Las vegas: Taiwanese esports veteran Lin “ET” Chia-hung emerged as the champion in “The King of Fighters (KOF) XV” and secured a runner-up position in “Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves” at the 2025 Evolution Championship Series (EVO) held in Las Vegas.

According to Focus Taiwan, Lin, who had previously finished second in the KOF XV tournament at EVO 2024, surpassed his past performance by clinching the championship this year. He also earned a spot in the “Fatal Fury” division of the 2025 SNK World Championship (SWC), marking the third season of SNK’s official global tournament circuit.

The SWC, initially featuring only “KOF XV,” has broadened its scope to include additional titles such as “Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves” and “Samurai Shodown.” Lin expressed that securing one championship and one runner-up finish at EVO 2025 was a significant achievement in his fighting game career, especially highlighting his progress in “Fatal Fury.”

“It feels a bit disappointing to narrowly miss the title, but I’m pleased with my improvement and earning a spot in the SNK World Championship,” Lin conveyed to CNA. “I’ll continue to strive in upcoming tournaments and am thankful to everyone supporting me.”

At 42 years old, Lin also achieved consecutive KOF XV titles at EVO Japan in May. During the “Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves” bracket in Las Vegas, which followed a double-elimination format, Lin reached the winners’ final but was defeated 0-3 by Japan’s Goichi “GO1” Kishida, the reigning Esports World Cup champion.

Lin made a comeback through the losers’ bracket, overcoming GO1 with a 3-1 victory in the first grand final set. However, after a reset, Lin narrowly lost the second set 2-3, concluding his run as the runner-up. Shortly afterward, Lin competed in “KOF XV,” where, despite an earlier loss in the winners’ semifinals, he fought back through the losers’ bracket. He defeated Mexico’s Layec 3-0 in the first grand final set and 3-1 in the reset to claim the title.