GAMESTOP, the world’s largest video game retailer, has partnered with CAPCOM and the EVO Championship Series, the largest and longest-running fighting game tournaments in the world, to host the Street Fighter IV US National Championship Finals on Saturday, April 18, 2009 at 7p.m. The event will take place at Fort Mason in San Francisco, where 16 national finalists will battle it out for the Grand Prize before advancing to represent the US in an International Exhibition featuring champions from Japan and Korea. Street Fighter fans will be able to experience the action up close and personal as the finalists will be playing live-on stage with a giant jumbo screen to show off every bit of the battle.   

To coincide with the tournament, attendees are invited to join GameStop and Capcom for the “Street Fighter Fights Hunger” charity food drive in partnership with SECOND HARVEST FOOD BANK. Guests are invited to do their part by bringing gifts of canned foods or nominal donations to be collected at the event.

Additional event festivities include:

• SFIV game play kiosks
• Autograph signing with YOSHINORI ONO, Producer for SFIV, and SETH KILLIAN, EVO founder and Special Advisor to the game  
• Performances by freestyle dance crew and America’s Best Dance Crew finalists, SUPREME SOUL, live on-stage throughout the night
• DJ spinning throughout the night
• SFIV-themed costume contest, activities, and prizes
• E-Shots photo booth, Venom Energy Drink samplings, Estate LA custom hat experience, Coveroo laser etching experience, and SFIV models

• VISUALS:        
• Crowds of enthusiastic gamers (more than 1,500 people expected)
• Fans cheering for “cage-style” video game tournament
• Attendees making donations for charity food drive
• Consumers playing at game kiosks
• Costume contest with fans competing for prizes              

The event is set to take place on Saturday, April 18, 2009  7–11p.m. at the  Fort Mason Center, San Francisco   http://www.fortmason.org/directions/index.shtml It doesn’t look like there are tickets for the event, so why not go and maybe donate to a good cause while you’re there?