaru/King)
4. Jéjé (Angel/Shun’ei/Robert)
5. Tahar (Mature/Benimaru/Mai)
5. Esakaa (Kensou/MuiMui/Mai)
7. Shadow|Reds (Meitenkun/Athena/Kim, Meitenkun/Clark/Kim)
7. HokutoYoussef (Hein/Benimaru/Leona)

mvci-tournament

Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite

1. CDV|WhiteBl4ck (Dante/Strider Hiryu – Soul)
2. ZW|Achorawl (Black Panter/Rocket Raccoon – Space)
3. Master VHD (Ultron/Nova)
4. Younes1080 (Dante/Dormammu)

Source: Brussels Challenge