The organizers of EVO, the world’s largest fighting game championship, announced that Sony has sold its stake to NODWIN Gaming.
Read the full announcement below:
The future of the Evolution Championship Series (Evo) takes a big step forward today, as the world’s biggest and longest-running fighting game festival takes on new responsibilities and multi-year partnerships. Strategic agreements with NODWIN Gaming, Qiddiya, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), and RTS will drive Evo’s international expansion, with engaging content and immersive experiences through 2028 and beyond.
SIE has sold its stake in Evo to NODWIN Gaming, a company backed by Sony Group Corporation, the parent company of SIE. SIE will become a new global sponsor of Evo through 2028 and will continue its commitment to the fighting game community through the PlayStation Tournaments platform and key products currently in development that attract fighting game players.
“When SIE acquired Evo alongside RTS in 2021, our goal was to help the Evo community grow and highlight the skills and passion of fighting game fans on a global stage,” said Phil Rosenberg, Senior Vice President and Head of Global Partner Development and Relations at Sony Interactive Entertainment. “With SIE transitioning to become an Evo sponsor, the momentum for Evo has never been stronger, following a successful event in Las Vegas and the upcoming expansion into new regions. We look forward to supporting Evo’s continued growth globally.”
The new co-owner NODWIN Gaming is a leading name in the South Asian gaming, esports, and youth entertainment sectors, with Evo complementing its broad portfolio of properties.
“Evo was built by a team whose authenticity and passion for the fighting game community are unmatched,” said NODWIN Gaming Co-Founder and Managing Director Akshat Rathee. “We will build on the excellent work of SIE and honor the legacy of everyone who made it what it is today, while opening the doors for a new generation to experience the spirit of Evo.”
Qiddiya, which became a global partner of Evo in 2024, today announced that it is investing in RTS, Evo’s co-owner and operator, and will extend its global partnership with Evo until 2027.
“The partnership with Qiddiya strengthens the future of RTS and what we are building with Evo, an event that lives up to its name, driving real transformation in the fighting game community through new opportunities, deeper connections, and significant growth,” said RTS CEO Stuart Saw.
The realignment and new partnerships will also support Evo’s vision for more original content to engage the community and continue to push the boundaries of creating deeper immersive experiences during live events.
Evo’s popularity and global presence continue to grow. Most recently, the main Evo event in Las Vegas drew fans and competitors from over 60 countries and crowned champions in 16 fighting game titles. The festival’s exhibition hall spanned 14 acres, featuring major brand activations including Chipotle as the title sponsor, along with AT&T, PlayStation®, Qiddiya, Nacon, Zenni, Red Bull, White Claw Zero Proof, Under Armour, Voodoo Ranger IPA, and Grand Archive TCG.
Beyond the US, Evo returned to Japan at Tokyo Big Sight and became the country’s largest-ever in-person tournament with approximately 30,000 participants. Evo will make its European debut at Palais des Expos in Nice, France from October 10-12, which has already broken entry records. The event series will expand to Singapore in 2027.
“In recent years, Evo has hosted record-breaking events in the US and Japan, and our upcoming debut in France is already setting European records,” said Evo General Manager Rick Thiher. “These new partnerships join the continued support from our global and regional partners to accelerate Evo’s expansion—from hosting premier live events to serving as a worldwide connection point for fighting game culture.”
