Multi-year partnerships with Qiddiya and Sony Interactive Entertainment, and new ownership of Evo by NODWIN Gaming alongside existing shareholder RTS, will fuel the global growth of events, content, and experiences
LOS ANGELES (August 21, 2025) - The future for Evolution Championship Series (Evo) takes a major step forward today as the world’s largest and longest-running fighting game festival enters new ownership and multi-year partnerships. Strategic agreements with NODWIN Gaming, Qiddiya, Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE), and RTS will drive Evo’s international expansion, engaging content, and immersive experiences through 2028 and beyond.
SIE has sold its stake in Evo to NODWIN Gaming, a company backed by SIE's parent, Sony Group Corporation. 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 appeal to fighting game players.
“When SIE acquired Evo alongside RTS in 2021, our goal was to help the Evo community grow and spotlight the skills and passion of fighting game fans on a global stage,” said Phil Rosenberg, SVP and Head of Global Partner Development & Relations at Sony Interactive Entertainment. “As SIE transitions to become an Evo sponsor, the momentum for Evo has never been stronger, following a successful Las Vegas event and upcoming expansion to new regions. We look forward to supporting the continued growth of Evo globally.”
New co-owner NODWIN Gaming is a leading name in the South Asian gaming, esports, and youth entertainment industries, with Evo complementing its wide range 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 continue SIE’s great work and honor the legacy of everyone who has made it what it is today, while opening the door for a new generation to experience the spirit of Evo.”
Qiddiya, which became a global partner of Evo in 2024, announced today that the company is investing in RTS, co-owner and operator of Evo, and will extend its global partnership with Evo through 2027.
“Teaming up with Qiddiya strengthens the future of RTS and what we’re building with Evo, an event that lives up to its name by driving real transformation in the fighting game community through new opportunities, deeper connections, and meaningful growth,” said Stuart Saw, CEO of RTS.
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 more profound immersive experiences during the live events.
The popularity and global presence of Evo has continued to grow. Most recently, Evo’s flagship event in Las Vegas attracted fans and competitors from more than 60 countries and crowned champions across 16 fighting game titles. The festival show floor covered 14 acres, featuring major brand activations from Chipotle as the presenting sponsor, alongside 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 largest in-person tournament in the country’s history, with approximately 30,000 attendees. Evo will make its European debut at the Palais des Expos in Nice, France, on October 10-12, which has already broken a record for registrations. The event series is expanding to Singapore in 2027.
“In recent years, Evo hosted record-setting events in the USA and Japan, and our upcoming premiere in France is already breaking European records,” said Rick Thiher, General Manager of Evo. “These latest partnerships join the ongoing support from our global and regional partners in accelerating Evo’s expansion from hosting renowned live events to serving as a nexus point for fighting game culture worldwide.”
About Sony Interactive Entertainment
Sony Interactive Entertainment pushes the boundaries of entertainment and innovation, starting from the launch of the original PlayStation in Japan in 1994. Today, we continue to deliver innovative and thrilling experiences to a global audience through our PlayStation line of products and services that include generation-defining hardware, pioneering network services, and award-winning games. Headquartered in San Mateo, California, with global functions in California, London, and Tokyo, and game development studios around the world as part of PlayStation Studios, we believe that the power of play is borderless. Sony Interactive Entertainment is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Group Corporation. For more information about our company, visit sonyinteractive.com.
About NODWIN Gaming
NODWIN Gaming, founded in 2014, is a global leader in youth entertainment, gaming, and esports with a strong presence across emerging markets, including South Asia, Singapore, the Middle East, Germany, Central Asia, and Taiwan. The company builds and monetizes youth engagement through esports tournaments, leagues, live events, reality shows, and pop culture IPs spanning gaming, music, comedy, and more, while collaborating with artists, creators, professional esports athletes, and teams. With marquee investors such as Good Game Investments, Nazara Technologies (BSE: NAZARA), KRAFTON Inc., Sony Group Corporation, and JetSynthesys, NODWIN leverages its expertise in the global south and mobile-first youth audiences to expand its total addressable market. By cultivating diverse IPs and driving innovation across digital entertainment, NODWIN continues to cement its role as a leading force in global youth media, gaming, and esports. For more information, visit www.nodwingaming.com. About Qiddiya
As a major force in delivering the future socio-economic success of Saudi Arabia, Qiddiya is a key component of Vision 2030’s Quality of Life programme. It will become the primary platform through which the Kingdom leads the way in shaping the future of the global sports, entertainment, and culture industries, combining scale and ambition with cutting-edge innovation and partnerships. Its flagship initiative, Qiddiya City, is being built just 40 minutes away from Riyadh, and when finished, will bring the Power of Play to over 40 million visitors a year and become home to half a million people.
About RTS
RTS sits at the convergence of enthusiast culture and the creator economy. Led by an all-star team of industry veterans, RTS empowers growth by helping creators, brands, events, and publishers make a lasting impact across the industry. The company partners with some of the biggest names in gaming and entertainment and co-owns and produces the Evolution Championship Series (Evo), the world’s largest and longest-running fighting game event. Learn more at www.rts.gg.
About Evo
The Evolution Championship Series (Evo) represents the world’s largest and longest-running fighting game tournaments. Evo brings together the best players from around the world in an electric showcase of skill and fun, as players and fans gather to honor the competitive spirit in an open bracket format that reveals the strongest fighting game players. Evo was established in 2002, following a series of local arcade tournaments that Tom and Tony Cannon had first run in 1996.
Press Contacts:
NODWIN Gaming: Press@nodwin.com
RTS/Evo: press@evo.gg
Qiddiya: Communications@qiddiya.com
