Fighting game controllers have become as diverse as the players using them. At EVO – the pinnacle fighting game tournament – competitors will arrive with arcade sticks, gamepads, and the increasingly popular “leverless” controllers (like Hit Boxes). To understand the trends, we compiled data from the top placements across games at the previous EVO tournaments (via public posts, event footage, and brackets). Below we break down which controllers dominated, how they were used on different platforms, and what this means for the fighting game community.
Controller Types: Arcade Sticks vs. Pads vs. Leverless
Arcade-style fight sticks remained the single most popular choice, used by roughly half of the top players. Traditional arcade sticks (with a joystick and buttons) accounted for about 50% of finalists’ controllers, highlighting that this classic style is still going strong. Game pads – including PlayStation and Xbox-style controllers – made up roughly one-third of the controllers used.
Meanwhile, leverless controllers (often called Hit Boxes or all-button controllers) comprised approximately 20–25% of top player setups, a share that has grown significantly in recent years. This marks a notable rise in leverless adoption (in 2019, only one EVO top-8 player used a Hit Box; by 2022 that number was 15, and it has climbed further since). The data shows that while sticks still edge out the competition, a sizeable chunk of pro players now compete without a traditional joystick.
Importantly, all three controller styles proved viable at the highest level. In fact, at EVO 2024 the champion of each major game was achieved on a different type of controller (one on stick, one on pad, one on leverless). EVO 2025 will continue to show a mix – for example, in Street Fighter 6’s final bracket, players in the top 6 were evenly split between stick, pad, and leverless devices
The takeaway for players is clear: you can win with any controller style as long as you’re comfortable – each style saw tournament success. As one recap put it, “While stickless controllers have been gaining popularity… you can still see plenty of success with any style of controller. It’s best to use what you are most comfortable with.”
Platform and Hardware Breakdown (PS5 vs. PC, Consoles)
EVO tournaments are played primarily on console hardware (Sony is a co-owner of EVO, so PlayStation is the standard). PlayStation 5 consoles were used for the headline games (e.g. Street Fighter 6 ran on PS5), while some other titles ran on PS4 for logistical reasons. As a result, most players brought PS4/PS5-compatible controllers. Notably, a large number of players stuck with their trusty PS4 DualShock 4 pads even on PS5 – the PS4 pad remained as popular as the newer PS5 DualSense among pad users.
In the EVO 2024 finals, for instance, PS4 and PS5 controllers were tied at 6 uses each among the pad players, showing that many competitors prefer the older DualShock’s d-pad feel (often using adapters to make them PS5-compatible). If we exclude a game like Mortal Kombat (which skews heavily to pad), PS4 controllers actually outnumbered PS5 pads among finalists. This trend continues in 2025, with veteran pad players sticking to what they know best.
Aside from the first-party pads, a few third-party fight pads (like the Hori Fighting Commander series) also made appearances, especially for Tekken players who favor pad. On the arcade stick side, nearly all devices in top 128 were multi-platform sticks supporting PS4/PS5 – brands like Qanba, Victrix, and Hori offer tournament-legal sticks that work on console and PC.
A handful of players did use Xbox-based controllers or PC-only devices (for example, one Guilty Gear player used an Xbox controller on PC), but they had to use USB converters to function on PlayStation. Brook converters and MagicBoots were widely used to bridge compatibility, and they’re officially accepted at EVO. In short, PlayStation-compatible gear dominated due to tournament requirements, with converters enabling the few outliers to use PC/Xbox controllers.
It’s also worth noting the hardware stress that the PS5 setups underwent. So many players constantly swapping and using devices can tax the consoles – famously, at EVO 2023 the PS5’s USB ports overheated and even melted some controller cable connectors due to the marathon sessions! (Organizers have since improved cooling and rotation of units to avoid repeats of that incident.) This anecdote underscores how seriously players take their hardware, pushing it to the limits in pursuit of victory.
Most Popular Brands and Models
Looking at which specific controllers were favored by top players, a few clear favorites emerge in each category:
- Arcade Sticks: The Victrix Pro FS arcade stick and Qanba Obsidian 2 were among the most popular sticks at EVO 2024, continuing their dominance from previous years. The Obsidian 2 in particular was reported as the single most-used stick model in 2024’s finals (6 players), and it stays highly popular in 2025. Victrix’s premium sticks (e.g. the Pro FS) were also a common sight. Other notable stick brands included Hori (some finalists used the Hori RAP N or Fighting Stick Alpha) and custom builds like AllFightStick and ASIndo that a few players prefer. Still, Victrix and Qanba led the pack for off-the-shelf fight sticks.
- Game Pads: Sony’s first-party controllers are king in the pad realm. The DualShock 4 (PS4) was the single most popular gamepad model among finalists in 2023 (used by 11 players), and it remains widely used through 2025. The DualSense (PS5) pad is catching up as more players transition to PS5 – by 2024’s end it was tied in usage with the PS4 pad among top players. Beyond Sony pads, a few players opt for specialized fight pads: for example, the Hori Fighting Commander (which has a 6-button face layout) was used by the Tekken 8 champion at EVO Japan 2024, and likely appears in some hands at EVO 2025 as well. Xbox controllers (e.g. the Xbox Series gamepad) are rarer at major Street Fighter/Tekken events, but some players who trained on them do use them via adapters. Overall, though, standard PlayStation pads (DS4/DS5) were the top choice for pad warriors, prized for their precise directional inputs and familiarity.
- Leverless Controllers: The Hit Box brand all-button controller continues to be emblematic of this category – in EVO 2023’s finals, Hit Box was the most common leverless device (3 players). However, in 2025 competitors are also using a variety of other leverless rigs. The JunkFood Arcade Snackbox Micro (a slim hitbox-style controller) was used by a couple of top 8 players in multiple games. Notably, a custom small-form-factor leverless called the Punk Workshop Mini Box got attention after Street Fighter pro Punk used it. New entrants like the Razer Kitsune (a leverless pad built with Capcom’s rules in mind) have also started appearing – one KOF XV finalist broke the all-arcade-stick streak by wielding a Kitsune in 2024. We expect to see Kitsune and other new SOCD-compliant controllers more in 2025 onward. In summary, Hit Box and its derivatives remain popular, but players are experimenting with various leverless designs to find the perfect fit.
Key Trends and Takeaways
- Leverless Adoption & Rule Changes: The surge in leverless controller usage is one of the biggest trends in recent FGC history. Players are drawn to the execution speed and ergonomic advantages of all-button controllers. This prompted developers to clarify rules – for instance, Capcom introduced new rules for Street Fighter VI to disable certain simultaneous opposing direction tricks on leverless devices. (Previously, on some Hit Boxes pressing left+right yielded an instant forward, etc., which could ease charge moves. Now controllers must send neutral or maintain both inputs when opposite directions are pressed.) Leverless controllers are still tournament legal – they weren’t banned – but they now must conform to standardized input behavior. Manufacturers like Hit Box and Razer updated firmware and designs to comply. The result: leverless devices are more accepted than ever, and their usage keeps rising now that a level playing field is established.
- “Use What’s Comfortable”: A consistent message from the community is that no controller will magically make you a champion – it’s about what makes you play your best. The EVO data affirms that pad players, stick players, and Hit Box players can all reach the top. As one report noted, “there is still plenty of success from each controller style… Use whichever controller you’re most comfortable with.” If you’re a player, this means you shouldn’t feel pressured to switch from pad to stick or vice versa because of trends. Experiment, find what feels right for your hands, and remember that practice and skill matter far more than the device.
- Emerging Tech and Customization: We’re also seeing players customize their gear more. Top players have tried everything from adjustable-tension joystick springs to entirely custom controller layouts for an edge. For example, legendary player Daigo Umehara unveiled a unique 11-button Hit Box layout in SF6, adding extra thumb buttons for quick Drive Parry and other functions – truly tailoring the controller to the game’s mechanics. While most aren’t that extreme, it reflects a trend of players embracing hardware tweaks. Swappable gates, silent buttons, firmware mods, and custom artworks are now common as players treat controllers like extensions of themselves.
The EVO controller census shows a fighting game community in a hardware renaissance. Arcade sticks remain a staple, game pads are as competitive as ever, and leverless controllers are firmly established in the meta. The best controller is ultimately the one that empowers you to perform. So whether you rock a 20-year-old Mad Catz stick, a brand-new Hit Box, or a stock PlayStation pad – rest assured that you’re in good company at the highest levels of play. Play what you love, and keep an eye on those USB ports (we don’t want any melted controllers next year)!
For more on the top controllers used at EVO and in professional gaming, check our post on top arcade sticks.
Sources
- The Controllers used for Top 6s at EVO 2024, r/fightsticks, reddit.com
- The Controllers used for Top 6s at EVO 2023, r/fightsticks, reddit.com
- The Controllers used for Top 8s at EVO 2022, r/fightsticks, reddit.com
- Street Fighter 6 to be the only game played on PlayStation 5 at Evo 2023, eventhubs.com
- PS5s Got So Hot At Fighting Game Tournament, Things ‘Melted’, kotaku.com
- Interview with Dustin from Hitbox at Evo 2024 and First look at the Combo extension, The Jank, youtube.com
- Why Capcom is cracking down on Hit Box-like controllers for Street Fighter 6, techradar.com