The UK is finally playing host to esports events again as the Red Bull Kumite fighting game tournament is headed to London.
The two-day LAN event will take place on May 22 and 23 with a Street Fighter V tournament as well as a showcase of the upcoming fighting game, Guilty Gear Strive which doesn’t release until June 11 later this year.
Red Bull Kumite was previously held in Paris but was moved to Japan in homage to Street Fighter’s roots. Now, for the first time, the event is coming to London as the English capital will be the home of this year’s international event.
Both days will be livestreamed on YouTube and Twitch live from the Red Bull Gaming Sphere in Shoreditch, London which will be transformed to ‘match the spirit of the Red Bull Kumite legacy.’
The first day will feature 12 prominent pros, including some of the biggest names in the scene, from the Fighting Game Community playing exhibition matches in the upcoming Guilty Gear Strive game. The six hour livestream will also incorporate interviews with developers from Arc System Works talking in-depth about the new game.
Following that will be one of the first major Street Fighter V tournaments of the year. Red Bull Kumite will see 16 of the best Street Fighter players from all around the world invited to compete. However, one of those 16 players will be an additional UK player who earned a spot by winning the UK Last Chance Qualifier of which spots are still open.
Up to 256 players will be able to sign up for the UK tournament which will take place on April 24 but only one competitor will be able to advance to the main Red Bull Kumite event in May where they can rub shoulders with some of the most accomplished players in the scene.
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