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Evo Awards Show Reveals Official Run of Show on Feb. 15 Dedicated to Celebrating the Fighting Game Community

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Winners for the 22 categories for the Evo Awards powered by Qiddiya Gaming will be unveiled during action-packed program.

Chipotle, NACON, PlayStation Tournaments and Zenni join as presenting partners for select awards, while Red Bull, SEGA and Capcom join as partners.

Evolution Championship Series (known as Evo), unveiled additional details for its inaugural Evo Awards powered by Qiddiya Gaming on February 15 in Los Angeles. The invite-only event will honor the icons of the fighting game community and the future trailblazers and will reveal the winners across 22 categories voted by the fans, Hall of Fame inductees, and publisher reveals.

Evo Awards Run of Show (times are subject to change)

5:00 p.m. PT –  The Evo Awards Pre-Show hosts Tasty Steve and Hollywood RobTV kick-off the evening that will stream live on Evo’s Twitch Channel and Evo’s YouTube Channel. Additional special guests include Maximilian Dood, Faye Mata and Evo Award Nominees.

5:15 p.m. PT – Pre-Show continues with Arcade Carpet Interviews and the Marvel vs Capcom 2 “Tournament of Champions” featuring FGC Legends Justin Wong, Michael “IFC Yipes” Mendoza, Sanford Kelly, and Duc Do and commentated by Mike Ross and GoldenBoyNeo.

6:45 p.m. PT – Pre-Show wraps up with major announcements about Evo 2025 including ticketing, hotels, special guests and more game reveals.

7:00 p.m. PT – The Evo Awards presented by Qiddiya Gaming hands out the first of 22 Awards that include Player of the Year, Match of the Year and Moment of the Year.

The Evo Awards will also see three FGC Legends – Tokido, John Choi and Alex Valle, inducted into the Evo Hall of fame.

During the show fans can expect a multitude of world premiere announcements from several of our partners, including a major announcement from Cygames for Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising. There will also be updates from Arc System Works with a world premiere announcement for their upcoming title  HUNTER×HUNTER NEN×IMPACT. There will also be a world premiere announcement for UNDER NIGHT IN-BIRTH II Sys:Celes.

Additionally, we’ll have World Premiere announcements from SNK for FATAL FURY: City of the Wolves at the Evo Awards, with attendees able to access a demo of the game on-site. Fans tuning in can expect an exciting exhibition match featuring several fighting game champions and personalities. The Open Beta Test will be starting from Feb. 20th and running until the 24th, giving everyone a chance to get in on the action. FATAL FURY: CotW is available for preorder on PlayStation®5, PlayStation®4, Xbox Series X|S, Steam and the Epic Games Store.”

Fighting game fans can look forward to Capcom promoting the upcoming Capcom Fighting Collection 2 at the event, giving fans a sneak preview of the arcade classics, including: Project Justice, Power Stone 2, Capcom vs. SNK 2 and more.

Chipotle®, who returns as presenting partner for the third year in a row for the flagship event in Las Vegas on Aug. 1-3, will also present the “Best Meme” and “Best Custom Hardware” Awards, while Zenni will present the “Best Dressed Award”. The show will also be supported by PlayStation Tournaments who will present the “They’ve Got Next” award, and NACON will present “Comeback of the Year”. To crown the unforgettable evening, the Evo Awards’ powering partner Qiddiya Gaming will honor both the Player of the Year and Moment of the Year Awards.

Additional partners for the Evo Awards include Red Bull and SEGA’s Like A Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii.

“With the Evo Awards, we are thrilled to be presenting an event acknowledging the achievements of the game community now and in the years ahead,” said Rick Thiher, General Manager of Evo. “These Awards are an opportunity for us to celebrate and inspire the passionate players, fans, publishers, and developers that make fighting games so exciting.”

The list of Evo Award Categories and Nominees are below.

Evo Awards Categories:

  • Best Pop Off
    • Nominees: Hayao NoahtheProdigy, Nitro, AK, Punk
  • FGC Content of the Year
    • Nominees: TEKKEN 8 Tutorials, Marvel vs Capcom 2 Streams, Sajam TEKKEN Slam, Will It Kill?, Trash Talk Podcast
  • FGC Meme of the Year presented by Chipotle
    • Nominees: The Wazzler, Hand Heart & Thumbs Up, Hayao Does The Splits, Let’s Go Gambling, Attacks IRL
  • Comeback of the Year presented by NACON
    • Nominees: Hayao, Arslan Ash, G_Conceptz, SonicFox, Yagami
  • Match of the Year Award
    • Nominees: Punk vs Big Bird, Hayao vs FrankieBFG, Xiao Hai vs Kusanagi, Nitro vs Tatuma, Arslan Ash vs ATIF
  • Best On-Air Duo
    • Nominees: IFCYipeS + Sajam, RIP + Tasty Steve, Sajam + Tasty Steve, Justin Wong + IFCYipeS, Vicious + Justin Wong
  • Best Commentary
    • Nominees: That is a Worthless Button!, This Could Be Game…And It Is, Arslan’s Gonna Do It! He’s So Close! He’s So Close, Steve!, That Could Be an Evo-Losing Anti Air, Break His Guard!
  • Best Custom Hardware presented by Chipotle
    • Nominees: C.O.M.B.O. Extension Buttons, Snack Box Micro, MPress Nano, Custom Claiomh Solais Arcade Stick, Haute Pad T-Series
  • Best FGC Cosplay
    • Nominees: Chonibu, MSValentine, Chiba Josui, Onesaya, Kryrayne
  • Best Dressed presented by Zenni
    • Nominees: Tasty Steve, Logan Sama, Vicious, Hollywood RobTV, IFCYipeS
  • Best Button of the Year
    • Nominees: Dragunov Ignition Switch (QCF+4), Luke Crouching Medium Punch, Dash Light Attack, Johnny Cage Forward 3, Ken Crouching Medium Kick
  • Tech of the Year
    • Nominees: Pro KO Leverless, SWORL Arcade Controller, Hit Box Ultra, Sapphire Leverless Controller, LVL Controller
  • Marketing Campaign of the Year
    • Nominees: Evo + SFG + TEKKEN 8, Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves X Cristiano Ronaldo, 2XKO, Street Fighter 6 Season 2, ECT Commercial
  • Fighting Game Release of the Year
    • Nominees: TEKKEN 8, Street Fighter 6 Season 2 DLC, Marvel vs Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Series, Under Night In-Birth II Sys:Celes, Rivals of Aether II
  • They’ve Got Next presented by PlayStation Tournaments
    • Nominees: EnzoTheHokage, Booce, NoahtheProdigy, KingReyJr, Blaz
  • Best FGC Local
    • Nominees: Tatakai Tuesday, NLBC, Abou Dojo, FGC Meetups, Ozimeme
  • Invitational of the Year
    • Nominees: Red Bull Kumite, Sajam TEKKEN Slam, Crazy Raccoon Cup, Red Bull Golden Letters, Topanga Championship 5
  • Best Online Series
    • Nominees: CasaBunch, TNS Online, Saltmine League, The Kolosseum, Can Opener
  • Content Creator of the Year
    • Nominees: Sajam, Justin Wong, Brian_F, Broski, Diaphone
  • Commentator of the Year
    • Nominees: IFCYipeS, Tasty Steve, Sajam, Rynge, Vicious
  • Player of the Year presented by Qiddiya Gaming
    • Nominees: Punk, Arslan Ash, MenaRD, Xiao Hai, Nitro
  • Moment of the Year presented by Qiddiya Gaming
    • Nominees: Punk Wins Street Fighter 6 at Evo, Hayao “Moment 38”, Xiao Hai Wins Esports World Cup, Lilypichu vs Harada at Evo Showcase, MenaRD Wins His First Evo
Evo returns to Japan on May 9-11 at Tokyo Big Sight and will also feature two five-on-five tournaments with STREET FIGHTER III 3rd STRIKE -Fight for the Future- and Virtua Fighter 5 R.E.V.O. Its flagship and biggest event, seeking to become the largest tournament in esports history once again, returns to the Las Vegas Convention Center on August 1-3 with Chipotle® as presenting partner. Registration to compete is open at evo.gg in the eight featured Arena tournaments with spectator tickets on sale on Feb. 15. Evo will make its European debut at the Palais des Expos in Nice, France, on October 10-12 and also announced it will expand to Singapore in 2026.

The post Evo Awards Show Reveals Official Run of Show on Feb. 15 Dedicated to Celebrating the Fighting Game Community appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

George Miller (Gyorgy Molnar) started his career in content marketing and has started working as an Editor/Content Manager for our company in 2016. George has acquired many experiences when it comes to interviews and newsworthy content becoming Head of Content in 2017. He is responsible for the news being shared on multiple websites that are part of the European Gaming Media Network.

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HIPTHER’s European Gaming Congress 2025 Marks Record Attendance and Announces Marek Plota as Ambassador of the HIPTHER Warsaw Summit

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The 2025 edition of the European Gaming Congress (EGC) closed its doors in Warsaw with record-breaking attendance, a strengthened industry footprint, and an announcement that marks a new chapter for HIPTHER’s European expansion: in 2026, EGC officially evolves into the HIPTHER Warsaw Summit with renowned legal expert Marek Plota appointed as its first Ambassador.

Held across two content-rich stages – the Compliance & Operations Lad and the TechXperience Stage – alongside the hands-on HIPTHER Academy Workshops, EGC 2025 delivered its most ambitious program to date. Attendance has now tripled compared to its reintroduction in 2023, establishing Warsaw as one of the most dynamic conversation hubs for gaming, compliance, and tech in Europe.

A European Outlook With Global Relevance

The Compliance & Operations Lab brought together regulators, lawyers, and industry specialists for a panoramic review of the evolving European ecosystem. Discussions spanned the Polish market’s legal framework, cross-border compliance from Paris to Berlin, key CEE territories, the Czech Republic and Romania, and an outlook on emerging priorities in the Baltics. Experts also explored global trends with a timely update on several LATAM jurisdictions.

A highlight of the Agenda was the IMGL Masterclass“Regulators, Legislators, and the Power of One Voice: A Legal Strategy for Industry Unity” – which explored the future of collaborative governance and harmonization.

Fintech, taxation, licensing, and responsible gaming standards added essential layers to a program designed to help operators and suppliers navigate an increasingly interconnected regulatory landscape.

Tech, Innovation, and the Human Factor

On the TechXperience Stage, conversations shifted to the future:
AI for competitive advantage
The evolution of esports and startup innovation
AEO & SEO trends redefining discoverability
Personalization and the new player journey
Cyber resilience in iGaming
Strategic Event Preparation in B2B PR, Marketing & BizDev

These sessions brought together marketing leaders, technologists, founders, and innovators across iGaming, fintech, digital entertainment, and cybersecurity, underlining Warsaw’s emerging status as a cross-industry meeting point in Europe.

A Key Voice: Marek Plota’s Impactful Participation

Throughout the Congress, Marek Plota – Founding Attorney at RM Legal & Gaming in Poland – played a leading role as both moderator and speaker. His contributions spanned Poland’s gambling framework, European lessons for CEE markets, and strategic taxation and licensing standards. He also brought legal depth to the IMGL Masterclass, adding critical clarity to one of the most pressing topics for operators in the region.

Marek’s widely respected presence across national and international gaming markets, combined with his years-long collaboration with HIPTHER as panelist, moderator, sponsor, and advisor, made this year’s Congress a natural moment to formalize the partnership.

Introducing the Ambassador of the HIPTHER Warsaw Summit

HIPTHER is proud to announce Marek Plota as the Ambassador of the HIPTHER Warsaw Summit, beginning with the 2026 edition.

In his own words: “It’s a real honor to serve as an ambassador for the Hipther Warsaw Summit and the European Gaming Congress. My collaboration with Zoltan Tundik and the Hipther team goes back many years as a panelist, moderator, sponsor, and above all, as a friend. These events are truly unique in the global gaming and gambling conference calendar — intimate, insightful, and refreshingly personal. Unlike the vast expos, Hipther events give people a genuine chance to meet, talk, and exchange ideas without walking 50,000 steps from one meeting to another. We are already looking forward to the next editions and to working together to make these conferences a true must-have for everyone in the industry.”

Marek is a founder and a head of the legal team at RM Legal Law Firm and Gaming In Poland, jointly providing multidisciplinary and multijurisdictional support for leading international gambling operators in the Polish, European Union, and African markets. His gambling practice includes regulatory support at the pre and post-licensing stage, IT, and taxation services, as well as the unique service of performing a function of a gambling representative. RM Legal is the only law firm in Poland representing offshore companies operating legally in the Polish gambling market. Apart from gambling Marek specializes in corporate commercial law and international investment projects.

A New Era for Warsaw, Europe, and the Global Market

The transition from EGC to the HIPTHER Warsaw Summit marks a strategic evolution with HIPTHER enhancing the region’s growing importance: Poland now stands as a crossroads of regulatory influence, iGaming innovation, and international market expansion – connecting Western Europe, CEE, and fast-emerging global markets, from Africa to LATAM.

In 2026, the HIPTHER Warsaw Summit will continue shaping the conversations and connections that define the future of gaming and tech.

HIPTHER looks forward to welcoming the industry back to Warsaw next year for an even bigger, more influential, and more globally connected event – assisted by the expertise and vision of its new Ambassador.

The post HIPTHER’s European Gaming Congress 2025 Marks Record Attendance and Announces Marek Plota as Ambassador of the HIPTHER Warsaw Summit appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Asensi Technologies Obtains Accreditation as an Online Gaming Laboratory in Malta

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The Malta Gaming Authority (MGA) has officially recognized Asensi Technologies as a System and Compliance Audit Service Provider, thereby granting the company authorization to conduct technical audits (System Audits) and regulatory compliance reviews (Compliance Audits) on online gaming systems operating under Maltese jurisdiction.

Following a rigorous accreditation process, Asensi Technologies expands its international presence and demonstrates its ability to meet the demands of a sector that is constantly growing and evolving.

“Malta, one of the leading international hubs for the online gaming industry, represents a strategic step in the company’s global expansion,” states Teté Asensi, CEO of the company.

“This recognition is particularly gratifying as it strengthens our position as a specialized laboratory for the evaluation and certification of online gaming systems in a key market such as Malta, and reflects further confidence in our work,” she adds.

Since its accreditation in 2017 by the Dirección General de Ordenación del Juego (DGOJ) as an authorized laboratory in Spain, Asensi Technologies has maintained a strong commitment to technical excellence and regulatory compliance, earning recognition on numerous occasions as one of the best service providers in the sector within the country.

Over the past year, the company has embarked on an international expansion process, achieving official accreditation from MINCETUR to operate in Peru, recognition from the Kahnawake Gaming Commission in Kahnawake, and now this milestone in Malta, where it expects to replicate the positive results already recorded in the three jurisdictions where it currently operates.

CEO Teté Asensi highlights the significance of obtaining these accreditations and international recognition for a company like Asensi Technologies: “We are extremely proud of this new achievement. We are a boutique laboratory undergoing rapid expansion thanks to a highly qualified and committed team capable of offering a close and personalized approach to our clients, accompanying them throughout their processes with tailored solutions that meet their needs. This milestone reflects and acknowledges all our effort and dedication,” she concludes.

The post Asensi Technologies Obtains Accreditation as an Online Gaming Laboratory in Malta appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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Max Level wins PR & Communications mandate for LVL Zero Gaming Incubator

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Max Level, a leading marketing and PR agency built by gamers, has been appointed as the official PR and communications partner for LVL Zero, a first-of-its-kind incubator program spearheaded by ChimeraVC in partnership with MIXI Global Investments and Nazara Technologies. The initiative aims to accelerate the growth of early-stage gaming startups in India through a 100-day structured program combining mentorship, product acceleration and capital access.

LVL Zero offers an equity-free grant pool worth USD 100,000, open to all startups across the gaming ecosystem. Each cohort will see 10 startups receive a USD 10,000 equity-free grant. The program is designed to help startups accelerate product development through targeted mentorship, access to funding opportunities, and connections with publishing networks. Over the next five years, LVL Zero aims to empower more than 100 promising startups to build sustainable businesses and compete globally.

Speaking on the partnership, Krish Anurag, Managing Partner at ChimeraVC and Founding Partner at LVL Zero said: “LVL Zero is our commitment to catalysing the next generation of gaming founders from India and Asia. We’re thrilled to have Max Level on board as our communications partner. Their deep understanding of the gaming ecosystem, narrative expertise, and proven network within the media landscape make them the ideal agency to help us amplify this initiative and the founders who will shape the future of gaming.”

As the PR and communications partner for LVL Zero, Max Level will lead the initiative’s storytelling and thought leadership strategy, spotlighting the success stories emerging from each cohort to highlight the program’s impact on the gaming startup ecosystem. With a proven track record as the communications partner for some of India’s leading gaming and esports brands, including NODWIN Gaming, S8UL Esports, Riot Games, and CyberPowerPC India, Max Level brings deep industry insight, strategic narrative expertise, and an authentic understanding of the gaming community to help LVL Zero achieve its vision and amplify its influence across the region.

Siddharth Nayyar, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Max Level, added: “LVL Zero is an incredible incubator program for gaming startups in India, and we’re excited to help tell its story. The program is perfectly aligned with our mission to support the growth of India’s gaming and creator economy, and we look forward to driving awareness around the founders, ideas, and innovations emerging from LVL Zero’s cohorts.”

In addition to PR and communications, Max Level provides gaming and esports brands with an array of services, including campaign management, brand building, production, video editing, social media marketing, influencer programs, and consultancy. The agency’s portfolio spans leading names such as NODWIN Gaming, S8UL, Riot Games India and South Asia, CyberPowerPC India, KRAFTON, the Saudi Esports Federation, ESL FACEIT Group, The Esports World Cup, ASUS ROG, Jio Games, TVS, and HyperX, among others.

This partnership marks another milestone in Max Level’s mission to power narratives that elevate India’s gaming, esports, and tech ecosystem globally.

The post Max Level wins PR & Communications mandate for LVL Zero Gaming Incubator appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.

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