Competing in America's Biggest Fighting Game Tournament: Evo 2017 

"For the fighting game community, Evo is the super bowl." Check out Waypoint for more gaming documentaries: vice.video/2CcIfW8

It’s Amazing to see Punk’s mother being so supportive and happy for him 🙏🏾

I really love the gaming pieces that you guys do because I get to watch what I seen before in a whole different perspective

Awww! They’re all so lovely!

I liked how supportive ‘Punks’ family was.

I'm not crying...my sprinkler just broke Dammit

Gosh this makes me so happy. These people have passion for what they do.

I've been in the Fighting Game Community for close to 15 years now. I like when we get mainstream exposure but to the uninitiated they have no idea how much of a grassroots community and effort this started as and continues to be. From having Evo in a small ballroom for a standing crowd to having it grow big enough to fit finals in Mandalay Bay. All the players, the tournament organizers for tourneys both big and small, national and regional or local.. It's all a family effort.. We got it all out the mud, we are one of the most diverse and accepting communities in the world. Makes me a little disappointed when people are quick to call us nerds or buy into any other stereotypes it's just not true.. There are people that have families and careers that they make sure they take a break from to still come out and participate.. The amount of people that are actually good enough to make money doing this are a big minority, most of us come out just for the experience and to meet up with friends and like minded people.. You have people from all income brackets, parts of the country and all races and beliefs .. But to actually be apart of it and see how many different walks of life are apart of this.. The experiences I've had, the friends I've made.. There really are no words to explain or express what it means to me

These guys love what they do and they're being recognised for their passion and talent. I'm a gamer myself (not streamer or uploader) so I understand these guys. It's great to find others with the same passion as yourself, especially when majority don't understand that particular love of yours. Love these guys

Imagine how thick the anxiety would be in that room

I like this doc, it's pretty insightful to how this stuff goes down.

Damn, hearing Punk say he's nervous about Tokido before Top 8 is some crazy foreshadowing. I really hope he wins at least one Evo, if not 2018.

Seeing punks mom jump up and down made me smile then felt sad knowing he lost :P

PUNK

Punks mom is a big sweetheart

Fighting games deserve this sort of spotlight. Thank you for this documentary.

They may not be people smart, or book smart, but they're some kind of genius and the way they apply it to these games is truly incredible. If you can't respect that, YOU are the loser.

Fighting game community is very diverse doesn't matter if you furry or etc.

Don't read the comments, most of them are gross. Either making fun of good people enjoying what they love or commenting on "black nerds". painful to see how close minded and gross people are.

Fighting games are great

Anything to keep the kids productive and out of trouble, I'm wit it

Had no idea rick fox was into this 😂

4:05 Oh shit it's the Excellent Adventures fight stick. This can make any man cry.

these guys must slay all the red, blue, and green haired chicks

The fighting game community is the best in all of gaming.

Punk is the e-sports Danny Brown

For whatever reason Punk's scenes were oddly very emotional, like I could really feel the intensity, focus, and anger when he lost at the end. but I feel like thats whats going to make him so good later.

To think DSP used to think he was as good as Tokido.

they should've followed JDCR around.

Okay guys, the autism and “they have no lives” jokes have been old since forever ago. If you can’t take what people like to do, then DON’T WATCH IT. If you feel that angry about the success of E-sports, let it out on your pillow! Let the people that do the thing they love for a living alone. And so what if some furries like to look at yiff. People look at porn all the time! Grow up!

Ik it’s hard competing and making it professionally, but regarding how hard it gets, I still want to go be a professional gamer at fighting games because I have a love for it. I still want to start a RU-vid gaming channel too. Even though I’m 15.

I don’t see anything sad about making more than doctors playing videos games so many hating ppl wish they did not have to have a normal job

I wish all discrepancies could be dealt in this manner.

Now do a story about the adderall abuse in gaming communities.

I came back to this video now that Punk won Evo. Nice to close the storyline :)

I don't follow gaming at all, but I enjoyed watching this. That's why I'll watch anything from Vice. It's always worth it.

"If you're in your mid 20s, you can't keep up with the young guys." C'mon, now...

I think its weird that SonicFox is a furry, but i can't say shit cause he'll whoop my ass in Injustice 2 and MKX.

Finnaly you give the fgc some love

It's better than WWE wrestling!

*_E-Sport is the Future_*

They're always saying "black" people always have to bring up race but for some reason whenever a "black" person is good at something almost everyone bring up something about the fact that they are "black"

meanwhile dragon wins the tourney through sheer autism

Rick Fox owns Echo Fox. I did not know that. Kobe needs to jump in and create the Black Mambas for FGC

Nerds are real and they need respect.

For a video about a gaming event, you really could have shown more than a few brief flashes of the actual gameplay. That's the only part that I feel was missing.

look @ our black kings

sonic fox looks like Lil Tracy XD

Punk is Danny browns EVO equivalent 😂 Respect.

Punk and sonic fox will come back with a vengeance, EVO 18 is theirs

Looking at this now it is truly sad what happened to Echofox behind the scenes. They used to be stacked.

punk also went through evo using a stick the whole time as a pad player, he didnt use his pad till top 8

E-Sports are amazing! It's where everyone starts off the same, so even playing field.

Ha! SonicFox is a gay furry! I wish I was him....

qudans will put a stop to this nonsense

Once again VICE comes through with a fantastic news program/documentary.

Why am i here i feel like a virgin again😩😧oh recommendation

Lmao don't worry guys echo fox will never take over lcs.

I'm a bit let down that Tokido is handled like some faceless villain in this. It's true that he denied Punk from becoming the first American to win Street Fighter at EVO, but this was a really important year for Tokido too as this was the first time he won first place despite having competed for so many years. And any fighting game fan should remember Tokido's short victory speech: "Fighting games is something really great" (said in English despite his native language is Japanese).

My boy sonic fox :)

Watch "Evo Moment 37". It's all you need to know.

Happy New Year 😃😃😃👍👍👍

I appreciate the way this documentary was handled waaaay better than how Vice did eSports a few years ago. Just disappointed with how they did the ending. The storyline for that grand final was intense, and it looked like Punk JUST suddenly LOST to Tokido in the grand finals. If you follow FGC regularly then it should be fine but Tokido's ascent from lower bracket to evo champion shouldve been highlighted a bit more there. Sure Punk was the main guy, but the ending just feel flat, no justice to both players. To those who dont follow: Punk just sent Tokido to the lower bracket (as seen in the first half of the documentary) just before the start of the main stage which means every fight Tokido goes through meant possible elimination from the whole thing, while Punk was in the upper bracket, if he lost a series he could still come back from the lowers. Both players won every match from their respective brackets to reach the grand final, but Tokido has to beat Punk TWICE since he's coming from the lowers. Punk had a huge winner's advantage and you couldve built drama off of that. Punk didnt just lose in that grand final, he got beaten TWICE by the guy who had to struggle with the threat of elimination because of him. That grand final was insanely hype, wish you delivered it better and didnt downplay Punk's loss. Sure you couldnt focus on Tokido because you were highlighting Punk but if you really wanted to show Evo as the grandest stage for gamers you couldve at least shown how devastating, heartbreaking, and inspiring that grand final matchup was. And the mental pain of having to lose twice on that main stage, in front of all those people, man, mustve been insane for Punk.

Nathan Camarena, drummer for Chon @4:21

hey the guy with the fox ears and a tail hey man you great so far keep it up

WHENS MAHVEL ?!

Annnd at 3 a.m. here I go down the VICE rabbit hole 🙃

2:41 was that Asa Butterfield?

I am literally watching Echo Fox MKLeo and Panda Global Cosmos teaming up in doubles at Smashcon 2018. Interesting, huh. Great teams.

The wizards

I wanted to see more of Punk's mom! She must have been freaking out seeing how huge of a thing this tournament is. Plus as his mother, she must have spent a long time worrying like "so my kid is great at video games, cool, but how does that pay bills when I'm gone?" As a parent it must have been a combination of pride and just a massive relief that he will be alright in life, and most likely better than alright. I'm happy for him, and for her.

damn, i was rooting for punk after smashing itazan. guy's got a long road ahead of him, no need to win everything now.

im trying to be as open minded while watching this rn

Yessss, great piece on eSports. MORE

I just want to say thank you to Rick Fox for taking a chance on Esports and making just an amazing team. Also feel terrible for punk but he will be back

I’m inspired

ok but iS THAT ASA BUTTERFIELD 2:41

wish I had those kind of reflexes

My heart broke seeing Punk so upset. Sorry he didn't make it far in 2018 EVO, but he's young and has room to grow.

sonic fox is weird man

Punk's mom screaming in the crowd "That's my baby!" is one of the most feel good wholesome things I've seen in awhile

Lmao 7:01

i reckon these people would be some of the sweetest people you'd meet, looks like a beautiful community of people.

I got 7th :/

I am sad for punk. He looks like a good guy. You'll get em next time, bro.

Nice to see that all are having a great time

is that Asa Butterfield at 2:41?

What's your fursona?

Damn now if only they could make sfv a good game

Punk would have been the first American to win Evo???? People understand that dudes just talking about Street Fighter right?? Since only Americans (except for Kaneblueriver) have won Marvel vs Capcom 2 and Ultimate Marvel vs Capcom 3. Pretty much all Americans have won Mortal Kombat and Injustice. All Americans except Armada have won Smash. The Japanese dominated Street Fighter 3. Street Fighter 4 was won by Xian who is from Singapore. Infiltration who is Korean, the rest were Japanese i think. King of Fighters is dominated by the Chinese and the Mexicans. Guilty Gear and Blazblue are dominated by the Japanese. Dragonball we don't know yet by I'm willing to bet it is an American dominated game.

This is Nerdvana

I get fkn nervous and anxious when I play with someone better just in my room, imagine having thousands of fans watching you play for the tournament.... congrats Punk, you didn't win, but fkn 2nd place is such a huge accomplishment....

5:29 Had no idea Desus a pro gamer

No lie , I felt punks sadness

When I saw SonicFox play in the 2015 SkullGirls tournament he beat a lot of people and was bragging about how he played the game for 12+ hours a day for weeks to prepare. Not sure Ive disliked a person as much as I do him.

man what about TEKKEN 7. JDCR, SAINT, QUDAN, ETC.

had to stop watching when i saw he had a tail on....

Seeing how excited Punk's mom was getting really warmed my heart.

Friendly reminder that smash is not a fighting game.

Punk's mom being proud was the greatest thing