Evo Japan currently has over 1,000 entrants for Street Fighter V

Evo Japan’s registration is going smoothly so far, with just over 3,500 registrants set to compete across seven games from Jan. 26 to 28.

Street Fighter V is the most popular game for players, with over 1,000 individuals set to take part in the tournament. ARMS is the lowest with just over 200 players currently signed up.

Evo Japan is allowing entrants to compete in its first event for free instead of the $50 to $70 fee that is usually required for Evo tournaments in the United States. Registrations opened on Sept. 15.

Japan has restrictions on cash payouts by law, which stops prize money being pooled together using entrance fees. By making it free to enter, Evo can choose the amount of money that it can pay out to winners, instead of a set amount.

While free entry is enticing to a lot of rookie players, to try and get their name out there without the financial risk, it also brings up a few issues for the organizers of the event. Just because Street Fighter V has over 1,000 people signed up for the tournament, does not mean that they are guaranteed to turn up on the day—so the current signups should be taken with a pinch of salt.

If you want to take part yourself to see if you have what it takes to be Evo Japan’s first champion, then you better act fast—registration for Evo Japan closes on Dec. 31st.