We tackle the big question: Is 2XKO actually ready for competitive play? After spending weeks in the closed beta, Crashtag, Mezza, and StaticGorilla discuss what's working like solid character variety and surprisingly stable netcode, to what still needs serious polish before Riot's tag fighter can truly shine in the FGC. We dig into the awkward spacing issues, questionable balance decisions, and that evolving meta everyone's either exploiting or complaining about. We also talk about experiences in early 2XKO tournaments. Finally, we discuss where game stands heading into Season Zero and what needs to happen for 2XKO's future in the fighting game community.

Episode URL: mtb.gg/3pc

Hosts:

Andres Mirandes
twitter.com/CrashtagVS

Jeremiah Ward
twitter.com/mezzafgc

Gabriel Medina
twitter.com/StaticGorilla

Thank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.

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Evo 2025 is in the books, and StaticGorilla brings a full breakdown of his experience—from the layout and artist alley to the pools and tournament play. We talk about how this year’s venue changes impacted the vibe, arcade setups, and why this may have been the most well-organized EVO yet. They also unpack global EVO expansion, MvC2 cameos, and more.

Episode URL: mtb.gg/3ox

Hosts:

Andres Mirandes
twitter.com/CrashtagVS

Jeremiah Ward
twitter.com/mezzafgc

Gabriel Medina
twitter.com/StaticGorilla

Thank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Evo 2025 is right around the corner, and Double Tap is breaking down everything leading up to the biggest fighting game event of the year. The crew dives into the latest 2XKO updates, including Vi’s gameplay trailer and major system changes for the upcoming beta. Plus, they dissect the Mortal Kombat 2 movie trailer and highlight key reveals from Ken’s City of the Wolves trailer and Sagat’s return to Street Fighter 6.

Timestamps

00:01:19 Vi 2XKO Trailer
00:09:00 Vi at Evo 2025 and Closed Beta
00:11:10 Updates from 2XKO Alpha Lab
00:16:11 Poll Results: Street Fighter Live Action
00:17:38 Ken CotW Trailer
00:22:01 Sagat SF6 Gameplay Trailer
00:32:59 Mortal Kombat 2 Movie Trailer
00:46:37 EVO 2024 Final Entry Numbers and Cost
01:01:58 Impact of Multiple EVOs on Prestige and Attendance
01:08:53 Factors Affecting Tournament Attendance and Participation
01:16:54 Community Engagement and Final Thoughts on EVO

Episode URL: mtb.gg/3ou

Hosts:

Andres Mirandes
twitter.com/CrashtagVS

Jeremiah Ward
twitter.com/mezzafgc

Gabriel Medina
twitter.com/StaticGorilla

Thank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Crash and Static Gorilla dive into Evo’s record-breaking Marvel vs. Capcom 2 tournament numbers, the evolving Tekken 8 and Street Fighter 6 landscape, and what players can expect at EWC with big payouts on the line. They also cover Guilty Gear Strive’s Anime Expo panel, the Lucy reveal coming to Evo, and how Cyberpunk’s Edgerunners music will shake up your playlist. Plus, the Street Fighter 6 Costume 4 drops just in time for Evo, bringing new fits (and opinions) to the hype.

Timestamps

02:56 Evo 2025 Game Placements
11:46 EWC Scheduling
16:12 What Game Would You Add to 2026?
23:33 Guilty Gear Strive @ Anime Exo
32:28 Street Fighter 6 Costume 4
38:57 SF6 Modern Controls Tournament
50:23 Is 4v4 Too Much? [Marvel Tokon]
52:35 Street Fighter Movie Production Casting

Episode URL: mtb.gg/3or

Hosts:

Andres Mirandes
twitter.com/CrashtagVS

Jeremiah Ward
twitter.com/mezzafgc

Gabriel Medina
twitter.com/StaticGorilla

Thank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Mr. World Wide (StaticGorilla) talks about his experiences at CEO 2025 and its return back home to Orlando. They discuss the surprise announcement of Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls made by Arc System Works, as well as EVO 2025 registration leaderboard. They talk a bit about the importance of supporting your locals, and dig into the outlook for fighting games through 2026.

Timestamps

00:01:35 CEO 2025 Experience
00:26:22 Marvel Tokon: Fighting Souls Reveal
00:50:42 Evo Registration Leaderboards
01:01:45 Evo Registration Discussion
01:07:32 Fighting Games Through 2026

Episode URL: mtb.gg/3on

Hosts:

Andres Mirandes
twitter.com/CrashtagVS

Jeremiah Ward
twitter.com/mezzafgc

Gabriel Medina
twitter.com/StaticGorilla

Thank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We discuss the latest Street Fighter 6 updates, including Elena’s debut and our take on how she could shift the meta. We also break down City of the Wolves newest patch means for characters like Hotaru and Hokutomaru. From our personal Combo Breaker experiences to exclusive stories behind-the-scenes, we share what made this year’s event special. Plus, we explore the Nen x Impact demo and how its mechanics stack up against classic versus-style fighters.

Timestamps

00:01:47 Street Fighter 6 Patch
00:15:10 City of the Wolves Patch
00:21:52 Guilty Gear Strive UNIKA
01:00:15 Nen X Impact Demo

Episode URL: mtb.gg/3ob

Hosts:

Andres Mirandes
twitter.com/CrashtagVS

Jeremiah Ward
twitter.com/mezzafgc

Gabriel Medina
twitter.com/StaticGorilla

Thank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Evo Japan brought major news across the FGC, and we’re breaking it all down. From Virtua Fighter's long-awaited return to a surprising Street Fighter x Overwatch crossover, this episode is packed with hype and controversy. We dive deep into the MK1 “Definitive Edition” and whether it signals the end—or just another chapter—for NetherRealm. Plus, we explore Tekken 8’s polarizing DLC direction and what fans are calling the “NRS curse.” All that and the stacked Team Reject roster reveal for Street Fighter League!

Episode URL: mtb.gg/3o5

Hosts:

Andres Mirandes
twitter.com/CrashtagVS

Jeremiah Ward
twitter.com/mezzafgc

Gabriel Medina
twitter.com/StaticGorilla

Thank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Bonus Round we break down Evo Japan 2025. We chat about incredible third strike comebacks during the Cooperation Cup, along with the diversity of playstyles in both Street Fighter 6 and Tekken 8. Along with the highs came some lows, particularly those technical difficulties that interrupted several matches. We also take issue with organizers sticking with PS5 consoles despite their well-documented overheating problems, making the case that competitive fighting game tournaments should really transition to PC setups to ensure fair play across the board.

Episode URL: [episode_short_url]

Hosts:

Andres Mirandes
twitter.com/CrashtagVS

Jeremiah Ward
twitter.com/mezzafgc

Gabriel Medina
twitter.com/StaticGorilla

Thank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this Bonus Round we discuss the rich and often overlooked lore of fighting games. Joined by Ambie Award-winner Aaron David Harris, we explore the narrative power behind iconic characters from Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, Tekken, and Guilty Gear. From family drama to mysterious origins, discover how story, design, and personal connection shape who we choose on the character select screen. Whether you're a casual fan or a hardcore FGC lore buff, this episode validates the storytelling genius hidden in every fighter.

Timestamps

04:04 Design and Story of Characters
11:08 Narrative Elements in Fighting Game Stories
18:21 Favorite Characters
22:57 Characters with Hidden Depth
30:15 Father FIgures in FIghting Games
34:34 Fighting Game Crossovers
40:58 World Building in Fighting Games
44:45 Joke Characters
51:20 Boss Characters and Villians

Episode URL: mtb.gg/3nv

Hosts:

Andres Mirandes
twitter.com/CrashtagVS

Jeremiah Ward
twitter.com/mezzafgc

Gabriel Medina
twitter.com/StaticGorilla

Thank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lots happening in the FGC right now. We have Evo Japan registration numbers rolling in and showing another huge turnout for Street Fighter 6. We discuss why that could be, and also talk registration numbers for other games. We dig into the character showcase for City of the Wolves, and also discuss the current community feelings around the game and its characters. In the last 2 weeks Tekken 8 has been in turmoil. The season 2 patch seems to be killing interested in the game. Finally, we discuss Elena's World Tour trailer.

Timestamps

01:03 Evo Japan Entry Numbers
15:02 Is CotW the Strive of SNK?
17:21 City of the Wolves Character Showcase
24:18 Community Reaction to SNK Decisions
32:26 Tekken 8 in Shambles
40:30 Feelings on 2XKO Launch Status
45:37 SF6 Elena World Tour Reveal

Episode URL: mtb.gg/3ni

Hosts:

Andres Mirandes
twitter.com/CrashtagVS

Jeremiah Ward
twitter.com/mezzafgc

Gabriel Medina
twitter.com/StaticGorilla

Thank you for listening to a Mash Those Buttons podcast! You can keep up with all of our podcasts in the following locations.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices