Summary
While the annual Japan EVO tournament always provides incredible matches fromthe best fighting gamesfor fans to enjoy, it’s also become well known for its announcements. Considering all eyes are on EVO once it kicks off, it provides the perfect opportunity for fighting game developers to show off what they’ve got in the pipeline for their respective games, and for 2025, there was certainly no shortage of exciting announcements to look forward to.
From character reveals to major collaborations, fans can expect tons of new content in the coming months for their fighting game of choice. Considering how long the tournament ended up being though, it’s easy to miss out on some of these reveals, which is why we’re going to be compiling the most important ones to ensure players know exactly what’s going to be heading their way for the remainder of 2025 in the world of fighting games.
It’s no secret thatTekkenfans weren’t exactly thrilled with season 2. Rather than opting to introduce more defensive options, Harada and the team instead decided to go for more of a fast-paced and offensive direction with the core gameplay. With that being said, though, Bandai Namco are making some big changes to bring players back, and also introducing a returning DLC character in the form of Fahkumram.
The colossalMuay Thai fighterwas a nightmare to deal with when he was first released inTekken 7, though many people did eventually come to enjoy his grounded fighting style and overall aesthetic. The beast is back, and if hisTekken 7iteration is anything to go by, he’s going to be an absolute monster online.
WhileFatal Fury: City of the Wolvesalready launched witha healthy number of characters, SNK also announced who would be coming in season 1 before the game was even released. While the season includes twoStreet Fightercharacters in Ken and Chun Li, the first fighter on the list is series legend Andy Bogard, who was shown in-action for the very first time on the show floor at EVO.
Andy is getting some major upgrades this time around, including now having an air fireball which can help keep his opponents at a distance when they start getting a little too up close and personal. From a visual perspective, Andy is still just as stylish and flashy as he’s always been. Needless to say,City of the Wolvesfans can’t wait to get their hands on this fighting game icon when he finally drops.
ThoughHunter X Hunter: Nen X Impactwas revealed a few months ago, fans of theimmensely popular anime serieshadn’t been able to see much gameplay outside of a few clips here and there. At EVO 2025, though, developers Eighting broadcast a few matches of the final build for everyone to see, including footage of plenty of new characters added to the roster such as Meruem and Genthru.
The game itself looks very fast-paced, to the point where it’s more comparable toMarvel VS Capcomin how it plays rather thanStreet Fighter. The art style has also been polished up since the game was last shown, with every character popping out of the screen thanks to the vibrant nature of the game’s visuals.
Thebig and burly wrestlerknown as Wolf Hawkfield first made his debut inVirtua Fighter 2, and it’s fair to say he’s looking better than ever for the hotly anticipated sixth mainline entry. Since the reveal ofVirtua Fighter 6, fighting game fans, especially those who enjoy 3D fighters, have been desperate to receive any tidbits of information and footage they can get their hands on, considering SNK seems pretty tight-lipped about giving away any details.
As a result, even though Wolf’s epic reveal was only a few seconds long, because of how incredible his redesign is, it’s more than enough to get fans thinking about what everyone else is going to look like when the game eventually arrives.
Many of the DLC characters forGuilty Gear Strivehave been individuals who have already made an appearance in previous titles, but Unika is a newcomer, and from what was shown at EVO, it seems like she’s going to be a very interesting addition to the cast. Unika is able to ride atop of her giant weapon, meaning she’s probably going to be someone who can get into the thick of the fight without needing to waste any time.
Though Unika didn’t show any combos or special attacks, fans did still get to see a glimpse of her intro sequence where she cruises into the fight before removing her helmet to get a good look at her opponent. The launch date for Unika was also revealed as the 27th of May 2025.
Perhaps the weirdest reveal of EVO, but one which has got many people excited, is the collab betweenStreet Fighter 6andOverwatch 2. As part of the event, several characters inOverwatchwill be receiving skins that allow them to assume the form of classicStreet Fightercharacters, includingBison, Chun Li, Ryu, and even Blanka.
Blizzard has clearly been putting a bigger focus on collaborations over the last year or two withOverwatch, but this is definitely one of the best they’ve done so far. These games may be in entirely different genres, but if anything, it’s a testament to just how massiveStreet Fighteris as an IP that it managed to score such a massive collaboration.
