Super Smash Bros. Ultimate sets a new Evo viewership record

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate achieved the highest peak viewership during EVO 2019, setting a new record. It also broke another record by receiving over 3,500 entrants, leading it being voted to headline the event by a wide margin. 

Nintendo's brawler was released in December 2018, making this year's EVO its debut. The tournament tournament drew in over 200,000 concurrent viewers with a peak of 279,000. That's the highest peak viewership EVO has ever experienced. However, Dragonball FighterZ still holds the highest record on EVO's main stream with 258,000. 

During the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate grand final, Echo Fox player Leonardo “MkLeo” Lopez Perez worked his way from losers bracket to face off against TSM’s Gavin “Tweek” Dempsey. MkLeo came close to losing after Tweek won their first two games, but after this he was able to turn things around by resetting the bracket. 

MkLeo then achieved a full sweep, winning all consecutive matches that followed, earning him $21,000 and the title of best Super Smash Bros. Ultimate player in the world.

For years Nintendo has received criticism for not supporting the Smash franchise at EVO and other similar events. This year was no different as the game company did not make any contributions to the prize pool, a thing Capcom, NRS and SNK were eager to do.