For those who aren’t in the loop, Evo is one of the absolute heavy hitters of the fighting game community (or FGC). Players from all over the globe head there to test their skills and battle it out to be recognised as the best in the world for their respective titles.

While household names like Tekken and Street Fighter usually take centre stage, it looks like our favourite hobby is making an appearance! Well… sort of, anyway.

We might not be seeing Beyblades on the main stage just yet, but having it introduced as a casual setup is a massive development for our scene. You might be wondering: “Why get hyped, Drawzy? Beyblades have popped up at FGC events before. What makes this different?”

My answer? It’s just great to see. But more than that, I reckon this is a trial run to see how our spinning tops perform alongside other competitive communities. It feels like a trial run to see if it’s worth pursuing further with Evo in the future.

Why do I think this? In my opinion, Beyblade sits in a unique spot (and you can look at this as both a positive and a negative) It’s not quite a TCG, an esport, or a traditional sport. It’s a gear sport that brings the flexibility and excitement of all three.

It’s got a bit of ‘gacha’ for the collectors, plenty of action for the sporty types, and a whole lot of technique for our competitively minded friends. This is exactly why I think Evo is giving it a go: as a small test run to see how it stacks up against household names and how the current landscape could uplift future events.

Is this a “for sure” thing? Definitely not. Is it what I think could be happening? Absolutely.

But I’d love to hear what you lot think! Do you reckon we could eventually see Beyblade on the big esports stage? Or is it better off as a side event?

Cheers for reading this far! A bit of a ramble, but I truly believe this is a mint opportunity for our community, our hobby, and our sport.