Valve has recently implemented some changes to the Major Supplemental Rulebook, and here’s how these changes will impact CS2 Major competitions moving forward
Valve has introduced a significant overhaul of its Major Supplemental Rulebook in preparation for the PGL Major Copenhagen. Among the notable alterations, a major shift has occurred in the process of pre-event seeding and determining which teams will be granted the privilege of bypassing the initial stage. Notably, this new method departs from the previous reliance on the results of Regional Major Ranking (RMR) events.
Valve Overhauls CS2 Major Seeding System
In the upcoming Majors, the 24 teams earning their qualification via the Regional Major Ranking (RMR) events will now undergo a seeding process based on Valve’s newly introduced Regional Standings. This ranking system was first introduced in December 2022, initially serving as a key factor in determining a section of the invitations extended to teams for the closed qualifiers leading up to the BLAST Paris Major.
The @CounterStrike Major rulebook got some minor updates:
– Stages are renamed to Opening/Elimination/Playoffs Stage
– Naming of teams as Contenders/Challengers/Legends has been removed
– Seeding at the Major and RMR within each Region is based on the Regional Major Rankings— Liquipedia Counter-Strike (@LiquipediaCS) November 3, 2023
This transition signifies a significant evolution in how teams are seeded and assessed in the Majors, emphasizing the ongoing importance of the Regional Standings in the competitive landscape.
The revised approach is designed to eliminate instances where a team’s seeding at a Major is disproportionately impacted by a lackluster performance at RMR events, even if they hold a high position in Valve’s global rankings. A clear illustration of this issue can be found in the case of FaZe, which found itself seeded 16th in the Challengers Stage of the Paris Major despite occupying the prestigious third position in the global rankings at that time.
Photo Credit: PGL
This discrepancy arose due to FaZe’s narrow escape from the European RMR, highlighting the necessity of the new seeding method in rectifying such disparities and offering a more equitable competition environment.
Revamped Pairing System for Group Stages
Valve has implemented an inventive, pre-arranged pairing structure for the initial Swiss round of the Major, aimed at optimizing the tournament flow and elevating the spectator experience. The first Swiss round will unveil a collection of pre-set matchups, generating enthusiasm and expectation among the fan base. The following pairings are poised to set the stage for the Major’s opening stages:
- 1 vs 9
- 2 vs 10
- 3 vs 11
- 4 vs 12
- 5 vs 13
- 6 vs 14
- 7 vs 15
- 8 vs 16
Throughout past Major tournaments, the first round’s matchups adhered to a well-established seeding structure, where the highest-seeded team would face the sixteenth seed, the second-seeded against the fifteenth, and so forth. However, Valve has unveiled an intriguing adjustment for the first round in the forthcoming Majors, ushering in a remarkable shift in the competition’s dynamics.
In this new system, the first round will witness a change in the conventional order. The highest-seeded team will still face the lowest-seeded team, but this will take place within their respective seeding pools, introducing an element of unpredictability and excitement into the matchups. The primary objective is to avoid potential rematches at this stage.
From the second round onward, the tournament will revert to its original structure. The top-seeded team will confront the lowest-seeded team within the same pool, preserving the overall fairness of the competition while maintaining a degree of consistency in the seeding process. This change aims to create more diverse and captivating initial round matchups, all while upholding the integrity of the Major’s competitive framework.
New Names for Tournament Stages
Previously denominated as ‘Challengers,’ ‘Legends,’ and ‘Champions,’ these stages have now been rebranded as the ‘Opening,’ ‘Elimination,’ and ‘Playoffs’ stages, ensuring a more coherent alignment with the tournament’s progression.
This alteration represents the first change to the nomenclature of the tournament stages since the ELEAGUE Major Boston in 2018. During that event, a pivotal transformation took place as the offline qualifier was integrated into the Major, expanding the number of participating teams from 16 to 24. This shift not only broadened the competitive field but also necessitated a structural change in how the tournament stages were labeled.
In line with the renaming endeavor for the Major tournament stages, Valve is discarding the titles ‘Contenders,’ ‘Challengers,’ and ‘Legends’ to characterize the teams participating in the Major.
The first Major in the Counter-Strike 2 era is just around the corner, set to take place from March 17 to March 31 in Copenhagen under the capable organization of PGL.
The path to this prestigious event begins with qualifications commencing on January 8 and extending throughout the month. Running concurrently, from February 14 to March 4, the Regional Major Rankings (RMRs) will play a crucial role in determining the teams that will earn their positions in this eagerly awaited Major tournament.