It's such a "meh" move.
Sure Blizzard wants to push this expansion with a tournament to crate big hype but for the players and the overall healthiness of the game it's just that MEH.

Would have enjoyed to see a big tournament a month AFTER the HOTS launch.
Sure pull off some 8man stuff and minor things but big ass tournaments with A LOT of cash for first place for a game thats not even a day old?.. fuck off.

Kasaraki

Denmark7115 Posts

February 15 2013 21:06 GMT

#102

Interesting decision. Makes sense for them to try and be one of the first HotS tournaments, but early in a Blizzard game is not neccesarily a great thing, and having a championship ending your WoL run/season played as another game is pretty stupid. On top of this, players seem quite unhappy, and the level of play might be really strange, with pretty random results. I'll still watch it, but not sure it's a very good idea to change this late.

ElMeanYo

United States1032 Posts

February 15 2013 21:13 GMT

#103

Yes, Carmac, you made the right decision. More HOTS = More viewers, more excitement.

Players, you better start practicing HOTS if you aren't already.

IamHobbyless

Germany29 Posts

February 15 2013 21:20 GMT

#104

I just hope the players know that before. . It would be even more random if they´re not. Also i hope the audience will be better the last year but i think with the first Hots Cup and maybe an unexpected champion it will be pretty awesome.

I will be there and im just so excited

McGregsen

Germany110 Posts

February 15 2013 21:24 GMT

#105

On February 16 2013 05:59 opterown wrote:
i would not be surprised if a few people end up dropping out of this tournament tbh

Quite likely but won't be entirely based on the switch to HOTS. There have always been quite a few dropouts for the IEM events.

Honestly this decision is understandable but debatable. But the problem is there will always be two sides. Obviously the top tier players that are still in other competitions running WOL will complain about the switch while other players that have already been playing lots of HOTS will be happy since they get higher chances to show off here. The community will be split as well there are lots of people that are tiered of the stale WOL gameplay and are hungering for new stuff where others want to see a tournament at the highest possible skill level.

I'm wondering about the influence blizzard took in the decision considering they are willing to provide EU servers, possibly fly out the winner to the launch event. Obviously this can be great PR for them.

Laryleprakon

New Zealand9496 Posts

February 15 2013 21:45 GMT

#106

With the beta going down on the 1st, I wonder how players will practice for this.

Ch3rry

Poland210 Posts

February 15 2013 21:57 GMT

#107

Let the poll decide:

Poll: Yes or No?

It's gonna be HotS, yeah!!! (Yes) (101)

78%

It's gonna be HotS, boo!!! (No) (29)

22%

130 total votes

Your vote: Yes or No?

(Vote): It's gonna be HotS, yeah!!! (Yes)
(Vote): It's gonna be HotS, boo!!! (No)

Killmouse

Austria5700 Posts

February 15 2013 22:02 GMT

#108

hots yey fo sua

xN.07)MaK

Spain1159 Posts

February 15 2013 22:08 GMT

#109

On February 16 2013 06:57 Ch3rry wrote:
Let the poll decide:

Poll: Yes or No?

It's gonna be HotS, yeah!!! (Yes) (101)

78%

It's gonna be HotS, boo!!! (No) (29)

22%

130 total votes

Your vote: Yes or No?

(Vote): It's gonna be HotS, yeah!!! (Yes)
(Vote): It's gonna be HotS, boo!!! (No)

I'm not concerned about the game played, but the fact that many players will have not too much time to practice. Hots plus a couple of months of practice would have been perfect IMO.

Ch3rry

Poland210 Posts

February 15 2013 22:13 GMT

#110

On February 16 2013 07:08 xN.07)MaK wrote:

Show nested quote +

I'm not concerned about the game played, but the fact that many players will have not too much time to practice. Hots plus a couple of months of practice would have been perfect IMO.

Well, in the end almost nobody thinks of IEM as top notch competition. We have GSL for that (and maybe MLG).

Therefore, making IEM finals world-firsts Heart of the Swarm tournament was the only way to make this tournament memorable in the long run.

xN.07)MaK

Spain1159 Posts

February 15 2013 22:21 GMT

#111

On February 16 2013 07:13 Ch3rry wrote:

Show nested quote +

I want it to be HotS, don't get me wrong :D

Fenrax

United States5018 Posts

February 15 2013 22:23 GMT

#112

On February 16 2013 06:57 Ch3rry wrote:
Let the poll decide:

Poll: Yes or No?

It's gonna be HotS, yeah!!! (Yes) (101)

78%

It's gonna be HotS, boo!!! (No) (29)

22%

130 total votes

Your vote: Yes or No?

(Vote): It's gonna be HotS, yeah!!! (Yes)
(Vote): It's gonna be HotS, boo!!! (No)

That is suggestive poll if I ever saw one. Completely worthless.

Ch3rry

Poland210 Posts

February 15 2013 22:30 GMT

#113

On February 16 2013 07:23 Fenrax wrote:

Show nested quote +

That is suggestive poll if I ever saw one. Completely worthless.

Well, if You change your mind about "like"/"don't like" IEM HotS finals after seeing the poll, then Your opinion is quite useless.

EDIT: Back on topic, I'm glad that all tournaments are switching to HotS as soon as possible. Was worried that no one will play HotS for high prizes until at least 3 months after its launch.

Dirkinity

Germany409 Posts

February 15 2013 22:35 GMT

#114

Seriously, who wants to see WoL? I have even problems with GSL, after like not playing WoL for like 3 month. And this is the perfect time for a HotS Tourney, after then end of the beta and before release.

Nyarly

France1030 Posts

February 15 2013 22:35 GMT

#115

I'll be in paris to see the champion :D

Chloroplaste

France281 Posts

February 15 2013 22:40 GMT

#116

Soul Train + mothership core... dudes it will be such an easy win for Parting with the current state of heart of the swarm !

Teoyaomqui

Sweden326 Posts

February 15 2013 22:41 GMT

#117

On February 16 2013 05:59 opterown wrote:
i would not be surprised if a few people end up dropping out of this tournament tbh

It's a 100k prize pool, I expect some players to be rightly upset about not knowing it would be HotS before now but everyone to show up.

FrostedMiniWheats

United States30730 Posts

February 15 2013 22:42 GMT

#118

On February 16 2013 07:40 Chloroplaste wrote:
Soul Train + mothership core... dudes it will be such an easy win for Parting with the current state of heart of the swarm !

Hellbats n mines yo

MVP's got this. He seems to know what he's doing in HotS already as well

Nazeron

Canada1046 Posts

February 15 2013 22:48 GMT

#119

Cant wait to see the first hots tourny, super excited.

scypio

Poland2127 Posts

February 15 2013 22:55 GMT

#120

It was the only reasonable choice for IEM. I say down with the competitive aspect and let's have some entertainment.

Watching new strategies evolve, become OP, get figured out and discarded will be a lot of fun. And for me it is far more interesting than watching the same stupid NR10-NR15 WoL games.