You’ve got in all probability by no means misplaced a online game as onerous as KojiKOG did this weekend at EVO 2025, the most important combating recreation match of the 12 months.
The stakes: a $15,000 prize pool, awarded to the first-place competitor in SNK’s Deadly Fury: Metropolis of the Wolves. The contestants: KojiKOG, a 38-year-old high participant from Japan, and Go1, a 37-year-old champion. Each virtuosos superior to the match’s semi-finals, which decided who would make it to the higher echelon of the competitors.
From the get-go, KojiKOG struggled. KojiKOG mains Billy, a staff-wielding fighter who excels at vary and might halt projectiles of their tracks. GO1 occurs to principal Kain, an extravagant, long-haired fighter whose specialty is lobbing fiery missiles. However regardless of the innate strengths of their particular person characters, Go1 appeared in management for the primary set of matches. The primary loss virtually appeared to gentle a fireplace for KojiKOG, who got here again within the second spherical with a vengeance. The fighter disappeared over half of Go1’s well being bar earlier than his rival managed to get a single hit. All the identical, Go1 turned issues round and claimed victory that point, too.
Issues appeared nearer within the second set of matches. Each gamers received one another to the final sliver of well being, the place they remained for a nail-biting 15 seconds. “I feel Koji is likely to be just a little shook,” one of many commentators remarked. Certain sufficient, KojiKOG misplaced that spherical, too.
It wasn’t trying good for KojiKOG at this level. Yet one more loss and that was it: Sport over. And instantly, GO1 had KojiKOG actually backed right into a nook over the past spherical. KojiKOG defended as finest he may. A win appeared attainable; everybody’s well being bar was diminished close to the tip. However no. Go1, as soon as once more, pulled out a victory.
What occurred subsequent has gone viral on social media, the place a clip of the loss has amassed 18 million views and counting. KojiKOG’s feelings overtook him, and he spent the following total minute crashing out on digicam.
He clutched his head. He pulled his hair. His jaw was agape in a silent scream that will not stop. KojiKOG’s meltdown simply saved getting worse as the person’s headphones and glasses began falling off his writhing physique. His face was so purple, it seemed like he would possibly explode at any second. With palms outstretched to the sky, you would virtually hear KojiKOG’s inside monologue with out him uttering a single phrase: Why?
The outburst was so intense that it stole the present. All Go1 may do was snicker because the digicam zoomed in on his face.
“Oh my god, bro, I really feel it for each of them, truthfully,” one commentator mentioned because the scene unfolded. “I get it, man. He put all of it on the road with that final one,” the opposite commentator mentioned.
Close to the tip, Go1 really will get up and begins comforting his rival. What else are you able to do?
The 2 gamers really go a good distance again, and although the second has baffled and amazed onlookers on social media, it is a throwback for each rivals. Each skilled an identical situation a decade in the past after they confronted one another at EVO 2015. KojiKOG obtained his loss with an excessive show of emotion very similar to the one in 2025, besides at the moment, KojiKog may very well be seen visibly celebrating his win. EVO was additionally a smaller occasion again then, and the gang surrounding the duo was miniscule by comparability. The general public within the body did not appear to be watching the dramatic loss.
Now, 10 years later, it is captivated folks effectively past the sphere of combating recreation followers. A lot of it has to do with the depth of the response, and the uninhibited method KojiKog places all of it on show.
“Bro is the definition of despair, put him in Danganronpa,” one reply to the video reads on X. “He broke that man,” one other chimed in.
Thankfully, evidently the entire thing was type of a bit. Most movies minimize off earlier than you possibly can see the tip, however ultimately KojiKOG recovers and will be seen smiling. Nonetheless, when first place means profitable $15,000, and also you’re just a few wins away from doubtlessly cinching it (and presumably spent months coaching for it), you have to think about dropping like this may harm at the very least just a little bit. A minimum of KojiKOG nonetheless went house with $4,800 in his pockets, the prize for coming in 4th.
Go1 went on to assert first place within the competitors, and $15,000 for his bother. “I am really completely satisfied!!” Go1 wrote on social media in a submit the place he holds up a trophy. However judging from a submit earlier than that, I am guessing there’s one second specifically that may stick out in Go1’s thoughts from the whole occasion.
“It’s been 10 years,” Go1 wrote on a clip of his match with KojiKog with a teary-eyed emoji.
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