Organizers of the esport Evolution Championship Series (Evo) have previously stated that they planned to bring their event to Japan sometime in the future. So when, back in July during the Evo event in Las Vegs, they announced they’d have the first official Evo Championship Series tournament in Japan, many fans were excited about the event arriving in Japan. However, a date wasn’t officially set until yesterday. During the Tokyo Game Show, it was announced that they’d bring Evo to Japan sometime around January 2018, disappointing some gamers who were expecting it to arrive at an earlier date.

Make plans. See you there! @EVOJapanNews pic.twitter.com/vy1hcFUC0t

— EVO (@EVO) September 15, 2016

Evo Japan will be separate from the main Evo event so organizers wanted to try putting off this first-ever Evo Japan until January of 2018 so that competitors can have a reasonable amount of time to plan for the event – also wanting to give ample distance from the main Evo event, which is usually held in July. There is going to be a “pre-tournament” planned for 2017, but it’s still not clear as to when this tournament will take place or when it will come.

They also hope to work alongside Japanese fighting game communities for the tournament’s structure and to help them select the games that will be featured in the event. According to Polygon, Evo Japan will be partnering with fighting leagues Topanga and Godsgarden, and they’ll also be working with Tokyo Offline Party, Button Mashers, KVO, Judgement Day, Virtua Fighter Relationship and Tekken Mastercup Series to help develop their event.

The event will draw fans of fighting games from all over the world to compete in games like Street Fighter, Super Smash Bros., The King of Fighters, Marvel vs. Capcom, Mortal Kombat and others. It’s somewhat surprising though that it’s taken Evo organizers this long to bring their event to a country that has so many competitors not only participating in their events but winning them as well. Evo will now host two events a year, one in January (Evo Japan) and the main event held in Las Vegas during July.