Evo Admit To Faulty Mainstage Setups at Evo Japan 2023

Evo Japan 2023 ended yesterday with some exciting results, including wins for Arslan Ash, Xiao Hai, and Oil King. However, it was trailed by controversy regarding some of the setups, which players complained were laggy.

This was especially so when Punk faced Momochi in top 8, and the event had to be delayed until a new monitor was gotten for Punk on which he could play. He would go on to lose, and he was quick to air his grievances online. There was a bit of back and forth with some people online who, jaded from some of Punk's past controversies, were unwilling to give him any audience. 

However, in a statement released by Evo, Punk's point was validated as they admitted that player experience was not as good as it should have been. This was further corroborated by Rick Thiher, the General Manager of Evo, who also released a statement saying that player experience was poor, but he was at pains to clarify that the problem was not with the sponsor, INZONE's monitor, but rather the stage and stream design. He finished by saying that further competitions will be run a lot smoother.

There was another thread by a volunteer at Evo Japan, @KDE_Viz, where some of the failings of the tournament organizers were laid bare. It seemed that there were not enough experienced bracket runners on staff, and there was a general lack of experience and communication, which led to a lot of problems. 

In the aftermath of the announcement, Punk has demanded an apology from half of FGC Twitter, and there has been general praise for Evo's willingness to admit their fault in this matter.

It is hoped that future events will be a lot better as it goes a long way in ensuring that the FGC is taken more seriously by brands, corporations, and the wider gaming sphere.