• Log InLog In
  • Register
Liquid`
Team Liquid Liquipedia
EDT 02:13
CEST 08:13
KST 15:13
  • Home
  • Forum
  • Calendar
  • Streams
  • Liquipedia
  • Features
  • Store
  • EPT
  • TL+
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Smash
  • Heroes
  • Counter-Strike
  • Overwatch
  • Liquibet
  • Fantasy StarCraft
  • TLPD
  • StarCraft 2
  • Brood War
  • Blogs
Forum Sidebar
Events/Features
News
Featured News
Serral wins HomeStory Cup 2914Serral wins Maestros of the Game 243ByuL, and the Limitations of Standard Play3Team Liquid Map Contest #22: Results and Winners7Code S Season 2 (2026): RO4 and Finals Preview12
Community News
PIG STY FESTIVAL 8.0! (13 - 23 August)6Neeb returns to progaming; rejoins ONSYDE13Weekly Cups (July 20-26): Early returns on 5.0.16b8IntoTheTV X SOOP SC2 League : Weekly & Monthly5Clem: "I don't have that much hope in Blizzard"9
StarCraft 2
General
Neeb returns to progaming; rejoins ONSYDE Clem: "I don't have that much hope in Blizzard" Weekly Cups (July 20-26): Early returns on 5.0.16b Balance hotfix patch 5.0.16b (July 16) Terran or Protoss
Tourneys
PIG STY FESTIVAL 8.0! (13 - 23 August) IntoTheTV X SOOP SC2 League : Weekly & Monthly Crank Gathers Season 4: BW vs SC2 Team League RSL Revival: Season 6 - Qualifiers and Main Event Sparkling Tuna Cup - Weekly Open Tournament
Strategy
[G] Having the right mentality to improve
Custom Maps
Nexus Wars 2021 GUIDE [M] (2) Industrial Park
External Content
Mutation # 536 Railroad Switch The PondCast: SC2 News & Results Mutation # 535 Assembly of Vengeance Mutation # 534 Burning Evacuation
Brood War
General
BW Drama: Terror's Debt Incident + C9 disbanding BGH Auto Balance -> http://bghmmr.eu/ BW General Discussion Making an Online Broodwar Manager Game ASL22 General Discussion
Tourneys
2v2v2v2 Tournament Small VOD Thread 2.0 [Megathread] Daily Proleagues Star Con San Diego 2026
Strategy
Fighting Spirit mining rates Odyssey Mineral Stack Saturation Simple Questions, Simple Answers PvT advise for noobs
Other Games
General Games
Path of Exile ZeroSpace Early Access is Now Live! Nintendo Switch Thread Stormgate/Frost Giant Megathread General RTS Discussion Thread
Dota 2
Looking for a Dota Mentor Official 'what is Dota anymore' discussion
League of Legends
TSM pausing esports and CLG Dead
Heroes of the Storm
Heroes of the Storm 2.0
Hearthstone
Deck construction bug
TL Mafia
TL Mafia Community Thread TL Mafia Power Rank NeO.D_StephenKing vs This Guy From 1 Million Dance
Community
General
US Politics Mega-thread Russo-Ukrainian War Thread Artificial Intelligence Thread European Politico-economics QA Mega-thread How to buy a book - shipping from Korea to Europe
Fan Clubs
The IdrA Fan Club The HerO Fan Club!
Media & Entertainment
Anime Discussion Thread Movie Discussion! Series you have seen recently... [Req][Books] Good Fantasy/SciFi books
Sports
2026-27 Football Thread placeholder 2024 - 2026 Football Thread TeamLiquid Health and Fitness Initiative For 2023 Formula 1 Discussion MLB/Baseball 2023
World Cup 2022
Tech Support
Computer Build, Upgrade & Buying Resource Thread Simple Questions Simple Answers FPS when play League Of Legend on laptop
TL Community
Northern Ireland Global Starcraft The Automated Ban List
Blogs
What is a Gamer?
TrAiDoS
Hello guys!
LIN1s
ASL S22 English Commentary…
namkraft
Poker (part 2)
Nebuchad
An Exploration of th…
waywardstrategy
Customize Sidebar...

Website Feedback

Closed Threads



Active: 3931 users

Introducing WCS Winter 2019 - Page 2

Forum Index > SC2 General
103 CommentsPost a Reply
Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 Next All
dummy1
Profile Blog Joined April 2018
420 Posts
Last Edited: 2018-12-20 19:02:28
December 20 2018 19:01 GMT
#21
Basically, we live. It's good. But it was scale down. Ouch.
https://www.youtube.com/c/DepressingStarcraft <- Maru VODs and stuff | END REGION-LOCK NOW
TheBloodyDwarf
Profile Blog Joined March 2012
Finland7524 Posts
Last Edited: 2018-12-20 19:10:42
December 20 2018 19:08 GMT
#22
That prize pool distribution is quite interesting. WCS Circuit prize pool distribution has never been top heavy (which is good) but in this WCS Winter tournament I think its getting too far. 12k vs 8k?
Fusilero: "I still can't believe he did that, like dude what the fuck there's fandom and then there's what he did like holy shit. I still see it when I close my eyes." <- reaction to the original drunk santa post which later caught on
BaneRiders
Profile Joined August 2013
Sweden3630 Posts
December 20 2018 19:12 GMT
#23
On December 21 2018 04:08 TheBloodyDwarf wrote:
That prize pool distribution is quite interesting. WCS Circuit prize pool distribution has never been top heavy (which is good) but in this WCS Winter tournament I think its getting too far. 12k vs 8k?


There is a big difference in points. This way the runner up may live to fight another day.
Earth, Water, Air and Protoss!
ClaudeSc2
Profile Joined May 2014
United States73 Posts
December 20 2018 19:30 GMT
#24
I'm very happy Blizzard is supporting SC2 in any way still. They are pumping money into a game that isn't getting the kind of ROI large game developers know how to draw, and are keeping the professional scene alive because they care about the game. Looking forward to the content.
TheBloodyDwarf
Profile Blog Joined March 2012
Finland7524 Posts
December 20 2018 19:33 GMT
#25
On December 21 2018 04:12 BaneRiders wrote:
Show nested quote +
On December 21 2018 04:08 TheBloodyDwarf wrote:
That prize pool distribution is quite interesting. WCS Circuit prize pool distribution has never been top heavy (which is good) but in this WCS Winter tournament I think its getting too far. 12k vs 8k?


There is a big difference in points. This way the runner up may live to fight another day.


1600 vs 1100 now versus 2018 WCS circuit 3000 vs 1400

So not only prize money is less top heavy, WCS points are also
Fusilero: "I still can't believe he did that, like dude what the fuck there's fandom and then there's what he did like holy shit. I still see it when I close my eyes." <- reaction to the original drunk santa post which later caught on
FueledUpAndReadyToGo
Profile Blog Joined March 2013
Netherlands30548 Posts
Last Edited: 2018-12-20 20:03:24
December 20 2018 19:42 GMT
#26
Well, we're alive. But seeing as this is already cancellation of 1 stop and mostly online only, and no info on further stuff, it will be a more scarce year for sure . And Korea will be nervous getting nothing...

I guess the positive thing for top32 players is way more chances, double elimination and round robin is more forgiving than 2018 format.

The weird top6 bracket of doom format is interesting though. I wonder if Serral wil aim for 6th place just so he can personally wipe everyone out lol. Needs to challenge himself somehow.
Neosteel Enthusiast
ionONE
Profile Joined March 2011
Germany605 Posts
Last Edited: 2018-12-20 19:59:43
December 20 2018 19:49 GMT
#27
What about the challenger scene?
WCS Leipzig is cut all together?

The WCS winter event Lan finals are not scheduled, 4-6 weeks away without a date/location?
0 Informations from korea, merry christmas to all the korean progamers that are left!

No longterm goals, this is what we want to achive with starcraft in 2019. Looking back/ personal highlights of the esports team at blizzard ...
Overall structure next year?
JANGBI never forget
geokilla
Profile Joined May 2011
Canada8255 Posts
December 20 2018 19:54 GMT
#28
So... What is Blizzard's plan for WCS? Hold seasonal events?
FueledUpAndReadyToGo
Profile Blog Joined March 2013
Netherlands30548 Posts
December 20 2018 20:01 GMT
#29
Next year the WCS will be streamed live at wcs.starcraft2.com


Interesting tidbit. Does this mean no twitch? Or will it just be an embed? I like how the WCS site already has a next broadcast countdown though... of 41 days

[image loading]

Neosteel Enthusiast
dummy1
Profile Blog Joined April 2018
420 Posts
December 20 2018 20:02 GMT
#30
Zero information from Korea. Zero fkcing information from Korea. It's scary. I feel like this is a trick. More details only in the new year.
https://www.youtube.com/c/DepressingStarcraft <- Maru VODs and stuff | END REGION-LOCK NOW
JimmyJRaynor
Profile Blog Joined April 2010
Canada17709 Posts
Last Edited: 2018-12-20 20:32:05
December 20 2018 20:31 GMT
#31
On December 21 2018 05:01 FueledUpAndReadyToGo wrote:
Show nested quote +
Next year the WCS will be streamed live at wcs.starcraft2.com


Interesting tidbit. Does this mean no twitch?

my guess is that WCS is on MLGNetwork.

for 3 years now MLGNetwork has been listed as a "Strategic Initiative" by ATVI. WHich is a polite way of saying MLGNetwork is a FirePit where ATVI can throw money and watch it burn. My guess is ATVI wants to make MLGNetwork profitable; putting WCS on MLGNetwork is one step upwards along the stairway to heaven of profitability.
Ray Kassar To David Crane : "you're no more important to Atari than the factory workers assembling the cartridges"
Lanthdoral
Profile Joined December 2018
Germany7 Posts
December 20 2018 20:39 GMT
#32
yeah finally some news coming out.

hmm, 8 qualified from KR/Asia Server + 4 from China + Ladder NA TOP 8 + 12 qualified from NA server.

so hows the round of 32 - round of 8? on NA server played? so basically Asia/China/Oceania players will suffer the lags.
MrWayne
Profile Joined December 2016
219 Posts
Last Edited: 2018-12-20 20:58:18
December 20 2018 20:50 GMT
#33
So they've downscaled WCS or at least the first WCS event. Compared to Leipzig last year, it is 30-40k less if you include all qualifiers.
The format Itself is very interesting. I like that they spread the prize pool even more between 64 players in total compared to 32 last year. What I don't like is that they basically separate Europe from the rest of the world(region lock REEEEEE :-P), at least the top 16 could face off to determine the best player outside koreas.
I think the players who will benefit from this are EuroPros who aren't consistently top 16 and the whole NA scene and the ones who get shafted are the top EuroPros and the players from China/SEA/LA etc.

Also this is probably bad news for some WCS casters, They already had almost to many casters in 2018 and this online format requires even less than a offline event.
DieuCure
Profile Joined January 2017
France3713 Posts
December 20 2018 20:51 GMT
#34
We still esport at least
TL+ Member
Lanthdoral
Profile Joined December 2018
Germany7 Posts
December 20 2018 20:57 GMT
#35
On December 21 2018 05:50 MrWayne wrote:
So they've downscaled WCS or at least the first WCS event. Compared to Leipzig last year, it is 30-40k less if you include all qualifiers.
The format Itself is very interesting. I like that they spread the prize pool even more between 64 players in total compared to 32 last year. What I don't like is that they basically separate Europe from the rest of the world(regin look REEEEEE :-P), at least the top 16 could face off to determine the best player outside koreas.
I think the players who will benefit from this are EuroPros who aren't consistently top 16 and the whole NA scene and the ones who get shafted are the top EuroPros and the players from China/SEA/LA etc.

Also this is probably bad news for some WCS casters, They already had almost to many casters in 2018 and this online format requires even less than a offline event.


yea, basically its REGION-LOCK 2.0

Region EU, Region NA and Region KR
Charoisaur
Profile Joined August 2014
Germany16085 Posts
Last Edited: 2018-12-20 21:11:43
December 20 2018 21:08 GMT
#36
On December 21 2018 05:57 Lanthdoral wrote:
Show nested quote +
On December 21 2018 05:50 MrWayne wrote:
So they've downscaled WCS or at least the first WCS event. Compared to Leipzig last year, it is 30-40k less if you include all qualifiers.
The format Itself is very interesting. I like that they spread the prize pool even more between 64 players in total compared to 32 last year. What I don't like is that they basically separate Europe from the rest of the world(regin look REEEEEE :-P), at least the top 16 could face off to determine the best player outside koreas.
I think the players who will benefit from this are EuroPros who aren't consistently top 16 and the whole NA scene and the ones who get shafted are the top EuroPros and the players from China/SEA/LA etc.

Also this is probably bad news for some WCS casters, They already had almost to many casters in 2018 and this online format requires even less than a offline event.


yea, basically its REGION-LOCK 2.0

Region EU, Region NA and Region KR

This was 100% necessary. There was almost no motivation for an NA player to go pro when in every tournament they get immediately beaten by some faceless european.
Now they have an incentive to improve.

Can't wait for the gap to be closed. My only problem with the system is that I think NA players should be allowed to play in EU tournaments if they want to (but not vice versa) because it would add to the hype.
Many of the coolest moments in sc2 happen due to worker harassment
Elmonti
Profile Joined July 2018
Spain299 Posts
December 20 2018 21:24 GMT
#37
On December 21 2018 06:08 Charoisaur wrote:
Show nested quote +
On December 21 2018 05:57 Lanthdoral wrote:
On December 21 2018 05:50 MrWayne wrote:
So they've downscaled WCS or at least the first WCS event. Compared to Leipzig last year, it is 30-40k less if you include all qualifiers.
The format Itself is very interesting. I like that they spread the prize pool even more between 64 players in total compared to 32 last year. What I don't like is that they basically separate Europe from the rest of the world(regin look REEEEEE :-P), at least the top 16 could face off to determine the best player outside koreas.
I think the players who will benefit from this are EuroPros who aren't consistently top 16 and the whole NA scene and the ones who get shafted are the top EuroPros and the players from China/SEA/LA etc.

Also this is probably bad news for some WCS casters, They already had almost to many casters in 2018 and this online format requires even less than a offline event.


yea, basically its REGION-LOCK 2.0

Region EU, Region NA and Region KR

This was 100% necessary. There was almost no motivation for an NA player to go pro when in every tournament they get immediately beaten by some faceless european.
Now they have an incentive to improve.

Can't wait for the gap to be closed. My only problem with the system is that I think NA players should be allowed to play in EU tournaments if they want to (but not vice versa) because it would add to the hype.



I know you mean like Neeb, Scarlett, Special, etc. playing with the europeans... but as a rule, it would be extremely unfair (...and not the first rule like that).

Anyway, we get almost the same amount of SC2, but they cut HUGE costs with the removal of a big event like WCS Leipzig. Less hype and "glamour", but if that is the cost of keeping SC2 like this, we are good.

Really hoping they stream in Twitch though... viewership rises hugely and they change the streaming platform like this? best way to freeze that rise tbh.


MrWayne
Profile Joined December 2016
219 Posts
Last Edited: 2018-12-20 21:28:32
December 20 2018 21:27 GMT
#38
On December 21 2018 06:24 Elmonti wrote:
Show nested quote +
On December 21 2018 06:08 Charoisaur wrote:
On December 21 2018 05:57 Lanthdoral wrote:
On December 21 2018 05:50 MrWayne wrote:
So they've downscaled WCS or at least the first WCS event. Compared to Leipzig last year, it is 30-40k less if you include all qualifiers.
The format Itself is very interesting. I like that they spread the prize pool even more between 64 players in total compared to 32 last year. What I don't like is that they basically separate Europe from the rest of the world(regin look REEEEEE :-P), at least the top 16 could face off to determine the best player outside koreas.
I think the players who will benefit from this are EuroPros who aren't consistently top 16 and the whole NA scene and the ones who get shafted are the top EuroPros and the players from China/SEA/LA etc.

Also this is probably bad news for some WCS casters, They already had almost to many casters in 2018 and this online format requires even less than a offline event.


yea, basically its REGION-LOCK 2.0

Region EU, Region NA and Region KR

This was 100% necessary. There was almost no motivation for an NA player to go pro when in every tournament they get immediately beaten by some faceless european.
Now they have an incentive to improve.

Can't wait for the gap to be closed. My only problem with the system is that I think NA players should be allowed to play in EU tournaments if they want to (but not vice versa) because it would add to the hype.



I know you mean like Neeb, Scarlett, Special, etc. playing with the europeans... but as a rule, it would be extremely unfair (...and not the first rule like that).

Anyway, we get almost the same amount of SC2, but they cut HUGE costs with the removal of a big event like WCS Leipzig. Less hype and "glamour", but if that is the cost of keeping SC2 like this, we are good.

Really hoping they stream in Twitch though... viewership rises hugely and they change the streaming platform like this? best way to freeze that rise tbh.



yeah hopefully it's just an embedded Twitch Stream on their website.
deacon.frost
Profile Joined February 2013
Czech Republic12132 Posts
December 20 2018 21:30 GMT
#39
On December 21 2018 06:24 Elmonti wrote:
Show nested quote +
On December 21 2018 06:08 Charoisaur wrote:
On December 21 2018 05:57 Lanthdoral wrote:
On December 21 2018 05:50 MrWayne wrote:
So they've downscaled WCS or at least the first WCS event. Compared to Leipzig last year, it is 30-40k less if you include all qualifiers.
The format Itself is very interesting. I like that they spread the prize pool even more between 64 players in total compared to 32 last year. What I don't like is that they basically separate Europe from the rest of the world(regin look REEEEEE :-P), at least the top 16 could face off to determine the best player outside koreas.
I think the players who will benefit from this are EuroPros who aren't consistently top 16 and the whole NA scene and the ones who get shafted are the top EuroPros and the players from China/SEA/LA etc.

Also this is probably bad news for some WCS casters, They already had almost to many casters in 2018 and this online format requires even less than a offline event.


yea, basically its REGION-LOCK 2.0

Region EU, Region NA and Region KR

This was 100% necessary. There was almost no motivation for an NA player to go pro when in every tournament they get immediately beaten by some faceless european.
Now they have an incentive to improve.

Can't wait for the gap to be closed. My only problem with the system is that I think NA players should be allowed to play in EU tournaments if they want to (but not vice versa) because it would add to the hype.



I know you mean like Neeb, Scarlett, Special, etc. playing with the europeans... but as a rule, it would be extremely unfair (...and not the first rule like that).

Anyway, we get almost the same amount of SC2, but they cut HUGE costs with the removal of a big event like WCS Leipzig. Less hype and "glamour", but if that is the cost of keeping SC2 like this, we are good.

Really hoping they stream in Twitch though... viewership rises hugely and they change the streaming platform like this? best way to freeze that rise tbh.



No, he mocks this region lock with how the Korean is based, where foreigners can take money off Korea but not vice versa

Anyway, my expectation based on the silence about GSL

No Code S next year, we get WCS Korea from now on
No Afreeca(that's why no GSL as I believe they own the trademark) & no Tastosis, offline ro8+
I imagine France should be able to take this unless Lilbow is busy practicing for Starcraft III. | KadaverBB is my fairy ban mother.
Waxangel
Profile Blog Joined September 2002
United States33668 Posts
Last Edited: 2018-12-20 21:45:19
December 20 2018 21:41 GMT
#40
Any degree of scaling back was never going to surprise me, regardless of the year. WCS has always seemed rather expensive compared to the viewership, even if things improved in 2018 ($2M total prize money for an individual esport put it in pretty rarefied air). Despite that, I'm still a little disappointed to see it actually happen. Oh well, if you want to look at it on the bright side, we get a few weeks of appointment-viewing StarCraft, and not just one marathon weekend (pretty grueling to watch for the non-hardcore fans).
AdministratorHey HP can you redo everything youve ever done because i have a small complaint?
Prev 1 2 3 4 5 6 Next All
Please log in or register to reply.
Live Events Refresh
Next event in 3h 47m
[ Submit Event ]
Live Streams
Refresh
StarCraft 2
RuFF_SC2 213
Nina 134
FoxeR 46
StarCraft: Brood War
Rain 5531
GuemChi 3294
ggaemo 1578
Calm 1106
Leta 297
Bale 69
ZergMaN 40
Noble 15
ajuk12(nOOB) 15
Dota 2
NeuroSwarm182
ODPixel27
Counter-Strike
Sick131
Super Smash Bros
Mew2King134
Other Games
summit1g6697
C9.Mang0409
ROOTCatZ271
Maynarde111
Organizations
StarCraft 2
Blizzard YouTube
StarCraft: Brood War
BSLTrovo
[ Show 14 non-featured ]
StarCraft 2
• Berry_CruncH106
• AfreecaTV YouTube
• intothetv
• Kozan
• IndyKCrew
• LaughNgamezSOOP
• Migwel
• sooper7s
StarCraft: Brood War
• BSLYoutube
• STPLYoutube
• ZZZeroYoutube
Dota 2
• lizZardDota286
League of Legends
• Lourlo1113
• Stunt486
Upcoming Events
Escore
3h 47m
CrankTV Team League
4h 47m
Big Brain Bouts
9h 47m
Spirit vs sOs
GgMaChine vs Percival
Serral vs MaxPax
OSC
16h 17m
Replay Cast
17h 47m
Afreeca Starleague
21h 47m
RSL Revival
1d 2h
ByuN vs SHIN
Solar vs Lambo
WardiTV Summer Champion…
1d 4h
Afreeca Starleague
1d 21h
RSL Revival
2 days
Clem vs Serral
herO vs Rogue
[ Show More ]
WardiTV Summer Champion…
2 days
WardiTV Weekly
3 days
Sparkling Tuna Cup
4 days
PiGosaur Cup
4 days
Replay Cast
5 days
Kung Fu Cup
5 days
Replay Cast
5 days
The PondCast
6 days
Replay Cast
6 days
Liquipedia Results

Completed

Proleague 2026-07-29
SCTL 2026 Spring
Eternal Conflict S2 Finale

Ongoing

CSL 2026 Summer (S21)
KCM Race Survival 2026 Season 3
Escore Tournament S3: W5
RSL Revival: Season 6
CranK Gathers Season 4: BW vs SC2 Team League
BLAST Bounty Summer 2026
BLAST Bounty Summer Qual
Stake Ranked Episode 3
XSE Pro League 2026
IEM Cologne Major 2026
Stake Ranked Episode 2
CS Asia Championships 2026

Upcoming

ASL Season 22: Qualifier #1
ASL Season 22: Qualifier #2
K-JUNGMAN
Acropolis #5
Escore Tournament S3: W6
Escore Tournament S3: W7
Escore Tournament S3: W8
HSC XXX
SC4ALL II: StarCraft II
Kung Fu Cup 2026 Grand Finals
PiG Sty Festival 8.0
Light Tournament 2026
ESL Pro League Season 24
Stake Ranked Episode 4
Logitech G Connect 2026
SL StarSeries Fall 2026
FISSURE Playground #5
BLAST Open Fall 2026
Esports World Cup 2026
TLPD

1. ByuN
2. TY
3. Dark
4. Solar
5. Stats
6. Nerchio
7. sOs
8. soO
9. INnoVation
10. Elazer
1. Rain
2. Flash
3. EffOrt
4. Last
5. Bisu
6. Soulkey
7. Mini
8. Sharp
Sidebar Settings...

Advertising | Privacy Policy | Terms Of Use | Contact Us

Original banner artwork: Jim Warren
The contents of this webpage are copyright © 2026 TLnet. All Rights Reserved.