From reading Reddit threads and watching pro streams yesterday, there appeared to be considerable confusion in the community regarding the details of the new MLG format. While their announcement article was clear, it lacked any graphic for the visually inclined. To rectify this, I made the following graphics to help anyone still scratching their head.

Winter Season:
[image loading]

Winter -> Spring Continuation: (linked for wideness)
Link

Full Disclosure: Hi, I'm ~~Troy McClure~~ Jason Waddell. You may remember me from such articles as The Beautiful (Video) Game: Falling in Love with Starcraft 2 and 3 Keys to a Great Competitive Game. I'm no longer working for MLG since they shut down their writing department, but am still a big fan of the scene and want to continue creating eSports content.

Reddit Link: Link

Derrida

2885 Posts

January 20 2012 12:15 GMT

Nicely done, this was needed. Do we have confirmation if players can participate in multiple arena qualifiers if they fail to qualify? If so, I think Winter Arena is going to be stacked by Koreans.

Omsomsoms

Croatia194 Posts

January 20 2012 12:17 GMT

Thanks for this, I was pretty confused skimming the MLG thread x_x

robhoward

79 Posts

January 20 2012 12:18 GMT

On January 20 2012 21:15 Derrida wrote:
Nicely done, this was needed. Do we have confirmation if people can participate in multiple arena qualifiers? If so, I think Winter Arena is going to be stacked by Koreans.

You can only participate in one, and that must be where your MLG provided flight leaves from, or you just get a $400 stipend.

Trunkers

Belgium17 Posts

January 20 2012 12:18 GMT

My understanding is that each player can only participate in a single region of his/her choice. However, if you qualify, you have to fly from that region. So if Korean players wanted to qualify in NA, they would have to pay their own way to California or whatever and get an MLG flight from there. So, it would be a calculated risk, but possibly worth it.

The whole flight rule might as well be called "The Huk Rule", as MLG wanted him in the NA bracket for the MLG Global Invitational, but he wanted to play in the Korean bracket. In the end, he didn't participate at all. This rule allows players the flexibility to choose what's best for them.

Talin

Montenegro10532 Posts

January 20 2012 12:21 GMT

So basically, it's an invitational tournament now? If the "139 invited participants" are the only ones that can compete in the online qualifiers.

Apart from the open bracket at Championship event, there's no way through for non-invited players. And one live-event open bracket per live event is hardly enough for less accomplished players to really commit themselves. On the other hand, it's very possible to see the actual winner come straight through the open bracket once again, if a real top player decides to only play the Championship.

Trunkers

Belgium17 Posts

January 20 2012 12:26 GMT

On January 20 2012 21:21 Talin wrote:
So basically, it's an invitational tournament now? If the "139 invited participants" are the only ones that can compete in the online qualifiers.

Apart from the open bracket at Championship event, there's no way through for non-invited players. And one live-event open bracket per live event is hardly enough for less accomplished players to really commit themselves. On the other hand, it's very possible to see the actual winner come straight through the open bracket once again, if a real top player decides to only play the Championship.

The main effects of the new system are twofold:

1) MLG hosts much more content (for cheaper) and has more captive eyeballs on their site for more weeks a year. Arenas and online qualifiers will cost a fraction of the price of a live event to produce.

2) We don't have a stagnant Top 16 like the 2011 season, were poorly performing players simply retained their seed via rank points. The Open Bracket largely unchanged from last year, so for less accomplished players the picture hasn't changed much.

HOWEVER

What is yet to be described is the method of creating the 139 Online Qualifier player list. Could be MLG rank points from 2011, could be top performers from other tournaments, TLPD ranking, whatever. It could just be a list they felt looked right. Perhaps there will in the future be ways for newer players to enter the online qualifiers.

Angelbelow

United States3728 Posts

January 20 2012 12:30 GMT

Yeah, seems that way. The open bracket is now tougher than ever considering pool play is "doubled." What I mean is that they now have to get by the bottom 16 from the arenas before they can even play the top 16.

We need some more details regarding the invitational system..

Mentalizor

Denmark1596 Posts

January 20 2012 12:30 GMT

This makes sence and thanks for the illustration.

I still don't agree with the season starting so late and with so much online (not live) tournament.

Trunkers

Belgium17 Posts

January 20 2012 12:34 GMT

#10

On January 20 2012 21:30 Angelbelow wrote:
Yeah, seems that way. The open bracket is now tougher than ever considering pool play is "doubled." What I mean is that they now have to get by the bottom 16 from the arenas before they can even play the top 16.

We need some more details regarding the invitational system..

Yes, extremely tough. This is why the open bracket is shaped as a flask.

MrSexington

United States1768 Posts

January 20 2012 12:36 GMT

#11

Where the remaining 8 white blocks under "Pool Play" come from?

NaldoR

Singapore2198 Posts

January 20 2012 12:36 GMT

#12

thanks for the diagram. Helps loads.
I also love the fact that they can choose the server they play in and how MLG decides who they pay for the flight.

Trunkers

Belgium17 Posts

January 20 2012 12:37 GMT

#13

On January 20 2012 21:36 MrSexington wrote:
Where the remaining 8 white blocks under "Pool Play" come from?

These are people advancing undefeated from the Open Bracket. I am assuming it will be 8 spots (for a total of 24, 6 per pool). But it's possible they'll choose to do 20 total spots like they did for Halo and the other titles last season. That is yet to be determined.

MrSexington

United States1768 Posts

January 20 2012 12:40 GMT

#14

On January 20 2012 21:37 Trunkers wrote:

Show nested quote +

Oh, so...

The open bracket is played before pool play? (Unlike the parallel play of both of them into a single championship bracket.)

So the bottom 16 of arena play mix it up with the people who eventually end up with the top 16, only to have to fight their way from Round 5 forward of the open bracket, just to be rewarded with a rematch with the 16 guys?

Sermokala

United States14105 Posts

January 20 2012 12:41 GMT

#15

I thought it was very straightforward and pretty simple. I could see why reddit would get confused by it but iem has a far more confusing system for their events. I did not see before that the first "championship" would be held in Columbus. that's going to be pretty cool.

JustPassingBy

10776 Posts

January 20 2012 12:45 GMT

#16

With that system, I am looking forward to the next Winter already, even though the current Winter hasn't passed yet!

KawaiiRice

United States2914 Posts

January 20 2012 12:46 GMT

#17

I think the smart thing for koreans to do is have a discussion on which 24 players they want to get through MLG, and then split all of them up to take all the slots in the other qualifiers.
o: korean domination lolol

Elurie

4716 Posts

January 20 2012 12:55 GMT

#18

On January 20 2012 21:46 KawaiiRice wrote:
I think the smart thing for koreans to do is have a discussion on which 24 players they want to get through MLG, and then split all of them up to take all the slots in the other qualifiers.
o: korean domination lolol

and inc. drama!

Sermokala

United States14105 Posts

January 20 2012 12:57 GMT

#19

I think the combination of having the korean pride of representing their country/region + the fact that they only get a free trip if they participate in the korean one will mean that nothing special will happen. maybe some will bleed over like mc and the liquid players but few others.