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WCS 2017 Announced

Forum Index > SC2 General
347 CommentsPost a Reply
1 2 3 4 5 16 17 18 Next All
Ansibled
Profile Joined November 2014
United Kingdom9872 Posts
Last Edited: 2016-12-09 18:10:07
December 09 2016 17:12 GMT
#1
2017 StarCraft® II World Championship Series
[image loading]
As 2016 comes to a close, we reflect on a year of great StarCraft® II matches and compelling esports stories. From Dark’s and Zest’s dominance in Korea in the early part of 2016, to Neeb’s and Byun’s storybook triumphs, we hope to continue building on those successes in StarCraft II esports, as well as take on new opportunities heading into 2017.

In Korea, we maintain our commitment to the highest level of StarCraft II and supporting the world’s best players. We are pleased to work with our partners at AfreecaTV, who will continue running the Global StarCraft II League (GSL), as well as some weekend tournaments to help supplement the competitive calendar and offer more opportunities for players to compete. The seasons and tournaments are also scheduled more linearly throughout 2017 compared to 2016.

To serve the rest of the world’s competitors, we will maintain the WCS Circuit, simplifying the structure to offer four championship events with direct seeds into the year-end WCS Global Finals. Each of these events will have straightforward paths to qualification via open brackets or regional challenger events that can be qualified into easily, with ladder qualification returning in in certain regions.

Overall, the structure we put in place for 2017 will largely remain unchanged in 2018. Additionally, we’re pleased to present a calendar of all planned events for 2017. Our hope is that presenting a multiyear plan as well as the entirety of next year’s schedule this early can help players better manage their schedules and pursue opportunities with certainty and confidence.
[image loading]

2017 WCS Highlights

$2 Million Prize Pool


For WCS events alone, pro players will have over two million reasons to get involved and compete in 2017.

Three Global Events

This year, we heard the clamor for more global events and opportunities for Korean and Circuit players to clash as we hoped. This time around we are committed to supporting at least three global events where players from both the Korea and Circuit side can qualify and compete. Each event will have its own unique style and flavor.

IEM Katowice – As the yearly flagship event from ESL, IEM Katowice in Poland will present an early opportunity for Korean and Circuit players to size each other up and compete. As one of the world’s largest esports events, it also promises to be the biggest gathering of StarCraft II pro players for the year. WCS will offer qualifiers with paid travel to the event for both Circuit and Korean players, as well as an open bracket and deep prizing. And like GSL championships and WCS Circuit event titles, the winner of this event gets a ticket punched straight to the WCS Global Finals.

GSL vs. the World – At mid-year in Korea, we will host a very special all-star event for your favorite Circuit and Korea pros to compete against each other. Stay tuned for details on the selection process and the structure of the event.

WCS Global Finals – Of course, no year of StarCraft II esports is complete without an exciting year-end world championship. As with last year, we will collect the year’s champions and top performers to battle it out. Three foreigners made the quarterfinals in 2016. Can they continue to make strides for the ultimate title? Or will Korean players maintain their dominance?

Support From StarCraft War Chest

At this past BlizzCon, we announced the War Chest, a seasonal treasure map that StarCraft II players can purchase to gain access to special content like unit skins, decals, and more. A portion of the proceeds from War Chest will go to support WCS!

Korea — GSL is Back; Linear Scheduling; Weekend Tournaments . . .

The longest running StarCraft II esports brand is back in 2017, hosted by AfreecaTV. With three seasons scheduled to run straight through the year, plus weekend events like IEM Gyeonggi and two additional AfreecaTV Super Tournaments to run in between seasons, players and fans can expect a more regular stream of StarCraft II esports out of Korea. Players will find more consistent opportunities to compete.

. . . and Better Viewing Times for Global Fans

And finally, some good news for NA viewers. We are planning to run Wednesday GSL broadcasts at the usual 6:30 p.m. KST time, which is also evening/night time in SEA/ANZ, and mornings in EU. Friday night broadcasts will move to 1:00 p.m. KST Saturday (8:00 p.m./11:00 p.m. Friday Pacific/Eastern), which will allow for easier viewing for North American audiences. While no one time is perfect for everyone, we hope these timeslots offer better opportunities for a wider viewership of GSL around the globe.

WCS Circuit – Keeping It Simple

Last year included a number of different events tied to the WCS system, some of which included a seed into the WCS Global Finals, while others merely awarded points. TRUE’s run through Montreal last year catapulted him straight to BlizzCon. But Ptitdrogo’s earlier win at Leipzig only got him points. Was one win better than the other? This year we’re keeping it simple. Four WCS events will run at DreamHack stops: Austin, Summer, Valencia, and Montreal. Win and you’re in the WCS Global Finals. Players will gain WCS points from competing in these events as well as in regional Challengers.

Residency Requirements Stay the Same

The residency requirements for WCS Circuit remain the same as last year. Players will need proof of citizenship, permanent residency, or an appropriate visa in order to compete and earn points in the WCS Circuit. A minimum number of ladder games in the home region will also be required. The full details will be forthcoming in the WCS 2017 Rules. And on the WCS Korea side, any player can compete.

Ladder Challenger

Last year, we experimented in using the ladder as a qualification method for European and North American Challenger tournaments. After getting positive results and feedback from that process, this year we’re looking to refine and expand on this concept. Ladder and regional Challengers will be the only way to earn a guaranteed berth at a Circuit event, with the number of spots offered doubling to 16 as well.

Stability and Commitment

We intend to retain the same format for WCS 2018 as in 2017. While the exact events and timings for 2018 are up in the air, we are committed to supporting this structure and prizing over the next two years for WCS Korea and the WCS Circuit.
[image loading]

2017 WCS Highlights

WCS Korea Standings

Just like last year, WCS Korea will be open to all players globally, and we expect that it will continue to represent the most competitive region, where only the very best players will compete. The majority of sanctioned events will take place within Korea.

Three GSL seasons will take place in 2017, scheduled linearly through the year. These GSL seasons will form the backbone of WCS Korea competition. Three other weekend tournaments will also be sprinkled throughout the year to provide additional opportunities for players to compete. The first of these will be IEM Gyeonggi in December.

GSL – operated by AfreecaTV
Three seasons
₩170M per season
1st Place – WCS Global Finals seed
Awards WCS Korea points

Three weekend tournaments
Single weekend format
At least ₩30M+ per event
Award WCS Korea points

The three GSL season champions and the top players from the WCS Korea Standings will get direct slots into the WCS Global Finals at the end of the year, for a total of eight players from WCS Korea.

GSL Season 1 Champion (1)
GSL Season 2 Champion (1)
GSL Season 3 Champion (1)
WCS Korea Standings (5)*

*if the winner of the IEM Katowice event is a WCS Korea competitor, then only four players will be drawn from the WCS Korea Standings to fill out the complement of eight WCS Korea players at the WCS Global Finals.

WCS Circuit Standings

The WCS Circuit will continue to be the home for StarCraft II pro players from North America (NA), Europe (EU), Latin America (LATAM), China (CN), Taiwan/Hong Kong/Macau (TW), and Australia/New Zealand/Southeast Asia (ANZ/SEA). To compete in WCS Circuit, players must be citizens or residents in one of these eligible regions. Residency rules remain largely the same as last year. Non-citizen and non-resident players will need an appropriate visa, and must compete regularly on the local ladder of their chosen region. Other guidelines and full residency rules will be outlined in a later Requirements blog.

The core of the WCS Circuit are four championship events, hosted by DreamHack. These events will take place in Austin, USA; Jönköping, Sweden (DH Summer); Valencia, Spain; and Montreal, Canada. For NA and EU players, the first stop to qualification for these events will be online cups or the ladder. High performance there will feed into Challenger Finals, where top performers will earn prize money and a chance at a qualifying spot and paid travel to the associated DreamHack event. Qualification methods for the other regions (LATAM, CN, TW, ANZ/SEA) may vary and will be announced later per region. For players able to manage their own travel, DreamHack will offer a number of open sign-up slots for each event. Stay tuned to DreamHack and WCS communication channels for details.

WCS Circuit event – four per year, operated by DreamHack
DreamHack Austin, Summer, Valencia, Montreal
$100,000 prize pools
96 players
1st Place – WCS Global Finals seed
Awards WCS Circuit points
Challenger seeds
(4) NA, (4) EU, (2) LATAM, (2) CN, (2) TW, (2) ANZ/SEA

WCS Regional Challenger (NA, EU, LATAM, CN, TW, ANZ/SEA)
Feeds into WCS Circuit events
Online
One per WCS Circuit stop
$10,000 prize pools
Formats and qualifiers are region-specific
Awards WCS Circuit points

The champions of the four official WCS Circuit events, and the top players from the WCS Circuit Standings will earn a spot at the WCS Global Finals.

WCS Austin Champion (1)
WCS Jönköping Champion (1)
WCS Valencia Champion (1)
WCS Montreal Champion (1)
WCS Circuit Standings (4)*

*if the winner of the IEM Katowice event is a WCS Circuit competitor, then only three players will be drawn from the WCS Circuit Standings to fill out the complement of 8 WCS Circuit players at the WCS Global Finals.

What’s next?

IEM Gyeonggi will kick off WCS 2017 with GSL following soon after in Korea! The first Circuit stop will land after Katowice, and we’ll have a packed schedule after that. We’re working with IEM, AfreecaTV, and DreamHack to finalize exact details on qualifications, awards, and compiling detailed Official Rules for the year. Expect that in your newsfeeds and inboxes very soon.
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'StarCraft is just a fairy tale told to scare children actually.'
TL+ Member
Mizenhauer
Profile Blog Joined February 2015
United States1854 Posts
December 09 2016 17:13 GMT
#2
And the plot to destroy Korean Starcraft continues................................
┗|∵|┓Second Place in LB 28, Third Place in LB 29 and Destined to Be a Kong
Charoisaur
Profile Joined August 2014
Germany15943 Posts
Last Edited: 2016-12-09 18:42:54
December 09 2016 17:14 GMT
#3
Deleted.



The system is alright.
Many of the coolest moments in sc2 happen due to worker harassment
Chris_Havoc
Profile Joined August 2016
United States600 Posts
December 09 2016 17:16 GMT
#4
No SSLs I see. No surprise indeed.
Owner of the SC2 Esports Anthology channel on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/SC2EsportsAnthology
Ziggy
Profile Blog Joined June 2013
South Korea2105 Posts
December 09 2016 17:17 GMT
#5
GSL vs the world? goodbye SSL i guess? + region locking the season with just 3 gsls for them to compete in?
WriterDefeating a sandwich only makes it tastier. @imjustziggy
Charoisaur
Profile Joined August 2014
Germany15943 Posts
December 09 2016 17:23 GMT
#6
With the advantage of the korean infrastructure gone is there any logical reason to ban koreans from tournaments anymore?
Many of the coolest moments in sc2 happen due to worker harassment
opisska
Profile Blog Joined February 2011
Poland8852 Posts
December 09 2016 17:24 GMT
#7
There will be 3 GSLs. That alone makes me really happy!
"Jeez, that's far from ideal." - Serral, the king of mild trashtalk
TL+ Member
digmouse
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
China6329 Posts
December 09 2016 17:24 GMT
#8
$1.7 million in total prize money, Korea gets $520K. I assume this excludes everything else, like the IEMs, Dreamhacks, misc WCS stops, etc.
TranslatorIf you want to ask anything about Chinese esports, send me a PM or follow me @nerddigmouse.
Darkhorse
Profile Blog Joined December 2011
United States23455 Posts
December 09 2016 17:25 GMT
#9
Honestly this is garbage for Korea but it's better than I expected lol
WriterRecently Necro'd (?)
Darkness2k11
Profile Blog Joined December 2010
Chile313 Posts
December 09 2016 17:25 GMT
#10
Why are koreans still banned from the foreigner circuit?
When Behind, Dark Shrine
Nakajin
Profile Blog Joined September 2014
Canada8989 Posts
Last Edited: 2016-12-09 17:28:30
December 09 2016 17:27 GMT
#11
Oh come on why the fuck do they keep the regional lock, at least lock gsl in that case... Did they not watch sc in the last 5 month, there is no more team in korea, they lost 2 pro league, player retire left and right, foreigner beat them every day, let them play where they want...

Well I guess we still have WCS so I can't realy complain.
Writerhttp://i.imgur.com/9p6ufcB.jpg
Ansibled
Profile Joined November 2014
United Kingdom9872 Posts
December 09 2016 17:27 GMT
#12
On December 10 2016 02:25 Darkness2k11 wrote:
Why are koreans still banned from the foreigner circuit?

They are not banned, they can obtain visas to play in the foreign circuit.
'StarCraft is just a fairy tale told to scare children actually.'
TL+ Member
stuchiu
Profile Blog Joined June 2010
Fiddler's Green42661 Posts
December 09 2016 17:27 GMT
#13
On December 10 2016 02:25 Darkhorse wrote:
Honestly this is garbage for Korea but it's better than I expected lol


How dare you, Korean SC2 is healthy as fuck. With Proleague, hot6ix Cups, SSLs, Kespa Cups and Globals it'll almost be too much.
Moderator
digmouse
Profile Blog Joined November 2010
China6329 Posts
Last Edited: 2016-12-09 17:28:09
December 09 2016 17:28 GMT
#14
For the love of god, if IEMs and Dreamhacks are a thing, please be global.
TranslatorIf you want to ask anything about Chinese esports, send me a PM or follow me @nerddigmouse.
Charoisaur
Profile Joined August 2014
Germany15943 Posts
December 09 2016 17:28 GMT
#15
Expect a lot of retirements now.
I hoped blizzard cared for their careers but apparently not.
Many of the coolest moments in sc2 happen due to worker harassment
CynicalDeath
Profile Joined January 2012
Italy3381 Posts
Last Edited: 2016-12-09 17:30:08
December 09 2016 17:29 GMT
#16
...what's the point of keeping the "dividing line" between Korean WCS and Foreigner WCS if Korean Sc2 is basically no more? this is just stupid, it seems almost they did it without taking into count the last 2 months events...
ModeratorSC2 LP Admin - My Life for Aiur - Let the Metal flow - @Cynical_Death
Swisslink
Profile Joined March 2011
2953 Posts
Last Edited: 2016-12-09 17:33:12
December 09 2016 17:32 GMT
#17
Well, to be fair, Korea now gets more money than the Foreign Circuit. Which is a plus compared to 2016, isn't it?

... the bad part is though that this is not because Korea gets more money, but because pretty much everyone seems to have dropped StarCraft II now.
Charoisaur
Profile Joined August 2014
Germany15943 Posts
December 09 2016 17:32 GMT
#18
On December 10 2016 02:27 Ansibled wrote:
Show nested quote +
On December 10 2016 02:25 Darkness2k11 wrote:
Why are koreans still banned from the foreigner circuit?

They are not banned, they can obtain visas to play in the foreign circuit.

Yes but why are only koreans not allowed. Why not germans or french or whatever? The argument always was that it's because koreans have the advantage of their infrastruscture but with that advantage gone I don't see what separates them from other countries so much that they can't compete together?
Many of the coolest moments in sc2 happen due to worker harassment
Makro
Profile Joined March 2011
France16890 Posts
December 09 2016 17:33 GMT
#19
don't know what to think right now, gonna wait for more info
Matthew 5:10 "Blessed are those who are persecuted because of shitposting, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven".
TL+ Member
Topin
Profile Blog Joined December 2010
Peru10068 Posts
December 09 2016 17:34 GMT
#20
On December 10 2016 02:29 CynicalDeath wrote:
...what's the point of keeping the "dividing line" between Korean WCS and Foreigner WCS if Korean Sc2 is basically no more? this is just stupid, it seems almost they did it without taking into count the last 2 months events...

werent IEM and DH heads the guys that didnt want to have koreans and prefered AM/EU players? if thats the case sc2 status in Korea means nothing to them so why change it
i would define my style between a mix of ByuN, Maru and MKP
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