Taiwanese e-sports player Lin “E.T.” Chia-hung (林家弘) on Sunday unseated the defending champion in the Evolution Championship Series: Japan (EVO Japan) The King of Fighters XV grand final, placing first out of more than 450 entrants.
Lin lost the first best-of-five round 2-3 against China’s Zheng “Xiaohai” Zhujun (曾卓君), a three-time EVO champion, before rallying to win the second round 3-2.
Lin advanced to the grand final after winning two rounds on Sunday, meaning he could lose one round and still win. He took home ￥1 million (US$6,419) in prize money.
Photo: screen grab from EVO Japan’s X account
“Finally, not another runner-up,” Lin said. “I have rarely won top-tier events since 2017 and have been runner-up several times, so this means a lot to me.”
Lin’s best performance at a top-tier event featuring The King of Fighters XV was when he placed second after losing to Zheng at the EVO final in August last year.
Lin, 39, was first exposed to video games at the age of seven and has been a pro gamer since 2013, according to e-sports database Liquipedia.
In an interview last month, Lin said that his family had not supported his gaming career and that he had worked several jobs, including as a property agent and convenience store staffer, to fund his craft.
It was not until he won The King of Fighters XIV event in 2017 that his family started backing his career choice, he said.
Now a full-time pro gamer, Lin streams while training for five hours per day.
Last month, Lin expressed his disappointment with the lack of investment in the industry in Taiwan.
“I think even winning a championship will not change things much,” he said.
However, after nearly three decades, he said his passion for The King of Fighters has never wavered, regardless of how challenging the circumstances have been.
On Sunday, Lin said that winning the EVO Japan title proved that he could still break through even though he is turning 40 in November.
It has given him the confidence to continue fighting, he added.
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