How does the professional SF/fighting game scene compare to pro PC gaming or other console gaming?The fighting-game scene has its roots in the arcades, which gives it a unique flavor from other pro gaming communities. First, in-person, face to face competition is really important for fighting-game players, so a lot of players think of the scene as almost a lifestyle. All of our most respected competitions are in-person instead of online. It's very common for players to get together and hang out in the days before or after a tournament, or to travel across the country to train together.

But beyond that, I honestly think the competitive communities have much more in common with each other than they think. At the end of the day, all these gamers play for the thrill of the competition and the drive to be the best at what they do.

I remember Evo had a crossover with MLG. What happened? What would it take for Evo to consider partnering up with other eSports organizations?

In 2005 Evo and MLG held a combined event in Las Vegas. MLG ran Halo, and Evo ran several fighting-game tournaments. It didn't really work out because we didn't work to build any synergy between the tournaments. It was just MLG doing their thing on one side of the floor and Evo doing our thing on the other.

I certainly think it's possible to include fighting games with other games at an event, but you have to work hard to satisfy the specific expectations of each gaming community so no one feels left out in the cold. Evo is always willing to partner with any other eSports organization. We do this for the love of the competition.