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Evo 2015: Top 100 Mortal Kombat X Championship Players

Even as the dust settles once more in the Nevada desert, we reflect upon the players of Mortal Kombat X and its first year at the Evo World Championships. A return from exile for a series briefly ousted by its own developer-made rival.

2015 saw a massive influx of thousands of players - all eager to bare witness to the first contest for the new World title, and the immortality that comes with it! Tournament favourite Dominique "Sonic Fox" McLean may have emerged victorious, but he did so out of the second-chance "losers bracket" -- an example that success comes in many shapes and forms!

For the world's Mortal Kombat players, Evo 2015 will be remembered for setting a new standard! US dominance ended as the United Kingdom earned its first runner-up through Denom "A F0xy Grampa" Jones. Sharing in podium honors was Canada courtesy of a breakout performance by Tim "Honeybee" Commandeur. Also making their global presence known were also players representing: Dominican Republic, Germany, Russia. Japan, Chile & even more!

It was also the most watched Evo Championship, and a formative experience early in Mortal Kombat X's lifespan with only three months separating tournament from launch! Contemplating what may come in 2016, we feature the Top 128 competitors to finish at Evo 2015. Could the next rising star be among them? Who's next?

Electronic Sports League to Introduce Player Drug Testing

With modern origins rooted in independent regional events run by gamers, for gamers; it's perhaps unsurprising inter-personal drama - and corruption - has had an ugly background presence throughout the development of professionalized organized gaming.

Turtle Entertainment's Electronic Sports League (ESL) have been a leader in developing organized "eSports", and will take the next major step toward professional competitive parity with the introduction of player drug testing.

Motherboard reports the move comes in the wake of an admission of doping from Counter Strike competitor Cory “Semphis” Friesen. He reportedly acknowledged abusing ADHD drug Adderall to enhance performance and response. All Cloud 9 teammates were said to have participated in the allegedly widespread practice during an ESL tournament in Poland.

ESL introduced Mortal Kombat X to its league infrastructure with April's Fatal 8 Exhibition Tournament, before launching Season One of the league in May. Inaugural winner Dominique "Sonic Fox" McLean (17) walked away with $60,000 in winnings. He is among the youngest players achieving success, having gained first notice in 2012.

The injection of corporate wealth has already been a catalyst for eliminating lingering conflicts of interest. This year's Evo World Championship forced the omission of Mortal Kombat X players close to development and testing, including scene stalwart: Osu16bit. Warner Brothers and NetherRealm Studios have prioritized tournament support in promotion of the game, offering several large cash prizes to events.

ESL are yet to confirm the specifics of their drug policy, which will not include retroactive policing. It is unknown if all games will be targeted for testing. Mortal Kombat Online has reached out to ESL for more information.

Drug testing will be but one of the struggles eSports faces as it pursues legitimacy beyond the niche. This year's Evo Finals saw viewership increases for most events [full story], but the costs associated with testing and independent regulation may be a bridge too far for most organizers. A cocktail of young demographics, escapist entertainment, competitive culture and unregulated events poses inherent challenges for a world already rocked by ontroversies of match fixing, hacking and exploitation. ESL Head of Communications Anna Rozwandowicz told Motehrboard they will combat this with, "... drugs policing, education, and prevention among participants of [its] competitions."

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