The Evolution Championship Series of 2017 is less than a week away, and the brackets have been locked in place. Just as every year, the world’s largest competitive fighting game event draws in every worthwhile name under the sun. With over 6800 entrants spread across nine games, there’s bound to be quite a few top players among them. Here is a list of big names who have entered Guilty Gear Xrd Rev 2, BlazBlue: Central Fiction, and Ultimate Marvel vs. Capcom 3. If any were accidentally left out, feel free to list them in the comments. If you’d like to scour Evo 2017’s full attendee list on your own, check out the Smash.gg page here.
The codes at the beginning of each line are the player’s designated pool, which you can look up on Smash.gg if you wish to see the bracket. Also, player sponsors/teams are also included in the listings, hence the “[sponsor/team] | [player name]” format.
The Guilty Gear Xrd line of anime fighting games returns to Evo for the third consecutive year in its third, and possibly final, iteration. While anime fighters (also called airdashers) don't usually generate garner the most views or entries, high level battles consistently bring quality entertainment.
- A400 – Omito, BloodWolf
- A401 – 310, Fable | Kizzie Kay
- A402 – Xcel | BjornSonOfBear
- A403 – Cyclops Osaka | GO1
- A404 – Hotashi
- A405 – Kyoku, r/Kappa | T5M7, Mr. K, SRK | Woocash
- A406 – HellSap, Mike Ross
- A407 – Hamad, Kizzercrate, TTK | Moga
- A409 – Kusanagi
- A410 – Abegen, Lord Knight
- B400 – Machabo, WindGodDude
- B401 – Eiji, Ogawa, Circa | TuboWare
- B402 – Kedako
- B404 – Nage, NerdJosh
- B405 – Hurtbox, Jonio, Laban, Milk Kaichou
- B406 – YBK | Daikoku Go, Fadooglee, Havoc Noah
- B407 – Creole Mustard, MiniMatt, Foo
- B408 – 2rio, Ryan Hunter, Viscant, Psykotik
- B409 – Kelvin Jeon, WongNation | LostSoul
- B410 – Beautifuldude
- C400 – Cyclops Osaka | Dogura
- C401 – Daymendou, Frionel
- C402 – GGP | Kazunoko
- C403 – Panda Global | MarlinPie, Strawberry
- C404 – GZL | Koichi, Voguekun
- C405 – ChadDrawsThings, Pain, TheArm
- C406 – GCYoshi13, Daru, Colossus
- C407 – FF | ElvenShadow
- C408 – Fable | Kid Viper, Ishimaru
- C409 – AngryBlack, Rise | Marn, Octo
BlazBlue returns to the Evo lineup for the first time since 2014, and unfortunately, it didn't make a huge impact. It has the second-least amount of entrants, behind only The King of Fighters XIV; however, that doesn't mean the players who are here won't put on an amazing show. Like Guilty Gear, high level BlazBlue is capable of delivering on tense moments fit for any Evo highlight reel.
- G500 – Coma, Raidhyn, Panda Global | SKD, Solex
- G501 – Fable | Kizzie Kay, Lueshi, Nemesis
- G502 – Milk Kaichou, Pain
- G503 – Dora Bang, LPT
- G504 – Paracles
- G505 – Kizzercrate
- G506 – Beautifuldude
- H500 – InC | Flux, Jyuuken67, Strawberry
- H501 – Drewchuck, Havoc Noah
- H503 – Yuushiro
- H504 – Moblin
- H505 – Grover
- H506 – Pohcp
- H507 – GCYoshi13, Quina
- I500 – Apologyman, Monarch, Nakkiel
- I501 – BurgerMcNasty
- I502 – MastaStef, Woocash
- I503 – TheArm
- I504 – Psykotik
- I506 – Gen D
- J500 – Abegen, Cyclops Osaka | Dogura, Ebonic Plague, Nar
- J501 – Brkrdave, DWB
- J502 – Jona, Nano, Oh Mai Goodness
- J503 – Betadood
- J504 – Spark, Tiku
- J505 – Doza, Mecha Oni
- J506 – ChadDrawsThings
Marvel vs. Capcom 3 returns for its seventh—and almost certainly final, due to the impending release of Marvel vs. Capcom: Infinite—year of its official Evo tenure. Most notable about its time there is the fact that there has yet to be a repeat champion. Will the tradition continue, or will one of the champions of Evos past be the first to take the top spot twice?
- G400 – Ronan Healy, RyanLV
- G401 – Mischief | Not Enough Damage
- G402 – Panda Global | RayRay
- G403 – AsianDemon
- G404 – MiniBoss, OmGiTzAndre
- G405 – Fable | DualKevin, CyG BST | PR Balrog, Tony Cannon, Raid
- G406 – Evil Geniuses | K-Brad, Ketsui, Pnoy
- G407 – Apologyman
- G408 – Emperor Irongod, Jona
- G409 – BlackWerk, J2jin
- G410 – Jeopardy, Staticalpha, Panda Global | Punk
- H400 – iDom, KBeast, Evil Geniuses | NYChrisG, RoyalFlush
- H401 – Lapchi, Prophete, Vortex
- H402 – Clegg Madness, UA | TerryBogard
- H403 – Supernoon
- H404 – Splyce | Fchamp, Escalante
- H405 – Panda Global | MarlinPie, Priest, Zeromax-LV
- H406 – Angelic, Rise | Marn
- H407 – 7110.T, Echo Fox | Jwong, imashbuttons
- H408 – KP, Clockw0rk, Seef
- H409 – Dapvip, Killer Kai, GeneralReaction
- H410 – Cloud805, NinjaNam, SJ
- I400 – Abegen, Joey D
- I401 – Chokehold, InC | Flux, Viscant
- I402 – pzpoy, TA Wolf,
- I403 – Jibrill
- I404 – ChadDrawsThings, BabaGhanoush, IFCYipeS, Marvelo
- I405 – Dieminion, GCYoshi, IHeartJustice, Alienware | Nemo
- I406 – KyleP, Tong
- I407 – Virtual Storm | Pokchop, Unkn0wn
- I408 – Musa, Readman
- I409 – Punisher
This concludes the second set of notable player lists. Stay tuned for the final set that names big players registered for Injustice 2, Super Smash Bros. Melee, and Super Smash Bros. for Wii U.
Were any key names accidentally left out? Are you going to be watching Evo? Which game are you most excited to watch? Who do you think is going to take home the top spot? Let us know in the comments below!
