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The race to register for the largest open bracket event in esports is nearing its end. Evo has released the latest leaderboard for last-minute entries, offering insight into which communities are actively participating and which ones are relying solely on online buzz.
Unsurprisingly, Street Fighter 6 continues to dominate the competition. Capcom’s flagship title holds the top spot, following a successful showing at Evo Japan where it made history by breaking the Guinness World Record for the largest single-game fighting competition bracket.
The New Order
However, the real excitement lies in the rankings just below the top position. Tekken 8 remains strong in second place, showcasing the resilience of its competitive community despite challenges faced earlier in the season.
A surprising addition to the top three is Riot Games with their tag-team fighter 2XKO. The game has secured the third spot on the leaderboard, a feat that has left many surprised. Despite concerns about its waning popularity, Riot’s strategic move of offering an exclusive “Pool Party Senna” skin to physically registered players has significantly boosted participation levels, propelling the game to tournament stardom.
The Artificial Climb
Further down the leaderboard, Rivals of Aether 2 has surpassed established titles like Guilty Gear -Strive- to claim the fourth spot. However, industry experts caution against reading too much into this sudden surge, which is largely fueled by an intensive registration campaign sponsored by Ludwig and Offbrand Games. Such campaigns often result in high disqualification rates during the actual tournament, highlighting the importance of genuine community engagement over artificial spikes in numbers.
The Battle for Sunday
The leaderboard offers a glimpse into the final schedule for the main arena showdown. While Street Fighter 6, Tekken 8, and 2XKO seem poised for the Sunday spotlight, the remaining slots are fiercely contested. SNK’s Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves initially held a top-six position before being displaced by the Rivals 2 surge.
Meanwhile, titles like Granblue Fantasy Versus: Rising occupy a comfortable middle ground, with a dedicated player base that ensures their presence in the tournament. Riot’s incentive strategy may have filled the brackets, but the true test lies in whether these players will show up to compete, potentially leading to a significant number of first-round byes.