Evolution Championship Series Appoints New General Manager

During Sajam‘s Jam Radio Show, it was revealed that Event Director for Combobreaker Rick “TheHadou” Thiher would be the new General Manager of EVO. Tom Cannon joined the show as the announcement was made today. Since the acquisition of EVO by Sony Interactive Entertainment and RTS, things have definitely on the upswing for the brand. Rick was most recently working for Twitch as a Product Manager. However, the opportunity to work on fighting game events full time was too good to pass up.

Press Release:
“We have full trust and faith in Rick to propel Evo even further as the premier fighting game tournament while remaining true to its roots,” said Steven Roberts, VP of Global Competitive Gaming for Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE). “Together with RTS and our valued publishing partners, we are excited to add Rick to the team that is working to bring Evo 2022 to the FGC!”

“Rick brings an exciting vision to Evo and understands the importance that this is a community driven event, so we must strike the balance between listening to our fans and players and pushing the envelope to innovate the experience for everyone,” said Stuart Saw, CEO for RTS.

One lingering question that I had was: What will happen to Combobreaker now that Rick will be GM of EVO?

Thiher will be responsible for overseeing the overall strategic vision and direction for the event as well as the day-to-day operations. He will also continue as Event Director for Combo Breaker, a series of community-based conventions and an apparel brand dedicated to competitive fighting games.

It looks like there’s a brighter future on the horizon for the Fighting Game Community. Rick has a 13 years of experience and expertise. Moreover, he has a deep passion for fighting games and large scale events for the community. If you’ve ever been to Combobreaker, you know that it is one of the best Fighting Game events in the world. Rick’s vision will not only elevate the EVO to new heights, but also keep it’s grass-roots community-based foundation in tact. This is very exciting times for the community.

You check out a small clip of the interview below: