WEBVTT 1 00:00:26.679 --> 00:00:30.559 Hello, and welcome to episode number one hundred and thirty seven of the Chief 2 00:00:30.600 --> 00:00:35.399 Steaks and Controller's podcast presented by Fox PHL The Gambler one or two point five 3 00:00:35.560 --> 00:00:40.280 FM fourteen eighty AM I Heart Radio, where wherever you get your podcast is 4 00:00:40.280 --> 00:00:43.880 where you can listen to this here show as you are right now. My 5 00:00:43.960 --> 00:00:48.240 name is Jason Finelli, and I am the esports and gaming insider for Fox 6 00:00:48.359 --> 00:00:53.039 PHL, The Gambler and Folks. It is one of my favorite weekends of 7 00:00:53.079 --> 00:01:00.000 the year. It's EVA week. We are talking fighting games this week, 8 00:01:00.039 --> 00:01:06.280 baby, and there are a lot of things to talk about as we get 9 00:01:06.319 --> 00:01:11.280 into EVO Week eight. Tournaments plenty to discuss, and I have brought in 10 00:01:11.319 --> 00:01:15.680 a fantastic interview to do just that. However, things are gonna be a 11 00:01:15.680 --> 00:01:21.040 little bit different this time. We're gonna do something a little peak behind the 12 00:01:21.079 --> 00:01:25.000 curtain when it comes to Chef Steaks and Controllers here. And what I mean 13 00:01:25.079 --> 00:01:27.239 by that is so I have one guest on the show today. We'll get 14 00:01:27.280 --> 00:01:30.599 into who that is shortly. If you saw the posts on social media, 15 00:01:30.640 --> 00:01:36.319 you already know who it is, but we are I'm putting the interview in 16 00:01:36.400 --> 00:01:41.120 two segments because we actually filmed. I'm sorry recorded, I don't film here. 17 00:01:41.280 --> 00:01:49.920 We actually recorded two different times. We recorded the Friday before Project L 18 00:01:49.079 --> 00:01:56.560 was announced to be playable at EVO, and then the Thursday after Project L 19 00:01:57.120 --> 00:02:01.599 was able to was announced as being playable EVO. You're gonna hear the way 20 00:02:01.799 --> 00:02:07.319 we talk about it, the way it's teased in the first segment, along 21 00:02:07.359 --> 00:02:12.680 with his great insight into EVO in general, and then in part two we'll 22 00:02:12.680 --> 00:02:19.080 talk about the afterpart of you know, the the the the reaction to and 23 00:02:19.120 --> 00:02:23.719 stuff like that. So it's an interesting little peek behind how podcasts sometimes work, 24 00:02:23.919 --> 00:02:29.000 and I feel like it'll be a really cool way to let you see 25 00:02:29.039 --> 00:02:32.360 how I do things here on the show. So our first interview today on 26 00:02:32.479 --> 00:02:37.639 Chief Stakes the Controllers is one I'm very very excited about. If you have 27 00:02:37.759 --> 00:02:40.599 listened to my show, you know that I am a champion of the fighting 28 00:02:40.639 --> 00:02:44.439 game community. I have gone on record of saying that fighting games are the 29 00:02:44.479 --> 00:02:47.759 future of competitive gaming in general. But you can listen to all the old 30 00:02:47.759 --> 00:02:53.319 episodes to hear me talk about that. EVO twenty twenty three is a day 31 00:02:53.360 --> 00:02:58.280 away, starts tomorrow. I am super excited to get into it and with 32 00:02:58.360 --> 00:03:02.800 me to talk about twenty twenty three is who better than the general manager of 33 00:03:02.879 --> 00:03:07.039 EVO Rick Thyre, who started with Combo Breaker, still does Combo Breaker, 34 00:03:07.080 --> 00:03:13.080 I think, and now is running EVO and making it the biggest and best 35 00:03:13.159 --> 00:03:17.319 EVO that has ever been Rick, How are you today, Jason? Would 36 00:03:17.360 --> 00:03:22.840 that kind of upsell for just stepping by? I'm doing great. We're trying 37 00:03:22.840 --> 00:03:27.599 to live up to that biggest and best. Well. Your attendance figures, 38 00:03:27.639 --> 00:03:35.400 your registration numbers certainly have already started you on that road. Seven thousand players 39 00:03:35.960 --> 00:03:42.439 for street Fighter six alone. That I loved the numbers, where if the 40 00:03:42.479 --> 00:03:45.400 only people who signed up for street Fighter only signed up for street Fighter, 41 00:03:45.479 --> 00:03:51.159 it would still be the biggest tournament of the whole thing. Now twenty twenty 42 00:03:51.159 --> 00:03:53.280 two, your first year back. Good attendance, great show, especially on 43 00:03:53.319 --> 00:03:59.319 the live stream side. Were people streaming like I was? But I think 44 00:03:59.400 --> 00:04:03.000 everyone's sort of expected this to be like an even bigger year in a sense 45 00:04:03.039 --> 00:04:05.439 because it was your second year. You already got the first year underneath, 46 00:04:05.439 --> 00:04:11.120 you worked out some cakes. Did you expect it to be this big? 47 00:04:12.560 --> 00:04:15.919 I don't think you can ever expect something to be record breaking, you can 48 00:04:15.960 --> 00:04:18.800 expect something to be a big moment or a big beat, which the launcher 49 00:04:18.800 --> 00:04:21.279 street Fighter six for me, was always going to be. We're talking about 50 00:04:21.279 --> 00:04:25.759 the franchise that, in a lot of ways was the genesis point for what 51 00:04:26.120 --> 00:04:30.199 modern fighting games are. That's a street Fighter two without that arcade boom. 52 00:04:30.199 --> 00:04:33.040 Maybe I'm not employed this way today with all those things happening, though, 53 00:04:33.079 --> 00:04:36.959 You get to street Fighter six and you have to assume that you're going to 54 00:04:38.000 --> 00:04:41.120 get a boom, And then the game came out and the game is good, 55 00:04:41.519 --> 00:04:46.560 Yes, good with a capital G. Good. So seeing this response 56 00:04:46.720 --> 00:04:51.839 is uplifting might be a great word choice for it. Definitely surprising in scale, 57 00:04:53.399 --> 00:04:57.600 and I am really excited to see what happens at a tournament where when 58 00:04:57.600 --> 00:05:00.279 you get out of pools, everyone that gets out of pool that next phase 59 00:05:00.319 --> 00:05:04.879 of the tournament is still larger than the first EVO Street Fighter tournament I competed 60 00:05:04.920 --> 00:05:10.920 in. Oh my god, how do you how do you wrangle that many 61 00:05:11.000 --> 00:05:15.120 players like that? If you were to put that bracket on paper, it 62 00:05:15.160 --> 00:05:18.759 would probably stretch the entire Mandalay Bay because it's double elimination too, so you 63 00:05:18.800 --> 00:05:23.600 have all those players twice like, how do you how do you wrangle all 64 00:05:23.680 --> 00:05:28.000 that. We've made a bunch of jokes this year about the fact that it's 65 00:05:28.000 --> 00:05:30.879 going to take a small army to run the tournament, and I don't disagree 66 00:05:30.920 --> 00:05:35.800 at all. I think that's incredibly true. I'm deeply thankful for the bracket 67 00:05:35.800 --> 00:05:41.399 staff and the tournament staff we have, for the enthusiastic response from the community 68 00:05:41.399 --> 00:05:46.279 to sign up and help actually execute that bracket so that we have enough bracket 69 00:05:46.360 --> 00:05:49.120 runners to move those pools. But you brought up combo breaker earlier at the 70 00:05:49.160 --> 00:05:53.480 top of the show, which, as you know, my original tournament. 71 00:05:53.480 --> 00:05:57.120 Baby, it's always fun to talk about. But there are more PS fives 72 00:05:57.160 --> 00:06:01.680 on the show floor for just Street Fighter six than the entire allotment of consoles 73 00:06:01.720 --> 00:06:05.560 at the first two years of CB. If you can bind them together, 74 00:06:05.800 --> 00:06:12.480 Wow, that's amazing. And that and that sort of support from PlayStation I 75 00:06:12.480 --> 00:06:15.759 think is a huge Uh. The fact that you're able to not have a 76 00:06:15.800 --> 00:06:20.279 cutoff, Right, how did PlayStation when you when you came to PlayStation with 77 00:06:20.319 --> 00:06:24.920 these numbers or your your higher ups with these numbers and said, look um, 78 00:06:25.519 --> 00:06:28.959 we we're doing pretty good, but it's going to be really good. 79 00:06:29.000 --> 00:06:31.000 How do we mitigate this? Were they receptive? Were they like, yeah, 80 00:06:31.000 --> 00:06:33.959 we're ready? Like, how how do you manage all those logistics? 81 00:06:34.000 --> 00:06:36.959 Because that's a lot of consoles, As you just pointed out, it's it's 82 00:06:36.959 --> 00:06:41.759 a lot of logistics. I think the cool thing about being in an orchestructure 83 00:06:41.759 --> 00:06:44.759 that Sony is on top of now is they're going to get excited about people 84 00:06:45.160 --> 00:06:47.639 using their hardware to play games. That's what they're here to support, and 85 00:06:47.680 --> 00:06:55.160 so having the visual of that many consoles in a rome is a cool enticing 86 00:06:55.199 --> 00:06:58.279 moment. When we were at Ebo Japan earlier this year, I got to 87 00:06:58.360 --> 00:07:01.000 walk the show floor and then go up an escalator so that you could see 88 00:07:01.040 --> 00:07:05.360 down onto the show for school with some of the executives at Sony, and 89 00:07:06.360 --> 00:07:13.199 here's this just huge room of PlayStation consoles and Sony monitors and people enjoying themselves 90 00:07:13.240 --> 00:07:15.920 competing. That's an impactful visual I think no matter where you are in any 91 00:07:15.959 --> 00:07:23.040 corporate structure. Now, the backside of that statement, though, is eyebrows 92 00:07:23.199 --> 00:07:27.759 raise when you ask for support and coming up with this much hardware. So 93 00:07:27.879 --> 00:07:31.720 we're we are still using community vendors at this show that our traditional hardware suppliers 94 00:07:31.720 --> 00:07:35.480 for a bunch of the fighting game community executions around the country, around the 95 00:07:35.519 --> 00:07:42.120 world. Now actually we have support from Sony to come up with the sheer 96 00:07:42.240 --> 00:07:46.199 volume of PlayStation five necessary to run and open bracket this scale. It makes 97 00:07:46.199 --> 00:07:48.759 me think a lot about next year when more of these games will be available 98 00:07:48.839 --> 00:07:53.839 on PS five, because there's a Tech and EIGHTE coming out, which I'm 99 00:07:53.879 --> 00:07:59.319 praying is before Evote next year. There are more games in the future one 100 00:07:59.439 --> 00:08:07.920 this year exactly. The needs for hardware support at this scale I think cannot 101 00:08:07.000 --> 00:08:11.959 be devalued, and it's one of the absolute best parts of being in an 102 00:08:13.040 --> 00:08:18.160 organizational structure. Now that has asked us to a legitimate platform partner who produces 103 00:08:18.199 --> 00:08:22.560 hardware. Yeah, because it's not an immediate solve. Somebody still has to 104 00:08:22.560 --> 00:08:24.720 go probably look through P and L sheets and shipping logistics and figuring out who 105 00:08:24.720 --> 00:08:28.920 has what, where, when, why, how. But there is a 106 00:08:28.000 --> 00:08:33.600 path that can start with just one email to one person to go down that 107 00:08:33.679 --> 00:08:39.879 chain. Whereas every other show I've ever run, it's how how many suppliers 108 00:08:39.960 --> 00:08:43.960 do we have to combine? Oh? Well, they show up on time, 109 00:08:46.960 --> 00:08:50.600 So when does when did or does set up begin? Like when are 110 00:08:50.600 --> 00:08:54.080 you again? This episode is going out the day before the show opens, 111 00:08:54.279 --> 00:08:58.919 but we are recording the week before. So where have you started now a 112 00:08:58.960 --> 00:09:01.960 week before or you waiting till the be like Monday? If next week, 113 00:09:01.000 --> 00:09:05.279 when does that set up phase begin? So some of my team will start 114 00:09:05.360 --> 00:09:11.120 arriving on Monday, the thirty first. We'll be in the venue on Tuesday 115 00:09:11.159 --> 00:09:13.960 the first, chalking the floor, starting to get the rigging plans up into 116 00:09:15.000 --> 00:09:18.799 the air, kind of doing those processes in terms of what I think a 117 00:09:18.799 --> 00:09:22.279 lot of people would consider the setup. So trucks are in, vendors arean 118 00:09:22.360 --> 00:09:26.519 boosts are getting set up, consoles are getting turned on. None of that 119 00:09:26.600 --> 00:09:31.240 really gets going at great pace till Wednesday, which amazing to think. And 120 00:09:31.240 --> 00:09:33.000 you're going to be up and running on Friday, so you're forty eight hours 121 00:09:33.039 --> 00:09:35.799 to get this whole thing set up. It's amazing. How y'all do it? 122 00:09:37.279 --> 00:09:39.679 The incredible things we have an extra day this year. Last year we 123 00:09:39.720 --> 00:09:43.159 did not have that ball even less time. That's good. Well, you 124 00:09:43.720 --> 00:09:50.000 have what four thousand more people to worry about too, a lot more than 125 00:09:50.039 --> 00:09:52.639 that. One of the one of the wildest things, and talking about the 126 00:09:52.679 --> 00:09:56.519 numbers of EVO is people come and talk about having almost ninety two unique players 127 00:09:56.519 --> 00:09:58.600 and going, this is huge, this is the biggest, this is great, 128 00:10:00.559 --> 00:10:05.960 and then no one discusses all the spectaculor tickets. Oh oh no, 129 00:10:09.240 --> 00:10:13.320 oh, my's a massive, massive show. I hope you have a lot 130 00:10:13.360 --> 00:10:18.360 of paths just lined up for people to just walk, because there's gonna be 131 00:10:18.360 --> 00:10:20.879 a lot. That's like, I've only been to one EVO in my life. 132 00:10:20.919 --> 00:10:24.320 It's twenty eighteen, five years ago, chomping at the bit to get 133 00:10:24.360 --> 00:10:28.320 back hopefully next year. Um, and I just remember whenever something like a 134 00:10:28.360 --> 00:10:33.519 big matchress go went on, or like something really tense was going on at 135 00:10:33.559 --> 00:10:37.240 the stations on Friday and Saturday, people would gather and then we have to 136 00:10:37.240 --> 00:10:39.159 clear the path, but nobody want to clear because they're watching. Now. 137 00:10:39.200 --> 00:10:43.679 The big screens around the event center kind of mitigate that for the people on 138 00:10:43.720 --> 00:10:46.039 the stage. But if there's a great match popping off, like in Row 139 00:10:46.159 --> 00:10:50.159 four or Rowe D what do you? How do you? How do you? 140 00:10:50.759 --> 00:10:52.799 I don't envy you, I guess That's what I'm trying to say. 141 00:10:52.159 --> 00:10:56.120 Get on your tip you get down on tippy toes. Um. We definitely 142 00:10:56.120 --> 00:11:00.639 have a lot of walk paths that are as wide as they can be in 143 00:11:00.639 --> 00:11:03.320 the space that we have. We've got a lot of primary walks pass on 144 00:11:03.399 --> 00:11:07.240 top of that to get from the left side of the venue to the right 145 00:11:07.279 --> 00:11:09.399 side of the venue. You get north south, so on and so forth, 146 00:11:09.879 --> 00:11:15.200 which I think are very needed this year because aside from the sheer volume 147 00:11:15.440 --> 00:11:18.159 of players, they're gonna be present in that no lack of a better term 148 00:11:18.200 --> 00:11:24.679 for this chaos pit for the early tournaments. The show has a wealth of 149 00:11:24.679 --> 00:11:28.240 activities beyond that too, because you have a ten thousand square foot retro arcade 150 00:11:28.279 --> 00:11:31.320 this year that has high score tournaments in it. So if you really want 151 00:11:31.320 --> 00:11:35.080 to post up on Donkey Kong for two days straight and not sleep well, 152 00:11:35.120 --> 00:11:37.639 he probably have to get kicked out of venue at some point. But regardless, 153 00:11:37.039 --> 00:11:39.679 you can go that route of the show. There's the community tournaments and 154 00:11:39.720 --> 00:11:43.919 the community stagings that you can go and engage with. Games that aren't even 155 00:11:43.960 --> 00:11:48.600 part of that core lineup still represent the breadth of what fighting game culture and 156 00:11:48.759 --> 00:11:52.320 the fighting game genre is. That on the opposite side of some of that, 157 00:11:52.639 --> 00:11:56.159 you've got the artist alley is still there, vendor villages, are still 158 00:11:56.200 --> 00:11:58.360 there. There's more exhibitors this year than there have been at EVA in the 159 00:11:58.399 --> 00:12:03.360 past. And although I'm not going to drop the names here, the advantage 160 00:12:03.399 --> 00:12:07.559 of this show coming a couple of days after another big announcement next week, 161 00:12:09.720 --> 00:12:15.519 there are going to be more developers and publishers with hands on first impression games 162 00:12:15.960 --> 00:12:22.240 characters, DLC routes. You even got SMK in their running tournaments for some 163 00:12:22.320 --> 00:12:28.039 of their now legacy titles just at their booth space. So there is no 164 00:12:28.159 --> 00:12:33.879 lack of opportunity to be entertained at EVIL this year. That's awesome. Now 165 00:12:33.000 --> 00:12:37.200 you did you were mentioning big announcements. You had some things earlier this week 166 00:12:39.600 --> 00:12:43.200 that have really set a lot of people on fire. What are some of 167 00:12:43.200 --> 00:12:46.159 the things that you were dropping a week before this show starts? As if 168 00:12:46.360 --> 00:12:52.080 we needed more than you know, thousands of players and whatever else is getting 169 00:12:52.080 --> 00:12:54.440 cooked up here adding game community. If we're not asking for more, what 170 00:12:54.440 --> 00:12:58.600 are we doing? That's true? That is true, and I'm happy to 171 00:12:58.639 --> 00:13:03.759 be part of that, to be honest. Same here. Actually we have 172 00:13:03.960 --> 00:13:07.159 at EVO this year, and you saw this with the announcement for MK one. 173 00:13:07.240 --> 00:13:09.559 You saw this with the announcement for Tech and eight, the ability to 174 00:13:09.600 --> 00:13:16.159 get hands on with upcoming titles in the fighting game genre that you have not 175 00:13:16.279 --> 00:13:20.480 played before. Amazing. And I know you said that this is dropping the 176 00:13:20.559 --> 00:13:28.840 day before the show's assuming Thursday here yesterday. If you go back one week, 177 00:13:30.799 --> 00:13:33.919 there is another huge announcement that just came out about more hands on games 178 00:13:33.919 --> 00:13:41.320 at EBO that I think are going to incite absolute fervor about getting over into 179 00:13:41.320 --> 00:13:46.600 that developer publisher Alley at the show. Oh man, oh man, this 180 00:13:46.759 --> 00:13:52.200 guy, this guy with his teases. Go check those announcements out. That's 181 00:13:52.240 --> 00:13:56.919 pretty exciting. I'm gonna have to grow him a little bit after the show's 182 00:13:56.960 --> 00:14:01.879 over because he's being coin with me. Here. Another game I want to 183 00:14:01.879 --> 00:14:05.639 talk about a little bit is one that, honestly, for me, is 184 00:14:05.639 --> 00:14:11.159 the most exciting part of this and that is Ultimate Marvel three at number four. 185 00:14:11.720 --> 00:14:18.399 Having over thirteen hundred players for a game that is twelve years old, 186 00:14:20.840 --> 00:14:24.600 well that boggles my mind. I mean it doesn't. Marvel community has always 187 00:14:24.600 --> 00:14:30.559 showed out, but to have even that many players. Some may argue that 188 00:14:30.639 --> 00:14:33.440 Street Fighter six if you're a capcom fan, you might have tried both, 189 00:14:33.440 --> 00:14:35.840 but I'd say they're two completely different games. That doesn't really translate. So 190 00:14:35.919 --> 00:14:41.840 what do you attribute that successful number two? If you had to choose something, 191 00:14:43.720 --> 00:14:46.879 I think it's a combination of things. There's a lot of easy attributions. 192 00:14:46.879 --> 00:14:52.240 But for me, it's that the player base around that subgenre of fighting 193 00:14:52.279 --> 00:14:56.559 games has never lost its enthusiasm. Many of the best players from the heyday 194 00:14:56.559 --> 00:15:01.960 of Ultimate marvels Capcom three are still playing and still playing regularly because the game 195 00:15:01.039 --> 00:15:05.759 is at tournaments. But I know that a few years ago, when some 196 00:15:05.840 --> 00:15:11.399 of the enthusiasm around the competition for that game had started to wane a little 197 00:15:11.399 --> 00:15:16.639 bit because the age was showing you had high volume, not even high volume, 198 00:15:16.759 --> 00:15:22.440 high viewership, influencers like Maximilian work with Twitch to put together an Ultimate 199 00:15:22.440 --> 00:15:28.440 Marvel Versus Capcom three tournament that could be made possible because groups of developers, 200 00:15:28.480 --> 00:15:33.159 particularly with parsek, had come up with ways to make sure that you could 201 00:15:33.200 --> 00:15:37.919 play this game at home on your PC with other people multiple states away, 202 00:15:39.039 --> 00:15:43.159 and that had never been possible for that game previously, the net code was 203 00:15:43.240 --> 00:15:50.080 just a little too old. That opportunity was capitalized on by I think Kevin 204 00:15:50.120 --> 00:15:54.559 Hoff first, but then tong Off Tampa Never Sleeps, where he started hosting 205 00:15:54.559 --> 00:16:00.600 a tournament series. Every week. They were putting together incredible, incredible matches 206 00:16:00.399 --> 00:16:04.480 on a consistent basis, So you have new viewership tuning in, You've got 207 00:16:04.519 --> 00:16:11.639 players reinvigorated by having this tent pole spot to go to. And Tong then 208 00:16:11.720 --> 00:16:15.879 went around the country championing Marvel at every tournament that he could get to, 209 00:16:15.519 --> 00:16:21.399 and that led to what I think really true resurgence for that game, that 210 00:16:21.559 --> 00:16:26.879 got our attention, that allowed us to go to Marvel and Capcom and go, 211 00:16:26.960 --> 00:16:33.399 hey, come on, yeah, come on, and I am imagining 212 00:16:33.440 --> 00:16:36.799 that meeting. Y'all sit down, the stuffed shirts, sit down, You 213 00:16:36.879 --> 00:16:38.679 sit down, everybody's looking at each other, and you just break the ice 214 00:16:38.720 --> 00:16:44.879 with a come on, guys, what are you doing here? I think 215 00:16:44.919 --> 00:16:47.759 it was a perfect storm. We wound up working with some folks over at 216 00:16:47.759 --> 00:16:51.960 Marvel truly and Marvel Game specifically, who understood why we wanted to do this, 217 00:16:52.360 --> 00:16:53.679 Who are fans of the game, because I think it's easy to be 218 00:16:53.720 --> 00:17:00.000 a fan of that game, that were enthused about the fact that we could 219 00:17:00.039 --> 00:17:03.679 presented in a way that hopefully it just hadn't been presented in before, and 220 00:17:03.679 --> 00:17:07.920 so when we announced that and the initial response was strong, that bubbling up 221 00:17:07.960 --> 00:17:12.759 into what is now the largest ultimate Marvel VERUS Capcom three tournament in the history 222 00:17:12.799 --> 00:17:19.000 of the franchise is a beautiful, beautiful thing to kick off the fact that 223 00:17:19.160 --> 00:17:23.079 Evo's going to be doing these throwback tournaments moving forward. It's not just going 224 00:17:23.160 --> 00:17:27.240 to be Marvel this one year. There is so much in this genre that 225 00:17:27.279 --> 00:17:33.680 has surface back up in recent years because rollback net code is strong, because 226 00:17:33.839 --> 00:17:40.240 PC ports are playable now, because of archival and emulation and all these things 227 00:17:40.240 --> 00:17:42.319 that we don't normally talk about a lot, but still kind of keep that 228 00:17:42.400 --> 00:17:48.680 fandom rolling, and we're big parts of what made EVO into what EVO is. 229 00:17:48.559 --> 00:17:52.920 So shining this new, bigger light back on him and seeing, well, 230 00:17:52.920 --> 00:17:55.720 you know what happens if we throw Marvel to ten people play, or 231 00:17:55.720 --> 00:18:00.000 do oh thirteen hundred people play? Okay? Now, are you are you 232 00:18:00.039 --> 00:18:11.000 worried that this particular classic game or retro game might be a misleading bar you 233 00:18:11.000 --> 00:18:12.480 know what I mean? Like this one is particularly popular just had that major 234 00:18:12.519 --> 00:18:15.440 resurgence. I feel like the modeing community, although they won't be moded here, 235 00:18:15.559 --> 00:18:18.640 might have helped in there as well with those other characters and making things 236 00:18:18.640 --> 00:18:22.400 a little weird. But I wonder, then, if you say, next 237 00:18:22.440 --> 00:18:29.880 year you tried it with a classic Koft title or something from maybe like a 238 00:18:30.440 --> 00:18:36.039 like a Mortal Kombat one and Mortal Kombat one or two or three or Ultimate, 239 00:18:36.400 --> 00:18:40.440 if the same amount of enthusiasm might occur. Does that make sense? 240 00:18:41.039 --> 00:18:45.559 It makes perfect sense. Do I think that all franchises will produce the response 241 00:18:45.559 --> 00:18:48.720 that Marvel just did? No? No, I think there's an opportunity for 242 00:18:48.160 --> 00:18:56.519 any number of franchises to produce this type of enthusiastic historical look back. Sure. 243 00:18:56.680 --> 00:19:00.319 Yes, I don't think you have to run a tournament that gets thirteen 244 00:19:00.440 --> 00:19:04.359 hundred players for it to have a valuable response, Like we go look Out 245 00:19:04.519 --> 00:19:11.839 in Japan. This year you had matsudasan throw at DreamHack his annual Virtual Fighter 246 00:19:11.920 --> 00:19:17.640 series, and it still produces great gameplay for really excited players who are invested 247 00:19:17.759 --> 00:19:22.440 in that moment in the genre's history. And I think if we can put 248 00:19:22.559 --> 00:19:27.359 a light on those moments, you wind up with new people who not only 249 00:19:27.400 --> 00:19:30.519 discover a little bit of the genre's history where we all came from collectively, 250 00:19:32.119 --> 00:19:33.880 but also might get engaged with and try it out. And I think a 251 00:19:33.920 --> 00:19:37.920 lot of those games are still incredibly fun to play. That's why you've got 252 00:19:38.359 --> 00:19:42.720 a Third Strike community series in North America right now. It's why you can 253 00:19:42.720 --> 00:19:48.319 find Vampire Savior players, That's why you can find pockets of players in Latin 254 00:19:48.319 --> 00:19:52.559 America, particularly where the older tech ins are played more than the newer techns. 255 00:19:52.559 --> 00:19:56.440 And I think if we can find the right timing for a lot of 256 00:19:56.440 --> 00:20:00.319 those games from year to year, we have a great moment to tell our 257 00:20:00.480 --> 00:20:08.079 story while also giving new players who are unfamiliar with that history or those games 258 00:20:08.400 --> 00:20:12.319 a chance to be part of it. Which is I don't know, some 259 00:20:12.519 --> 00:20:17.920 weird VH one behind the music kind of approach to this, but I think 260 00:20:17.960 --> 00:20:22.640 it works because the games are still good. That's true. As long as 261 00:20:22.640 --> 00:20:25.039 the games are good, people are gonna want to play them. Especially, 262 00:20:25.039 --> 00:20:26.920 like you said, with the rollbat Neck code bringing it to older titles in 263 00:20:27.039 --> 00:20:33.599 established franchise is guilty Gear comes to minds what SNK is doing with all their 264 00:20:33.640 --> 00:20:37.279 games as well. That makes a lot of makes perfect sense to me. 265 00:20:37.440 --> 00:20:41.039 Coming up after the break, we get to part two of my talk with 266 00:20:41.119 --> 00:20:45.079 Rick Thyer, general manager of EVO mostly about Project Dell if I'm being honest, 267 00:20:45.079 --> 00:20:48.240 but you'll enjoy it. Stick around. Welcome back to Chief Stakes to 268 00:20:48.279 --> 00:20:52.720 Controller's episode number one hundred and thirty seven. Moving on now to part two 269 00:20:52.160 --> 00:20:57.440 of my discussion with Rick Thyre, also known as the Hado General Manager of 270 00:20:57.599 --> 00:21:02.119 EVO. As I mentioned at the top of the show, this was recorded 271 00:21:02.240 --> 00:21:07.480 after the Project L announcement was made. A last segment was recorded before, 272 00:21:07.519 --> 00:21:11.640 which is why we were being a little teasy about it. But he was 273 00:21:11.680 --> 00:21:15.359 gracious enough to come back and give me some insight into that, and I 274 00:21:15.400 --> 00:21:18.480 really appreciate him for it. So here is part two of that discussion. 275 00:21:18.599 --> 00:21:23.319 Now. So, Rick, one of the most exciting things about EVO this 276 00:21:23.400 --> 00:21:26.559 year. There's a lot to be excited about, don't get me wrong. 277 00:21:26.880 --> 00:21:30.279 As we've talked about, it's going to be a humongous show. But as 278 00:21:30.279 --> 00:21:33.640 far as the convention part, with all the different poos where you can try 279 00:21:33.640 --> 00:21:37.160 out different games, there's a bit of a coup, a bit of a 280 00:21:37.200 --> 00:21:41.880 big coup for EVO this year, and that will be the first playable demo 281 00:21:41.079 --> 00:21:45.319 of Project L, which I believe is still a working title. You can 282 00:21:45.319 --> 00:21:49.119 correct me if I'm wrong, which is Riot Games first foray into fighting games, 283 00:21:49.119 --> 00:21:53.920 a two v two tag based fighter, pulling from their immense pantheon of 284 00:21:55.000 --> 00:21:59.200 champions from the League of Legends universe. The next step in there branching out 285 00:21:59.759 --> 00:22:03.599 for just their insular mobile game to Arcane and the RPGs that have come out 286 00:22:03.640 --> 00:22:07.960 on consoles and stuff like that. So talk to me about how those discussions 287 00:22:08.039 --> 00:22:12.000 came about. Obviously the Cannons. There is a lot of connected tissue between 288 00:22:12.000 --> 00:22:15.079 EVO and the Cannons, so I imagine the foot in the door was not 289 00:22:15.160 --> 00:22:21.759 that difficult. But from there, how did this all come about? So 290 00:22:22.200 --> 00:22:26.319 you are correct, the foot in the door had arguably nothing to do with 291 00:22:26.400 --> 00:22:30.519 me. You have Tom and Tony Cannon who helped found EVO, ran it 292 00:22:30.599 --> 00:22:36.079 for twenty some years and moved on to work on Project L full time and 293 00:22:36.119 --> 00:22:38.599 make sure that the future of fighting games looks as bright and ambitious as they 294 00:22:38.599 --> 00:22:42.480 wanted to. And coincidentally, are you know, still on our board of 295 00:22:42.519 --> 00:22:47.759 advisors. So being able to go, I'd like to take my game and 296 00:22:47.839 --> 00:22:52.519 show it at the largest fighting game tournament convention in the world, which also 297 00:22:52.599 --> 00:22:57.039 happens to be mine. I can't see where that was too hard a decision 298 00:22:57.240 --> 00:23:02.759 process, and probably a pretty wonderful full circle moment for them both as event 299 00:23:02.880 --> 00:23:08.000 organizers and owners and former owners and quick just people who have grown up in 300 00:23:08.200 --> 00:23:12.440 fighting games since the dawn of fighting games. So you get the foot in 301 00:23:12.480 --> 00:23:18.279 the door dawn, and then it turns into a bunch of meetings about space 302 00:23:18.400 --> 00:23:23.079 and logistics and power and how long do we think this Q line can be? 303 00:23:23.200 --> 00:23:29.279 Wait, how many people are coming? Yeah, that's a problem. 304 00:23:29.519 --> 00:23:36.279 Especially so the interesting thing about Project Deality vote is I don't think there's been 305 00:23:36.279 --> 00:23:44.400 anything about activating that hands on experience that has been unexpectedly difficult or weigh out 306 00:23:44.400 --> 00:23:48.160 the bounds of what you would consider normal in two entities getting together and go 307 00:23:48.200 --> 00:23:52.359 we want to showcase something. I think the truly wild part about Project del 308 00:23:52.440 --> 00:23:56.519 at EVO is the fact it exists at Evo at all is way outside the 309 00:23:56.559 --> 00:24:03.680 bounds of what I expect from Riot historically. I expect for a game that 310 00:24:04.000 --> 00:24:10.559 hasn't even had an official demo anywhere that I really know of, that's available 311 00:24:10.599 --> 00:24:15.839 for the public to consume, and that's going to exist at EVO in a 312 00:24:15.960 --> 00:24:21.079 year where the event is so large that you're not walking away with a playtest. 313 00:24:21.200 --> 00:24:26.759 You're walking away with the population of an entire city. Yeah, basically 314 00:24:26.839 --> 00:24:32.039 tested out the game. That's awesome that today. Did you anticipate when? 315 00:24:32.279 --> 00:24:34.920 So? I guess obviously, I'm trying to think of a timeline as to 316 00:24:36.720 --> 00:24:45.519 when your attendance numbers started coming in and when they decided like a demo would 317 00:24:45.519 --> 00:24:48.880 be happening. Was the demo before your attendance figures, like early figure started 318 00:24:48.920 --> 00:24:52.880 to roll in. When did that decision happen? Because I wonder if that 319 00:24:52.240 --> 00:24:56.319 attendance figure made any difference, if that makes sense. So when we first 320 00:24:56.359 --> 00:25:00.279 started talking about it, attendance was already up for the year. It just 321 00:25:00.519 --> 00:25:03.720 wasn't okay, we're going to be breaking all the records kind of up. 322 00:25:03.720 --> 00:25:08.079 So we had committed to that. At which point we get into the standard 323 00:25:08.079 --> 00:25:11.400 registration period where you get done with your early reds, you promote that there's 324 00:25:11.440 --> 00:25:17.000 a price increase. Everybody floods into register to save the couple of dollars here 325 00:25:17.039 --> 00:25:22.079 and there, which makes total sense against the scale of a Vegas vacation. 326 00:25:22.440 --> 00:25:25.759 Maybe not that impactful, but makes total sense. You get an extra you 327 00:25:25.799 --> 00:25:33.200 know, Johnny Rockettsburger meal but after that really came into play. We wound 328 00:25:33.279 --> 00:25:37.039 up on site with the Riot team talking about, Okay, what what are 329 00:25:37.039 --> 00:25:40.640 we going to do to make sure this works because this is no longer just 330 00:25:41.519 --> 00:25:45.799 EVO at EVO scale and Project L. It's Project L for the first time 331 00:25:47.240 --> 00:25:51.640 at the biggest EVO that's ever existed. Oh, you're going to announce really 332 00:25:51.680 --> 00:25:53.920 close to the show. I guess that might help a little bit because maybe 333 00:25:53.920 --> 00:26:00.680 the whole city doesn't flood in, but I expect there to be a an 334 00:26:00.759 --> 00:26:04.759 interesting Q line for this particular activity, Healthy, which will yeah, yeah, 335 00:26:04.799 --> 00:26:08.480 it'll be healthy, which, although, to be honest, it might 336 00:26:08.559 --> 00:26:12.440 be a squashed a little bit on the fact that Project L is a two 337 00:26:12.519 --> 00:26:17.799 B two game. So whereas you get in line to play Technade or m 338 00:26:17.920 --> 00:26:22.799 K one or there's surprises at the show that you'll discover later this week wink, 339 00:26:23.960 --> 00:26:30.039 there is an opportunity for Project L to potentially move through that Q line 340 00:26:30.039 --> 00:26:33.599 even faster because instead of two people, that can be four or three or 341 00:26:33.599 --> 00:26:37.680 whatever combination. That's true. That is true because the duo's mode, each 342 00:26:37.680 --> 00:26:41.480 player gets a character you can switch back and forth, and I imagine the 343 00:26:41.480 --> 00:26:44.960 demo will focus on that duo's mode, it will not It'll just be four 344 00:26:45.000 --> 00:26:48.599 people to a console at a time to keep that line moving. It almost 345 00:26:48.599 --> 00:26:52.400 reminds me of I don't know if you were on the committee at all, 346 00:26:52.400 --> 00:26:55.480 if you were helping with the vo in twenty eighteen, the one year I 347 00:26:55.599 --> 00:27:00.480 was there when they had Smash Brothers demo available on the floor for four people 348 00:27:00.480 --> 00:27:04.279 to a console, one big you know, free for all match, and 349 00:27:04.279 --> 00:27:08.160 then off you went. I wonder, and that line was very healthy the 350 00:27:08.279 --> 00:27:14.759 entire time. So I'm wondering if you might run into a similar situation just 351 00:27:14.839 --> 00:27:17.799 with you know, probably some more people. I don't remember the twenty eighteen 352 00:27:17.799 --> 00:27:19.400 attendants records off the top of my head, but there were a lot. 353 00:27:19.799 --> 00:27:23.920 There were a lot of people. Yes, someone who also stood in that 354 00:27:23.960 --> 00:27:29.839 line. Yeah, yeah, as someone who also stood in that line, 355 00:27:30.480 --> 00:27:33.960 yes, well the line when I got there, if I recall, it 356 00:27:33.039 --> 00:27:36.160 was the first thing I did. I made sure I just ran too it 357 00:27:36.200 --> 00:27:38.640 on Saturday morning, I think, and I was still like twenty twenty five 358 00:27:38.680 --> 00:27:42.160 people deep. It was brutal. I think the nice part is as much 359 00:27:42.200 --> 00:27:47.119 as we're joking about the line being long and deservedly being long, sure that 360 00:27:47.279 --> 00:27:51.559 Smash one moved pretty fast, and so I legitimately do expect the Projdel one 361 00:27:51.680 --> 00:27:57.359 to move as quick or potentially even quicker, because I don't anticipate there is 362 00:27:57.359 --> 00:28:00.200 going to be as many champions of a little as there were in Smash. 363 00:28:00.240 --> 00:28:03.839 So even just getting stuck on characters, like trying to figure out who am 364 00:28:03.880 --> 00:28:07.599 I going to play today? Smash, you're dealing with everybody's here. Yeah, 365 00:28:07.680 --> 00:28:12.200 Project Bell, You've got three four champions. Yeah. Yeah, So 366 00:28:12.279 --> 00:28:17.599 that that Smash demo was the same exact one from E three twenty eighteen, 367 00:28:18.279 --> 00:28:22.680 So you're right, it was like eighteen characters in that demo versus four in 368 00:28:22.759 --> 00:28:25.720 this one. Three they've revealed in the fourth one they're going to reveal at 369 00:28:25.720 --> 00:28:30.759 some point before things kick off. Are they talking to them now this week? 370 00:28:30.799 --> 00:28:34.000 If you've talked to them yet the week of the show, has their 371 00:28:34.079 --> 00:28:38.440 excitement grown to see all these people? Are they now extra nervous? So 372 00:28:38.480 --> 00:28:42.200 I imagine there's this double sided coin of yes, all these people are going 373 00:28:42.240 --> 00:28:45.960 to play these our game. Crap, all these people are going to play 374 00:28:45.960 --> 00:28:48.599 our game. But it's like a weird dichotomy. Is that is that what 375 00:28:48.640 --> 00:28:52.519 you're feeling you're you're you're getting from them here. I mean, I think 376 00:28:52.599 --> 00:29:00.640 the the enthusiasm and excitement versus the stress and nervousness applies that reaspect of the 377 00:29:00.640 --> 00:29:03.240 show. Sure the Project L team is feeling it, Yes, I do 378 00:29:03.359 --> 00:29:06.119 have I talked to them to confirm that. No, I hadn't, But 379 00:29:06.720 --> 00:29:08.880 I know our tech staff feels that way. I know the janitorial staff feels 380 00:29:08.880 --> 00:29:14.440 that way. I know that the security staff feels that way. So I 381 00:29:14.480 --> 00:29:19.880 would expect the Product L team has a similar feeling in that regard. Poor 382 00:29:19.960 --> 00:29:23.799 one out for the janitorial team, they are they are better poor two or 383 00:29:23.839 --> 00:29:30.359 three out right saints among men. Those guys, those those folks are h 384 00:29:30.960 --> 00:29:33.759 That is not a job I envy, but it is one I definitely respect. 385 00:29:33.559 --> 00:29:36.440 So one last thing before I get you out of here. It's the 386 00:29:36.440 --> 00:29:38.960 week of the show. You're flying out. I assume we're recording on Monday, 387 00:29:40.000 --> 00:29:41.880 the thirty first, So why the time it goes out, you'll be 388 00:29:41.920 --> 00:29:45.440 there Thursday. You're flying out tonight tomorrow, bright and early tomorrow morning, 389 00:29:45.559 --> 00:29:48.400 right and early tomorrow morning. I got a three year old at home, 390 00:29:48.440 --> 00:29:52.920 so I didn't want to fly out post bed time. I'd rather get up 391 00:29:52.599 --> 00:29:56.240 a little too early, maybe get out the door before she's away. Otherwise, 392 00:29:56.279 --> 00:30:00.640 have a breakfast and head off to Vegas. You and I have very 393 00:30:00.640 --> 00:30:03.160 similar thoughts when it comes to traveling alone. We don't go after they go 394 00:30:03.200 --> 00:30:07.359 to bed, we go before they wake up, which I guess in retrospect 395 00:30:07.440 --> 00:30:10.440 is the same thing. But yeah, whatever, the kid appreciates it. 396 00:30:11.079 --> 00:30:14.960 So my question then, is, how are you feeling now? All this 397 00:30:15.039 --> 00:30:18.839 preparation, all this work, all these records, all these new cool demos 398 00:30:18.880 --> 00:30:22.640 that you have announced. It's almost put up a shut up time. Are 399 00:30:22.000 --> 00:30:27.599 you ready? I don't think you're ever ready to run a show like this, 400 00:30:29.240 --> 00:30:32.200 but I think we have all the pieces in place for this to be 401 00:30:33.319 --> 00:30:37.079 the evil event that we are aspiring for it to be. It all is 402 00:30:37.119 --> 00:30:41.799 all the things any event can have at this scale to break those ambitions. 403 00:30:41.160 --> 00:30:45.000 But I think we've got the right staff. I'm very confident we have the 404 00:30:45.079 --> 00:30:48.799 right activities. We've obviously got a great turnout. I know we're going to 405 00:30:48.880 --> 00:30:52.759 wind up with great matches. We've got a good venue partner, we've got 406 00:30:52.799 --> 00:30:57.440 a good just general preparations plan and best practices that we've been running through for 407 00:30:57.480 --> 00:31:02.039 the last few months. Is it all going to blow up eleventh hour because 408 00:31:02.039 --> 00:31:04.400 that's what happens. Yes, but that's why you've got the best people that 409 00:31:04.440 --> 00:31:08.440 we can have involved in the show so that it will be the best show 410 00:31:08.480 --> 00:31:14.279 it can be. So what I guess my last question is for someone who's 411 00:31:14.279 --> 00:31:18.920 getting ready to come out there, other than stay out of the one hundred 412 00:31:18.920 --> 00:31:22.160 degree heat for as long as you can, there are there any words of 413 00:31:22.160 --> 00:31:26.079 wisdom from someone who's been doing this for a very long time, both as 414 00:31:26.079 --> 00:31:30.200 a fan and running the thing that you can give to attendees both new and 415 00:31:30.279 --> 00:31:34.640 old for EVO twenty twenty three specifically, so it's not specific, all of 416 00:31:34.640 --> 00:31:37.799 one hundred degree heat does play into this advice. This is the general advice 417 00:31:37.839 --> 00:31:42.200 I give about every show because I think it makes a difference. Treat yourself 418 00:31:42.319 --> 00:31:45.200 right so the show can do the best it can to do right by you. 419 00:31:45.559 --> 00:31:48.759 Love. That means get enough sleep to actually enjoy the show. If 420 00:31:48.759 --> 00:31:52.519 you're somebody where that's seven minutes, great. If you're somebody where that's like 421 00:31:52.720 --> 00:31:56.559 me, it needs to be seven plus hours. Aimed for that drink water, 422 00:31:57.240 --> 00:32:00.839 particularly because we're in vague it's going to be one hundred degrees plus, 423 00:32:00.839 --> 00:32:06.039 whether you're inside or out. That will creep under your skin and get into 424 00:32:06.079 --> 00:32:09.039 your bones. Yes, eat and if you can't eat, well, pack 425 00:32:09.119 --> 00:32:13.480 some protein bars, bring some cranola bars, bring some jerky, because if 426 00:32:13.480 --> 00:32:15.839 your body feels good, the event will go well. There's enough there to 427 00:32:15.880 --> 00:32:20.240 do an experience that I can promise. The entertainment level is high. There's 428 00:32:20.319 --> 00:32:22.119 enough to compete in that. If that's your jam, you will have the 429 00:32:22.160 --> 00:32:25.279 opportunity to do so. The show that's been put together for Friday, for 430 00:32:25.319 --> 00:32:30.079 the showcase, for the finals on Saturday and Sunday, all of that I 431 00:32:30.279 --> 00:32:34.920 know will be what you need it to be. So just be in a 432 00:32:34.920 --> 00:32:37.759 condition to appreciate it to the best of your ability. I love that advice. 433 00:32:37.799 --> 00:32:42.000 You're going out to EVO twenty twenty three this year and you see Rick 434 00:32:42.119 --> 00:32:45.400 Thyer, general manager of EVO, walking around the floor, shake his hand, 435 00:32:45.680 --> 00:32:47.279 elbow, whatever, he's comfortable with, his choice, not yours, 436 00:32:47.359 --> 00:32:52.279 but make sure you thank this man because he and his team are doing their 437 00:32:52.319 --> 00:32:54.559 best to make EVO what it is. And based on those attendance numbers, 438 00:32:54.599 --> 00:32:57.680 this year is going to be a hell of a show and you know what. 439 00:32:57.720 --> 00:33:00.640 I lied. One last little extra question for you, is one particular 440 00:33:00.680 --> 00:33:04.160 tournament of the eight main ones that you're excited for because there one game where 441 00:33:04.160 --> 00:33:07.200 you're like, man, I'm really jazzed to see this. So I know, 442 00:33:07.240 --> 00:33:09.759 I'm supposed to say Street Fight or six because it is the biggest tournament 443 00:33:09.839 --> 00:33:13.839 YadA, YadA, YadA. As the guy who helped put together the Tech 444 00:33:13.880 --> 00:33:15.640 and World two or years back, I'm supposed to say Tech and seven. 445 00:33:15.960 --> 00:33:21.039 As the guy who still to this day is playing m K eleven pretty regularly, 446 00:33:21.119 --> 00:33:24.200 I'm supposed to say Mortal Kombat. The reality of it is, this 447 00:33:24.279 --> 00:33:30.720 is the single largest ultimate Marble Verse capcom that has ever been hosted, and 448 00:33:31.519 --> 00:33:36.519 we somehow managed to get Combo Fiend to climb out of the shadow realm? 449 00:33:37.039 --> 00:33:42.119 Do you commentary for that bracket? That one, to me is special, 450 00:33:42.680 --> 00:33:46.920 and whether the rest of the tournaments are the best ever in any capacity that 451 00:33:46.920 --> 00:33:52.759 you want it to be the best that one, specifically, that one means 452 00:33:52.799 --> 00:33:54.079 something to me and a lot of the people that I used to travel to 453 00:33:54.079 --> 00:33:58.920 tournaments with on a regular basis, So it's very cool to have that at 454 00:33:58.920 --> 00:34:01.640 the show. I love that it represents evil being able to do throwback tournaments, 455 00:34:02.160 --> 00:34:08.000 and I just think that one that one as a legacy head of that 456 00:34:08.039 --> 00:34:15.840 game is going to just feel good. And I'm hoping that with the turnout 457 00:34:15.880 --> 00:34:21.400 that you've had and the crowd that I expect for that Top six in particular, 458 00:34:21.440 --> 00:34:24.079 because let's be honest, a lot of times people just don't only have 459 00:34:24.119 --> 00:34:28.440 the time to tune in for the Top six is they can't be a degenerate 460 00:34:28.480 --> 00:34:34.280 like me and have eight screens going on a Friday afternoon. Let's hope that 461 00:34:34.480 --> 00:34:38.760 certain eyes are opened and that we don't have to talk about Marvel as a 462 00:34:38.840 --> 00:34:43.639 legacy game for much longer. But that's just a pipe dream on my end. 463 00:34:43.800 --> 00:34:46.079 I'm sure it's one on yours as well. I'm not going to make 464 00:34:46.119 --> 00:34:49.119 you comment on that. You're welcome to, but I'm not going to make 465 00:34:49.119 --> 00:34:52.400 you Oh. I would love to be the guy that could just sit here 466 00:34:52.440 --> 00:34:55.000 and be like, yes, more Marvel. I have no influence, i 467 00:34:55.039 --> 00:34:59.960 have no power. I've got the same hopeful dreams that a few too many 468 00:35:00.079 --> 00:35:04.239 people have had for a few too many years, and hopefully those years dwindled 469 00:35:04.239 --> 00:35:07.880 down into something new and cool eventually, I would hope, so too, 470 00:35:07.000 --> 00:35:10.519 Rick Thire, Ladies and gentlemen, the general manager of EVO, the hardest 471 00:35:10.519 --> 00:35:14.519 working man this weekend. I don't care what you're doing. This guy's going 472 00:35:14.559 --> 00:35:16.880 to be running around Las Vegas in a one hundred degree heat making sure people 473 00:35:16.960 --> 00:35:22.079 can digitally punch the punch each other in the face as safely and with as 474 00:35:22.159 --> 00:35:24.679 much fun as possible. I look forward to watching as much as I can. 475 00:35:24.960 --> 00:35:28.280 I'm not kidding when I say eight screens. I'll tweet it like I 476 00:35:28.320 --> 00:35:30.920 do every single year, and I'll tag you in it specifically just so or 477 00:35:31.079 --> 00:35:36.320 exit? Are we exiting now? What are we doing forget? Anyway? 478 00:35:36.800 --> 00:35:39.000 Rick, thank you so much for your time and your efforts in this. 479 00:35:39.119 --> 00:35:43.559 I am looking forward to an incredible, incredible show. Thank you for your 480 00:35:43.599 --> 00:35:45.880 great answers here, looking forward to seeing what everything EVO has to offer, 481 00:35:46.079 --> 00:35:50.199 and maybe after the facts, sometime in August or September or something like that, 482 00:35:50.360 --> 00:35:52.079 we can do this again, to do like a post show like what 483 00:35:52.199 --> 00:35:55.079 went right? What went wrong? What you were most excited about? Rick? 484 00:35:55.400 --> 00:35:59.599 Thanks Bell, thank you. Coming up after the break, I get 485 00:35:59.639 --> 00:36:04.760 into my wishes for EVO twenty twenty three, including reveals I would like to 486 00:36:04.800 --> 00:36:08.400 see tournaments I'm most looking forward to, and pipe dreams that probably won't come 487 00:36:08.440 --> 00:36:14.840 true, but hey, let's hope stick around, all right, Yes, 488 00:36:14.960 --> 00:36:20.480 folks, is che Steaks and Controllers one hundred thirty seven, which I have 489 00:36:20.599 --> 00:36:24.760 not mentioned yet throughout this episode. This is the EVO episode, and as 490 00:36:24.800 --> 00:36:29.679 many people know, the number thirty seven is very relevant in the world of 491 00:36:29.719 --> 00:36:32.760 EVO as EVO moment. Thirty seven kind of put this event on the map 492 00:36:34.119 --> 00:36:39.519 for a more across the greater gaming industry as opposed to just the FGC there 493 00:36:39.519 --> 00:36:45.000 in California. So it's for one thirty seven to be the EVO episode and 494 00:36:45.559 --> 00:36:50.519 to have the great Rick Thryer. The Thier, the general manager of EVO 495 00:36:50.679 --> 00:36:53.559 on the show, was a great, great, great, great get and 496 00:36:53.599 --> 00:36:59.159 I really appreciate him coming. And now I am going to beg him for 497 00:36:59.199 --> 00:37:02.159 things. I'm going to beg him for things that I would like to happen 498 00:37:04.079 --> 00:37:07.119 at EVO this year. I'm going to queue up this music again because I 499 00:37:07.119 --> 00:37:10.039 love it that much. It's just one of the best fighting game songs ever 500 00:37:10.079 --> 00:37:15.440 made, and it's actually relevant to the first thing I would like to request 501 00:37:15.000 --> 00:37:22.199 in this segment, and that is another crossover between Capcom and SNK. They 502 00:37:22.239 --> 00:37:27.199 seem real chummy all of a sudden, they seem like they're they're good friends. 503 00:37:27.239 --> 00:37:30.079 They're doing you know, roundtables together during the pandemic and there, and 504 00:37:30.159 --> 00:37:34.840 they're spending a lot of time together. They're talking very highly of each other 505 00:37:35.800 --> 00:37:39.400 on you know, social media and stuff like that. So they wanted to 506 00:37:39.440 --> 00:37:44.840 give us cap Com Versus SNK three, I would have no problems with that. 507 00:37:45.000 --> 00:37:49.639 Cap Com Versus SNK two is a very special game to me for multiple 508 00:37:49.679 --> 00:37:52.199 reasons. The fantastic fighting game. For one, it holds the distinction of 509 00:37:52.239 --> 00:37:59.079 being the only game to date that I have ever imported from Japan. Because 510 00:37:59.159 --> 00:38:05.480 I owned the Dreamcast version of the game, an American version for the Dreamcast 511 00:38:05.519 --> 00:38:07.719 did not exist, so I had in order to play it when I had 512 00:38:07.719 --> 00:38:13.199 a Dreamcast and no other consoles, I had to import it, and a 513 00:38:13.239 --> 00:38:20.880 local mom and pop shop here in my neighborhood had not only the copy of 514 00:38:21.000 --> 00:38:25.400 the import but also a little called innovation disc that I put in to basically 515 00:38:25.440 --> 00:38:32.599 allow my console American console to play it to get past them the coding or 516 00:38:32.639 --> 00:38:38.239 whatever it is that the region region lock. Excuse me, uh So um, 517 00:38:38.519 --> 00:38:42.960 cap con Versus SNK is big for me, and I would love to 518 00:38:43.000 --> 00:38:45.719 see CAP con Versus SNK three, or if they want to call it something 519 00:38:45.719 --> 00:38:50.760 else, just not Cap con Versus SNK Infinite Police. That name seems to 520 00:38:50.800 --> 00:38:53.639 be a little you know, tainted at this point. But if they wanted 521 00:38:53.639 --> 00:38:55.800 to give us another one, I would be all about it. I think 522 00:38:55.800 --> 00:39:00.239 it's a it's ripe for the picking. If they wanted to you know, 523 00:39:00.320 --> 00:39:04.320 expand on the ratio system or even bring that back stick with one V one, 524 00:39:04.360 --> 00:39:07.000 two V two or VV three, I think there's I think the online 525 00:39:07.039 --> 00:39:10.920 would be awesome. Um I would. I wouldn't mind the approach where capcom 526 00:39:10.920 --> 00:39:16.920 makes one and SNK makes one just because they're so different. But I do 527 00:39:17.039 --> 00:39:25.599 think that that there is definitely a possibility there h The the really you know, 528 00:39:27.159 --> 00:39:30.000 needy part of me would love that to be in two D sprites. 529 00:39:30.800 --> 00:39:34.440 That would be a really cool throwback. And I feel like a two D 530 00:39:34.719 --> 00:39:37.840 sprite fighting game from a major company might be a cool way to replicate the 531 00:39:37.880 --> 00:39:42.719 sort of retro revival that happened in the inde scenes starting with shovel Night and 532 00:39:42.840 --> 00:39:45.760 going across multiple genres and multiple even fighting games are INDI fighting games to do 533 00:39:45.800 --> 00:39:49.199 it and stuff like that, but it would be you know, full three 534 00:39:49.280 --> 00:39:51.880 day, big budget. Of course, I'm not going to shake a stick 535 00:39:51.880 --> 00:39:54.719 at anything Capcom versus SNK related if it were to come back, but it 536 00:39:54.880 --> 00:39:59.880 is something I would like to see. Now. I know that SNK is 537 00:40:00.119 --> 00:40:02.840 busy with other projects, which brings me to number two of my request, 538 00:40:02.960 --> 00:40:07.280 and that is Garrow gameplay. So for two years now they've teased us with 539 00:40:07.320 --> 00:40:13.199 the return of Fatal Furity Slash Garrow. First it was the teaser with Rock 540 00:40:13.280 --> 00:40:15.400 Howard, and then last year there was a different teaser that was basically the 541 00:40:15.440 --> 00:40:20.400 same sort of alleyway shot, just with different people standing in the alleyway. 542 00:40:20.920 --> 00:40:22.679 Let's see some gameplay this year. Let's see what you're going for. Let's 543 00:40:22.719 --> 00:40:27.280 see what you want to do. I don't need a full system deep dive. 544 00:40:27.360 --> 00:40:30.880 I don't think it's that close to launch that we would get something like 545 00:40:30.920 --> 00:40:32.159 that, but I just want to see it. If you want to give 546 00:40:32.159 --> 00:40:37.559 me a couple of minutes of footage in a trailer with some you know, 547 00:40:37.639 --> 00:40:42.000 big combos or special moves or whatever, I'm fine with that. I'm not 548 00:40:42.079 --> 00:40:45.320 picky. Just let us see a little bit of garrow. Pretty pretty pleased. 549 00:40:46.079 --> 00:40:50.360 That would be super cool. From the Capcom side, it's obvious, 550 00:40:50.880 --> 00:40:54.760 it's what everybody wants, it's what I want, it's it's it's something we're 551 00:40:54.760 --> 00:40:58.559 going to request to we're blue in the face, and that's a new Marvel 552 00:40:58.679 --> 00:41:00.960 Versus Capcom game. However, I do not think it's very likely for this 553 00:41:01.079 --> 00:41:06.400 year. But I don't think it's very likely for this year. But I 554 00:41:06.440 --> 00:41:13.840 think this year could be a major boon in the favor of that in the 555 00:41:13.880 --> 00:41:19.239 favor of a new game coming, thanks to the number of people who have 556 00:41:19.400 --> 00:41:22.840 signed up for that tournament. It will there's so many people sign up for 557 00:41:22.880 --> 00:41:27.079 that tournament. It will start day three. It'll be the first finals we 558 00:41:27.239 --> 00:41:32.199 see on day three, placing fourth out of eight games in the overall rankings, 559 00:41:32.199 --> 00:41:37.039 and that and Ultimate Marvel Versus Capcom three, let me remind you, 560 00:41:37.679 --> 00:41:40.440 is twelve years old. So the fact that a twelve year old game had 561 00:41:40.519 --> 00:41:45.960 that much of an of a support system, that so many that many people 562 00:41:46.119 --> 00:41:52.800 came out for this tournament should open some eyes at the in the c suites 563 00:41:53.039 --> 00:41:58.719 that need their eyes open, right, And I would hope that that sort 564 00:41:58.719 --> 00:42:01.119 of attendance might lead and I kind of said this with Rick at the end 565 00:42:01.119 --> 00:42:05.400 of part two of our discussion, I would hope that the attendance of this 566 00:42:05.480 --> 00:42:10.480 tournament would would would allow those talks to begin, which would mean we wouldn't 567 00:42:10.519 --> 00:42:15.039 see another game for you know, four or five years, if work hadn't 568 00:42:15.039 --> 00:42:19.960 even started yet. It is something I would like to see built from scratch. 569 00:42:20.079 --> 00:42:24.000 I don't want them to fall into the same trap they fell into last 570 00:42:24.000 --> 00:42:29.400 time with Infinite where they just kind of poached and tried from Ultimate Marvel three 571 00:42:29.400 --> 00:42:31.920 and tried to make the game as cheap as possible, as cheaply as possible. 572 00:42:31.920 --> 00:42:35.760 I should say that did not work out well in their favor. Favor 573 00:42:35.840 --> 00:42:37.280 they had a lot of egg on their face after that. But Capcom right 574 00:42:37.320 --> 00:42:40.920 now seems to be firing on all cylinders. So if it's if the iron 575 00:42:42.000 --> 00:42:47.760 was ever hot enough to strike, it would be now based on this attendance, 576 00:42:49.199 --> 00:42:54.039 based on the you know, the the hot streak the Capcom was on 577 00:42:54.199 --> 00:42:59.519 with Art President Evil and Street Fighter and all the games that they're making. 578 00:43:00.320 --> 00:43:01.400 Now is a great time for that to happen. So if they wanted to 579 00:43:01.400 --> 00:43:07.440 bring that to the forefront, I would appreciate that also too. With Capcom, 580 00:43:07.480 --> 00:43:10.119 I would like to see character number two and Oversheed just came out and 581 00:43:10.119 --> 00:43:15.400 he's causing quite a star with him having to be edited basically the first day 582 00:43:15.440 --> 00:43:20.320 he was out. But I do think that getting a glimpse of the next 583 00:43:20.360 --> 00:43:23.760 character, Aki would be kind of cool. Whether it's a little teaser trailer 584 00:43:23.800 --> 00:43:27.039 where it's some brief footage, I don't know what they want to do, 585 00:43:27.440 --> 00:43:32.079 but I would like to see Aki, and maybe some hints for year two. 586 00:43:32.159 --> 00:43:35.760 I think it's a little early for that yet, but some hints for 587 00:43:35.840 --> 00:43:39.920 year two would be kind of cool as well. So that's Capcom. Let's 588 00:43:40.039 --> 00:43:45.000 move on to ban Dynamico. I think now would be the time to really 589 00:43:46.280 --> 00:43:50.960 go all in on Dragon Ball Fighter Z two if that was going to happen. 590 00:43:52.320 --> 00:43:54.360 The game has been out now for six years. It is getting a 591 00:43:54.440 --> 00:43:59.920 huge rollback neet code patch. I understand that if they wanted to announce detail 592 00:44:00.119 --> 00:44:02.800 on that as well for the third year in a row, I think that 593 00:44:02.840 --> 00:44:07.119 would be great also. I'd be happy with that, but I think a 594 00:44:07.199 --> 00:44:12.360 new game with some updated although the problem you run into there is what would 595 00:44:12.360 --> 00:44:17.199 a new Dragon Ball Fighter Z add to what's already happening. The problem with 596 00:44:17.280 --> 00:44:22.280 that game is it makes They would have to overhaul the fighting system in that 597 00:44:22.320 --> 00:44:27.679 game, because a critique of mine ever since its first ego in twenty eighteen 598 00:44:28.159 --> 00:44:31.320 is that it basically degenerates into who could do the super the fastest, and 599 00:44:31.360 --> 00:44:37.119 it's just the same multiple supers over and over and over again, big long, 600 00:44:37.360 --> 00:44:39.679 drawn out level threes that we're seeing all the time. They need to 601 00:44:39.679 --> 00:44:44.880 find a way to streamline that combat make a little more interesting, whether that's 602 00:44:45.440 --> 00:44:51.599 you know, slower meter or even two v two or one v one. 603 00:44:51.599 --> 00:44:53.280 I don't know, to make the matches faster. I'm not sure, but 604 00:44:54.440 --> 00:44:57.400 I feel like there's a lot more work to be done there. So I 605 00:44:57.440 --> 00:45:00.119 don't think it's definite. The Dragon Ball Fighters E two will be announced this 606 00:45:00.199 --> 00:45:02.679 year, but I would like to lease see some more news on the role 607 00:45:02.679 --> 00:45:07.039 on the new rollbacknet code that would be nice. And then Tech and eight. 608 00:45:07.159 --> 00:45:10.599 Obviously Tech and eight has the possibility for a huge update. I would 609 00:45:10.639 --> 00:45:15.679 love to see some new characters, maybe our first guest character, or even 610 00:45:15.280 --> 00:45:19.079 since this is EVO and it's the crowd that would appreciate it the most. 611 00:45:19.360 --> 00:45:25.159 The first original brand new roster member for Tech and eight. There has not 612 00:45:25.239 --> 00:45:29.239 been one yet. We have now had a beta test with sixteen characters, 613 00:45:29.239 --> 00:45:32.280 and all of them were returning veterans. I do not think the entire roster 614 00:45:32.360 --> 00:45:36.719 will be returning veterans. So if there was ever a moment to bring in 615 00:45:36.760 --> 00:45:43.039 a brand new character with a new play style, EVO and a fighting game 616 00:45:43.119 --> 00:45:46.840 centric fan audience base would be the place to do that. They are a 617 00:45:46.920 --> 00:45:52.880 part of the Friday Showcase. I don't know again if they're going to listen 618 00:45:52.960 --> 00:45:57.800 heed my advice here. It would just be really cool if they did. 619 00:45:59.679 --> 00:46:05.880 I'm wondering if they would announce a guest character now, because I feel like 620 00:46:05.960 --> 00:46:10.679 guest characters are going to be DLC and they don't even have a release date 621 00:46:10.760 --> 00:46:17.159 yet, although a release date would also make an excellent announcement for EVO twenty 622 00:46:17.239 --> 00:46:21.679 twenty three. I do think that game comes out in twenty four, though 623 00:46:21.760 --> 00:46:23.280 maybe in the beginning of the month or at the beginning of the year. 624 00:46:23.280 --> 00:46:29.199 Excuse me, but I do not think it's going to make this year unfortunately. 625 00:46:29.280 --> 00:46:32.519 I think it's going to be a twenty twenty four announcement, So we'll 626 00:46:32.599 --> 00:46:37.920 see their panel is seven o'clock Eastern, four pm Pacific on Friday tomorrow. 627 00:46:37.960 --> 00:46:42.679 You're if you're listening to this when it actually launches, but that so we'll 628 00:46:42.679 --> 00:46:45.000 see what's going on there. But there's a lot going on in this showcase. 629 00:46:45.800 --> 00:46:51.480 So let's move on to what I am hoping for from the actual events 630 00:46:51.559 --> 00:46:54.000 or what I'm looking forward to the most from the actual events. Arc system 631 00:46:54.039 --> 00:46:58.800 Works panel, probably season three of Guilty Year Strive. Then it goes right 632 00:46:58.840 --> 00:47:01.800 into Grand Blue Versus Rising, so we'll see more on that, and then 633 00:47:01.840 --> 00:47:07.599 a Guilty Year Strife panel. So our system Works basically owns the first three 634 00:47:07.679 --> 00:47:15.239 or four hours, three and a half hours of this EVO showcase on Friday. 635 00:47:15.760 --> 00:47:19.039 A lot of stuff they're going to be doing there. I'm sure there 636 00:47:19.119 --> 00:47:22.960 was a surprise announcement scheduled for twelve thirty Pacific three thirty pm Eastern, but 637 00:47:23.000 --> 00:47:28.360 I'm guessing that's going to be Project del They'll announce the fourth character in their 638 00:47:28.360 --> 00:47:31.360 playable demo, and then demos will open to the public. We already kind 639 00:47:31.360 --> 00:47:37.880 of know who the fourth character is because one of the influencers that was invited 640 00:47:37.920 --> 00:47:43.800 to Riot's studio to play the game was just shooting some camera and showing off, 641 00:47:44.280 --> 00:47:45.960 you know, like people playing and stuff like that, and was pointed 642 00:47:45.960 --> 00:47:52.159 towards the screen and the fourth character was standing there and it's kind of hard 643 00:47:52.159 --> 00:47:54.119 to miss. So I'm not going to say who it is in case you 644 00:47:54.119 --> 00:47:58.079 haven't heard it yet and want to be surprised. It is a champion you 645 00:47:58.079 --> 00:48:02.400 would expect considering they have been featured in other League of Legends offshoots, but 646 00:48:02.480 --> 00:48:07.440 I will let you figure that out for yourself. A lot of indie games. 647 00:48:07.519 --> 00:48:13.679 In the second like segment of Friday, a Skullgirls panel, Rivals of 648 00:48:13.719 --> 00:48:16.639 eight or two panel, and then a full fighting game showcase for about twenty 649 00:48:16.679 --> 00:48:21.800 minutes before we move on to the Ultimate Marvel versus Capcom three panel, which 650 00:48:21.920 --> 00:48:24.559 is just going to be EVO memories. It's not going to be anything with 651 00:48:24.679 --> 00:48:28.880 news, so don't get excited. Street Fighter six panel, which is where 652 00:48:28.880 --> 00:48:34.679 if we see any hokey it'll be there. Maybe costumes and collaborations as well 653 00:48:35.079 --> 00:48:37.280 Tech and eight panel. As I mentioned after that, that'll be some new 654 00:48:37.360 --> 00:48:42.719 characters, maybe a guest or two or release date. Another interesting one, 655 00:48:42.840 --> 00:48:49.079 Kyar. It's the last thing of the showcase stage before the Evo the first 656 00:48:49.079 --> 00:48:52.800 Evo Twitch channel turns into the top sixes of each tournament, and that is 657 00:48:52.840 --> 00:48:58.760 a tenth anniversary showcase for Killer Instant. Killer Instate on Xbox One is ten 658 00:48:59.000 --> 00:49:02.840 years old this November, because the Xbox One is ten years old this November. 659 00:49:04.199 --> 00:49:10.199 And I really think that this game set a trend that we were not 660 00:49:10.280 --> 00:49:20.320 ready for it to set, Like it basically introduced the idea of adding characters 661 00:49:20.400 --> 00:49:30.239 piecemeal and you know, building a fighting game that way as opposed to gaining 662 00:49:30.280 --> 00:49:35.679 everything behind the sixty or seventy dollars entry fee and then extra DLC after that. 663 00:49:36.239 --> 00:49:40.079 Not every franchise took to it, obviously, but the model that was 664 00:49:40.159 --> 00:49:45.840 there kind of set the standard for all of DLC going forward in fighting games. 665 00:49:46.719 --> 00:49:49.639 And if they wanted to announce an one, that would be awesome. 666 00:49:49.800 --> 00:49:53.360 Phil Spencer did show up at the Final Fantasy fourteen fan fest in Vegas to 667 00:49:53.519 --> 00:49:58.920 surprise everyone and say that Final Fantasy fourteen's come into Xbox. Maybe he stayed 668 00:49:58.960 --> 00:50:00.800 for a week and is going to show up at this showcase as well. 669 00:50:01.079 --> 00:50:05.840 That would be bad S. Do I expect it? No? But it 670 00:50:05.840 --> 00:50:09.000 would be bad s. So that's your your Showcase, Pandel and then we 671 00:50:09.000 --> 00:50:14.920 get into the tournaments throughout the weekend. Obviously, I am most excited for 672 00:50:17.239 --> 00:50:23.559 I'm most excited for the Street Fighter six tournament. I'm most excited for Guilty 673 00:50:23.559 --> 00:50:27.400 Gear Strives Tournament Tech and eight or Tech and seven. Excuse me, it's 674 00:50:27.440 --> 00:50:30.760 gonna be fun. It's gonna be a fun weekend of fighting games that I 675 00:50:30.760 --> 00:50:36.719 am very much looking forward to. I'm wondering though, if I'll be able 676 00:50:36.760 --> 00:50:39.119 to watch all of it, and I will get into the reasons for that 677 00:50:39.920 --> 00:50:45.079 later. I have not talked about something that is going on in my days, 678 00:50:45.400 --> 00:50:51.320 but I will leave that until next episode to talk about episode one thirty 679 00:50:51.320 --> 00:50:53.159 eight. Wink wink, don't judge. Some people know, some people don't. 680 00:50:53.760 --> 00:50:58.360 But so yeah, those are the things I'm looking forward to most at 681 00:50:58.360 --> 00:51:00.559 EVO, the fighting games, the showcase. It's going to be a lot 682 00:51:00.559 --> 00:51:05.480 of fun, and I encourage you to watch as much as you can for 683 00:51:05.519 --> 00:51:08.800 the best competitive gaming has to offer. In my humble opinion, things kick 684 00:51:08.880 --> 00:51:14.800 off tomorrow at I believe one pm Eastern time is where all the things happen. 685 00:51:14.960 --> 00:51:22.719 Yes, ten am Pacific time. There will be eight different streams going 686 00:51:22.760 --> 00:51:25.239 on or seven different streams going on. Excuse me. At any given time, 687 00:51:25.960 --> 00:51:30.559 Evo has seven different channels Evoe Evo, Evo two, three, four, 688 00:51:30.679 --> 00:51:34.679 five, six, and seven. Each one will be playing different fighting 689 00:51:34.719 --> 00:51:37.840 games. Each one will have while the main one will have the showcase and 690 00:51:37.920 --> 00:51:44.719 it's it's it's amazing, it's it's just a weekend of fighting games that I 691 00:51:44.800 --> 00:51:47.519 highly recommend everyone check out if you have the time, and if not, 692 00:51:47.639 --> 00:51:53.239 catch the videos on demand because it is absolutely worth it. And with that, 693 00:51:53.239 --> 00:51:55.559 we are at the end of episode number one thirty seven or Chief Stakes 694 00:51:55.559 --> 00:52:00.159 and Controllers percented by Fox PHL The Gambler one or two point five fourteen eighty 695 00:52:00.159 --> 00:52:05.159 am iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts. As I say at the end 696 00:52:05.159 --> 00:52:07.440 of every episode, if you're hearing these words, you have reached the end, 697 00:52:07.679 --> 00:52:14.400 and I am eternally appreciative that you have. I hope you were educated. 698 00:52:14.440 --> 00:52:17.079 I hope you were entertained, and I hope that you were enlightened by 699 00:52:17.119 --> 00:52:20.159 some of the things we talked about today. And I hope you come out 700 00:52:20.159 --> 00:52:22.599 of here with a new appreciation of not only fighting games in general, but 701 00:52:22.719 --> 00:52:27.400 EVO itself. Because Rick Thyer, the Hatto, the general manager of EVO, 702 00:52:27.440 --> 00:52:30.760 who joined me twice on this episode, is a great, great man, 703 00:52:30.840 --> 00:52:34.360 doing great things with a great team, and they're going to put on 704 00:52:34.440 --> 00:52:37.719 an event this weekend that's going to knock your socks off. I have no 705 00:52:37.199 --> 00:52:43.599 doubt. However, as I say at the end of every episode, I 706 00:52:43.639 --> 00:52:46.039 hope you have a fantastic weekend. I hope you have an even better week 707 00:52:46.119 --> 00:52:49.800 right behind it, and I will be back in two weeks time with the 708 00:52:49.840 --> 00:52:54.880 latest and greatest in video games. Here on Chief Steaks and Controllers by