The Pit: East Coast Throwdown Returns, With a Twist

East Coast Throwdown is one of the East Coast fighting game community’s most notable tournaments. While ECT missed 2020 due to the pandemic, the tournament series is taking a unique approach to returning in 2021 with The Pit.

The Pit is a unique occasion presented by East Coast Throwdown this year in place of an open bracket tournament. Running October 2-3 at the BrookLAN venue in New York, the event gathers top players for exhibitions in multiple games. ECT invited competitors for Mortal Kombat 11, Street Fighter V, Tekken 7 and Guilty Gear Strive for the two-day event.

OPENING THE PIT

East Coast commentators on the mic for Community Throwdown. Source: East Coast Throwdown

Though many tournaments have postponed in-person gatherings for two years straight, some organizers have found ways to keep going. For instance, Big E Gaming just held Summer Jam 2021 as one of the only in-person major tournaments of the year. NYC Tekken began holding monthly tournaments again and CEO 2021 is still scheduled for December.

While East Coast Throwdown skipped 2020, the tournament series still holds “Community Throwdown” online tournaments on a regular basis. ECT has partnerships with Red Bull, Astro, RVRSL and Roadrunner Records to present their tournaments and provide prize pools.

The Pit is ECT’s attempt at once again safely gathering East Coast competitors offline. East Coast Throwdown’s branding with a heavy metal theme gives their events an atmosphere like no other, and this event aims to continue that legacy.

HARDCORE COMPETITION

For two days, BrookLAN plays host to notable competitors like SonicFox, Anakin, K7 Showoff and Punk. Each game involved will have its own unique exhibitions. For instance, East Coast players Fab, Fear, Shin Paulo and Ty face Anakin in a high-stakes gauntlet with money on the line.

Meanwhile, Guilty Gear Strive has an invitational tournament with the final two players earning spots from qualifier events. The Strive and SFV invitationals feature $4000 prize pools while Tekken 7 and Mortal Kombat 11 players compete for their share of $1000.

Additionally, East Coast Throwdown mentioned plans for a Melty Blood: Type Lumina event. The game releases days before The Pit, so ECT discussed plans for “short concept matches” to showcase the new title. The Lunar Phase broadcasting team hosts Melty Blood tournaments in the region and will help in organizing these exhibitions for the new game.

WHAT ELSE TO EXPECT

‘Not’ Super TSB is scheduled for September 4-5. Source: Team Stickbug

Aside from the main events, BrookLAN also hosts the Strive last-chance qualifier which is capped at 96 entrants on October 2. The venue welcomes spectators to watch in-person and play casuals on the setups provided.

In the meantime, ‘Not’ Super TSB runs September 4-5 at BrookLAN with the other Strive qualifying spot on the line. This tournament already has big names like Evo Online winner Hotashi registered to attend.

The Pit is yet another instance of East Coast Throwdown doing their best to support the community despite current complications. Online tournaments and exhibitions keep the competitive spirit alive, but offline tournaments have always been at the heart of the fighting game community.

STAY CONNECTED

Featured image courtesy of East Coast Throwdown

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