Esports

OpTic Gaming Reclaims The Throne – Congrats To Your HCS Fort Worth Champions!

With the HCS 2023 Season at its half waypoint and Season 4 of Halo Infinite having just released, we’re making some adjustments to the gameplay meta and map rotation. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Equipment</h3>



As seen in matchmaking since Season 4 released, the new equipment Quantum Translocator and Threat Seeker have entered the scene on various maps. These were not utilized at the HCS Major Arlington but are now in effect and will be used at all upcoming tournaments including the next event on August 4-6 at the HCS Global Invitational hosted by Spacestation Gaming.



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Solitude</h3>



Additionally, Season 4 has brought Solitude, the remake of the fan-favorite Halo 5 map, Plaza. Effective immediately Solitude is in the Official HCS map rotation for tournament play with the following modes:



<ul><li>Slayer</li><li>Strongholds</li><li>King of the Hill</li></ul>



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Removals</h3>



For the map rotation, it’s important that we’re not just adding but removing at the same time in order to maintain a healthy number of map and mode combinations in the rotation. If there are too many, then the overall quality of play decreases as teams struggle to practice and master all of them. If there are too few then tournaments become stale and uninteresting. 



Effective immediately, the following map and mode combinations have been removed from the rotation:



<ul><li>Slayer on Empyrean</li><li>Strongholds on Streets</li><li>King of the Hill on Streets</li></ul>



In the Spring, HCS conducted a survey with the league’s pro players as well as amateur players who’d competed on the Faceit platform this year to gather feedback on the gameplay meta including map and mode combinations. These three were, by a wide margin, the lowest rated out of all map and mode combinations in the rotation. That is the information we used to make this decision, in addition to in-game telemetry based on balance, and we thank the competitors for their time in filling out the survey.



These will remain in the Ranked
Arena matchmaking playlist for a short period longer. 



<h3 class="wp-block-heading">Recharge</h3>



For the HCS Major Arlington, we
removed Recharge from the map rotation for Pool Play and Championship bracket
due to an issue that was causing instability for the map Recharge. We believe
we have resolved this issue and our internal testing has been resulting in a
restoration of stability for the map for observers. Recharge will be used as
originally planned for the remainder of the season. 



Unless due to bug fixes or emergent and severe issues that require quick addressal, these will be the last major changes to the gameplay meta until after the Halo World Championship on October 13-15. 



If the first half of the season was any indication, we’re in
for a very exciting second half and we can’t wait to see this new equipment as
well as Solitude make its way to the main stage. 



Best of luck to all teams!

Official HCS

HCS Year 2 Map Rotation Update

FaZe Clan go Back-2-Back! Congratulations to your HCS Arlington Major Champions!

With the HCS Major Arlington hosted by OpTic Gaming this
weekend we’re about to conclude the first split of Year 2 of the HCS for Halo
Infinite and what a wild ride it’s been. We’ve seen the closest competition yet
so far and arguably the closest Halo’s illustrious esports history.



Due to HCS being a global scene with 4 distinct regions, the teams all compete online separately with LAN events being the place where we get to see them clash. Because of this, we use as much historical data as we can including number of teams competing and placements to decide the strength of each region to determine how many teams go into pool play, what are their seeds, how many teams go into open bracket, or how many teams attend a Global Invitational. We believe this approach has worked up to this point however over time it’s our goal to let the results speak for themselves directly more and more. And with all LAN events in HCS Year 2 being open to all regions, this gives us an opportunity to lean into that philosophy even more. 



For the Arlington Major this weekend, there are no changes to the format and it’s what players expect.



<ul><li>16 team pool play (12 pre-qualified / 4 open)  </li><li>1st/2nd in pools advance to WR1 (Winners Round 1)</li><li>3rd in pools advance to ER1 (Elimination Round 1)</li><li>4th in pools eliminated </li></ul>



For the next event however, the HCS Global Invitational
hosted by Spacestation Gaming, the format will remain the same but the seeding
will be slightly altered.



Format:



<ul><li>16 team pool play</li><li>12 team championship bracket</li><li>1st / 2nd in pools advance
to WR1 (Winners Round 1)</li><li>3rd in pools advance to ER1
(Elimination Round 1)</li></ul>



Seeding:



<ul><li>Top 8 from Arlington Major, regardless of region.</li><li>9-12 NA (Top 2 from SSG qualifier, Top 2 in HCS points after SSG qualifier)</li><li>13-14 EU (Winner from SSG qualifier, Top 1 in HCS points after SSG qualifier)</li><li>15 MX (Winner from SSG qualifier)</li><li>16 ANZ (Winner from SSG qualifier) </li></ul>



Open
Championship for Ft. Worth 



<ul><li>Travel coverage to HCS Major Fort Worth Open Bracket teams will be on the line after the next HCS Global Invitational for each region. The top teams in each region from this tournament will earn travel coverage and a spot in the open bracket. More details to come soon regarding dates and qualifier format.</li><li>Top 2 NA </li><li>Top 2 EU </li><li>Top 1 MX </li><li>Top 2 ANZ </li></ul>



Fort Worth Major Format 



<ul><li>16 team pool play (12 pre-qualified / 4 open) </li><li>Seeding will go as follows: <ul><li>1-6: Top 6 from HCS Global Invitational hosted by SSG</li><li>7-8: NA 1-2 in HCS points </li><li>9-10: EU 1-2 in HCS points </li><li>11: MX 1 in HCS points</li><li>12: ANZ 1 in HCS points</li><li>13-14: Ft. Worth Open Brackets Winners teams </li><li>15-16: Ft. Worth Open Bracket Elim team </li></ul></li><li>16 team championship bracket </li><li>No eliminations out of pools </li><li>1st in pools advance to WR2 (WR1 BYE) </li><li>2nd/3rd in pools advance to WR1 </li><li>4th in pools advance to ER1 </li></ul>



HaloWC
Qualification Path 



<ul><li>Top 8 from HCS Fort Worth, regardless of region </li><li>Top 4 NA rosters in HCS points </li><li>Top 2 EU rosters in HCS points </li><li>Winner of MX Regional Playoff* at Fort Worth </li><li>Winner of ANZ Regional Playoff* at Fort Worth </li></ul>



Regional
Playoffs for MX and ANZ 



<ul><li>*For both the MX and ANZ regions, the top 2 teams from each region will face off against each other for their region’s designated spot. This Best-of-7 series will occur on LAN at the Fort Worth Major and will be broadcasted on Championship Sunday. If a team from the region places top 8, they will not have to play in the regional playoff, and the playoff will be between the next 2 top placing teams </li><li>This is to account for a fair opportunity for all teams in the region to earn a spot at HaloWC. With only one pool play spot being awarded to these regions at the Global Invitational, the point opportunities for teams in this region are disproportionate. What better way to settle this than a head-to-head playoff matchup on LAN? </li></ul>



HaloWC
Format 



<ul><li>16 team pool play (all teams pre-qualified) </li><li>Seeding format will go as follows: <ul><li>1-8: Fort Worth Top 8 </li><li>9-12: NA 1-4 in HCS points </li><li>13-14: EU 1-2 in HCS points </li><li>15: MX 1 </li><li>16: ANZ 1 </li></ul></li><li>No play-in bracket </li><li>3-day tournament and event </li><li>12 team Championship Bracket <ul><li>1st/2nd in pools advance to WR1 </li><li>3rd in pools advance to ER1 </li><li>4th in pools eliminated </li></ul></li></ul>



Overall we believe these format changes will allow for more
globally competitive tournaments as well as entertaining moments throughout it
all. 



Best of luck to all teams competing this weekend, be sure to
watch live every day at 12pm CT on Twitch.tv/Halo.

HCS Split 2 – Qualification and Seeding Updates

We’re excited to announce our renewed partnership with ZOWIE as the official monitor for the Halo Championship Series 2023 season. ZOWIE is known to deliver one of the best competitive experiences and this was proven throughout the 2022 season. We’re excited to bring players the same great experience they’re familiar with. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="975" height="548" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/image.png" alt="" class="wp-image-57432" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/image.png 975w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/image-300x169.png 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/image-768x432.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 975px) 100vw, 975px" /></figure>



The XL2540K 24.5-inch esports gaming monitor delivers a 240Hz refresh rate with 1080p resolution. It’s built with a fast TN panel to ensure consistent fast-motion clarity with every fight you take, and features <a href="https://benqurl.biz/3XWbR37">XL Settings to Share™</a> which allows players to share their settings with teammates.



For fans and players interested in playing with the same equipment that will be used at all official HCS events this year, click <a href="https://benqurl.biz/3IvswFc">here</a> to learn more! The XL2540K esports gaming monitors will be used in the Open Bracket, Pool Play, and Championship Bracket.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/ZOWIE-Monitor-Announce-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-57460" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/ZOWIE-Monitor-Announce-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/ZOWIE-Monitor-Announce-300x200.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/ZOWIE-Monitor-Announce-768x512.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/ZOWIE-Monitor-Announce-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/ZOWIE-Monitor-Announce-2048x1366.jpg 2048w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/ZOWIE-Monitor-Announce-1568x1046.jpg 1568w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



The Kickoff Major in Charlotte begins in just a few days, and we can’t wait to bring you all the amazing action. To learn more about the event, be sure to check out our <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/charlotte2023">event</a> page. 



Thank you ZOWIE for the continuous support and we can’t wait to have another successful season together!



Make sure to follow ZOWIE on Twitter (<a href="https://twitter.com/ZOWIEbyBenQUSA">@ZOWIEbyBenQUSA</a>) and Instagram (<a href="https://www.instagram.com/zowiebybenqusa/">@zowiebybenqusa</a>) to keep up with the latest news! And for the latest on the Halo Championship Series be sure to follow HCS on <a href="https://twitter.com/hcs">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hcs/">Instagram</a>.

HCS and ZOWIE Partnership

The Team Partnership Program is a critical component of the HCS and our esports strategy overall. Today, we wanted to shed more light on the overall goals and philosophy, list out the partners joining us in 2023, share what you can expect from Partnered Teams in 2023, and then close with a brief look at our strategy for the partnership program in the near future. Let’s dive in! 



At a high level, we believe that teams are crticial to the Halo esports ecosystem. They provide salaries to players, bring in fans who watch, give fans an anchor point to root for and engage in the ecosystem around, and can also help cultivate deeper connections between fans and the league. At the same time, it’s important for HCS, as well as for our partnered teams, that we do things in a way that’s sustainable. At the end of the day, this is a business for teams, and we understand that revenue is what’s required from an ecosystem in order to sustainably afford their participation in the league. Because of that, during Halo Infinite’s development we learned as much as we could from teams in order to design a program and features with that in mind. Across all teams combined, Year 1 was a massive financial success for the program and we were excited to open up applications for Year 2. The program is a built in a way that gives teams some control over their own destiny. They design the skins and they control their ability to promote and market the skins. While the freedom is great, it also means that not all teams had the same level of success which is important to note. 



 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-DcPjD3f-X3-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-56581" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-DcPjD3f-X3-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-DcPjD3f-X3-300x200.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-DcPjD3f-X3-768x512.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-DcPjD3f-X3-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-DcPjD3f-X3-1568x1046.jpg 1568w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-DcPjD3f-X3.jpg 1600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>







In terms of how we measure success for the program, revenue directly to the teams is the most important because it’s most important to the teams. Next, we look at fan engagement on social media, content creation, fan engagement at events, and more along those lines. Finally, it’s important that our partners are just that – partners. We expect them to be philosophically aligned with us in supporting the game and league, putting in the effort to build a fanbase, and often asking, “what we can do to support Halo?” rather than just “what can Halo do to support me?”. How that last part manifests is in the different ideas brought to the table, teams taking advantage of the various opportunities we provide, teams bringing opportunities to us, supporting the game and league beats directly, and generally the attitude and approach when working through issues together.  



In the long term, we see teams growing more and more integrated with the Halo ecosystem, and not just the core HCS league (though that will always be at the center of the partnership). We think the teams that are more than just player managers will be the ones who will fit best in Halo, as the franchise has a wide breadth of experiences to offer and ways to entertain Halo fans.  



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">2023 TEAMS </h2>



We’re excited to officially confirm the 8 partnered teams that will be joining us for the 2023 Season. Please welcome, and welcome back: 



<ul><li>CLOUD9</li><li>COMPLEXITY </li><li>FAZE CLAN </li><li>NAVI </li><li>OPTIC GAMING </li><li>QUADRANT </li><li>SENTINELS </li><li>SPACESTATION GAMING </li></ul>



G2, FNATIC, and EUNITED, we want to say thank you for being part of a historic year in Halo esports.  



We’re very thankful for the teams that are participating this year and we’ve already begun working together closely to deliver even more for Halo fans than last year. Keep reading to see what I mean! 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">2023 PROGRAM </h2>



For 2023 (as well as beyond) we thought deeply about what a team’s involvement in the Halo ecosystem could look like. First and foremost, we felt it was most important that teams focus on cultivating a fanbase in Halo. And then we thought about, what are the things that teams can do in order to cultivate a fanbase. Finally, we thought about how teams can generate revenue off of those things either from fans or from us. Obviously, the skin bundles sold in the game and Waypoint are the “hero” offerings and ones that fans seem to love the most. However, we thought it was critical for the long-term success that teams not solely rely on the skins for their sustainability.  



While we’re on the topic of skins, we’re excited to say that each team will receive 4 bundle drops in 2023 compared to 3 last year. And, while we can’t share the specifics quite yet, we’ve given teams access to more options in terms of design, and more new pieces of content to customize compared to last year. Finally, the team that wins the Halo World Championship will also have an event bundle, and we will share revenue with that team exclusively just as we did in 2022. 



Fans have asked for more transparency around what they should expect from Partnered Teams in the Halo ecosystem and today we’re going to provide even more insight than ever before. First, the business terms are the same across all teams and that’s how we approached it in Year 1 as well.  



Next, the teams have opportunities to earn additional bonus revenue directly from their skin sales by promoting the game and league more on social media, as well as creating content on YouTube.  



On top of that, teams are accountable for engaging and supporting the community in various ways including hosting various tournaments or show matches, and hosting various activations either online or in-person.  



<figure class="wp-block-gallery columns-1 is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex"><ul class="blocks-gallery-grid"><li class="blocks-gallery-item"><figure><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/SSG-Booth-HaloWC-1024x683.jpg" alt="" data-id="55913" data-full-url="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/SSG-Booth-HaloWC.jpg" data-link="https://waypoint-cms-prod-01.azurewebsites.net/?attachment_id=55913" class="wp-image-55913" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/SSG-Booth-HaloWC-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/SSG-Booth-HaloWC-300x200.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/SSG-Booth-HaloWC-768x512.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/SSG-Booth-HaloWC-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/SSG-Booth-HaloWC-1568x1046.jpg 1568w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/SSG-Booth-HaloWC.jpg 1600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure></li></ul></figure>



Finally, teams will also have the opportunity to create merch collabs with us just as they did in Year 1, but this time two drops instead of one. 



Our ambition is that if you’re a fan of any of the partnered teams, then they’re going to give you a lot more reasons to love them. And if you’re not a fan of any of the partnered teams and you’re new to the scene, then the partnered teams have the freedom and incentives to make you a fan. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">LOOKING FORWARD </h2>



We know there’s a lot of interest from other teams in HCS that are not partnered, and we want to say thank you for your continued support, it does not go unnoticed. At the moment, the biggest impact that we can have is to focus on Halo Infinite, the platform that HCS resides on. It’s important that we continue to create and release more content for players, deliver on the features fans expect, and build a strong platform for the HCS to build upon. With the Winter Update and recent update having released, we feel we’re moving in the right direction but there’s still more work ahead of us. We’re excited to share more about what’s coming with Season 3 as well as future Seasons and updates that fans can expect. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="615" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/FaZe-Halo-Sword-63e6d91cc3548-1024x615.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-56567" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/FaZe-Halo-Sword-63e6d91cc3548-1024x615.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/FaZe-Halo-Sword-63e6d91cc3548-300x180.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/FaZe-Halo-Sword-63e6d91cc3548-768x461.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/FaZe-Halo-Sword-63e6d91cc3548-1536x922.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/FaZe-Halo-Sword-63e6d91cc3548-1568x941.jpg 1568w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/FaZe-Halo-Sword-63e6d91cc3548.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



On the HCS side, it’s important that we work to deliver a great experience for the teams that we have now today before we expand again. This is because we want to ensure that when we bring new partners in, we’re confident that the program will deliver based on their expectations. Our strategy at the moment is to be heads-down focused on the game and delivering the best experience to fans and players everywhere, and then we will pick our heads back up in the middle of the year to re-evaluate when the right time to bring in more partnered teams will be. The HCS and its partnership program are important parts of the Halo Infinite ecosystem and strategy, and we will continue our mission to deliver epic entertainment to Halo fans around the world. Thank you to everyone for all of the support – we absolutely cannot wait for the season to start and to see you all in Charlotte. To learn more about our HCS Kickoff Major in Charlotte, head <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/charlotte2023">here</a> for the full event breakdown.  



Thanks,  Tashi

Tashi

Team Partnership Program 2023

HCS in
2022 was a historic year for Halo esports and it wouldn’t have been possible
without all of the amazing support of fans, players, and partners alike – thank
you. We know everyone has been eagerly awaiting the release of the 2023 roadmap
and today we’re excited to finally pull back the curtain.



To start,
it’s important that we re-establish our high level goals and philosophies about
the league. It’s important because it’ll help fans understand how we make
decisions as a league to keep the league going in a sustainable way so we can
run year after year.



Our
mission is to provide epic entertainment to Halo fans through the thrill of
competition.



We
believe in:



<ul><li>Cultivating and uniting communities</li><li>Providing sustained content for fans around the
world to watch</li><li>Creating a platform for players, teams, and
partners in the ecosystem to thrive on.</li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">PROGRAM GOALS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-hZffFJs-X3-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-56019" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-hZffFJs-X3-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-hZffFJs-X3-300x200.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-hZffFJs-X3-768x512.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-hZffFJs-X3-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-hZffFJs-X3-1568x1046.jpg 1568w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-hZffFJs-X3.jpg 1600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



These are
the goals and how we will determine the success of the program and ecosystem.
Success in these areas means we can expand and grow over time, failure in these
areas means we may need to rethink our approach.



<ul><li>Extend engagement outside of our games with
players, and potential players. (Viewership and social media impressions/reach)</li><li>Build a platform that players, teams, sponsors,
tournament operators, and content creators can sustain successful businesses
around. (Participating and investing in Halo needs to provide returns based on
their goals)</li><li>Build a vision and aspiration for our fans,
players, and gamers to create a movement. (We want to create as many 1 + 1 = 3
scenarios as possible. If we all band together, we can truly create something
special)</li><li>Create exciting and epic moments in gaming
culture. (When are the times we are creating a moment and capturing the
attention of the greater online gaming community?)</li><li>Player retention, loyalty, engagement, and more
in-game. (The development team will own these goals more than the esports team,
but still important for us to track and contribute to.)</li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">FORMAT UPDATES</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-B4VsWm2-X3-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-56075" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-B4VsWm2-X3-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-B4VsWm2-X3-300x200.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-B4VsWm2-X3-768x512.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-B4VsWm2-X3-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-B4VsWm2-X3-1568x1046.jpg 1568w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-B4VsWm2-X3.jpg 1600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



As Year 1
of HCS was taking place and progressing, we were able to finally get real
feedback and data about how the various components of the league were
performing based on our goals. We thought critically about which components were
having the biggest impact and which were not, and we challenged our assumptions
along the way. In an effort to make improvements based on the overall format
and do so in a way that’s sustainable, we’ve made several changes to the format
and philosophy.



<ol><li>Events: In Year 1, each region had its own multi-step process to get to Majors. (Online – > Regionals / Supers – > Majors – > HaloWC). This was the option we had selected because in theory this would give each region a more meaningful path to the bigger events. What we found however was that while that was true, they impacted how many events all players could attend as a tradeoff and ultimately didn’t provide the maximum amount of excitement, competition, and entertainment that we saw with our Majors. Instead we want every event to be as epic as the last, and we want to give the opportunity to players to have more events overall. For 2023 then, every event will be a global event that each region will have guaranteed representation at including of course the Halo World Championship. </li><li>Online vs LAN: Last year we had had a great deal of online competition including weekly online events, Pro Series, and Supers – and they each had their own weight in the format with regards to points and placement spots. Generally our philosophy was that points meant very little in comparison not only to LAN but also to placement at specific tournaments. We think that in retrospect, the pendulum away from points was swung a bit too far and we’re going to have a more balanced approach for Year 2 where you’ll see that points and thus consistency for players and teams across the season have more weight than they did in Year 1. Finally, while Pro Series and Supers were entertaining in their own right, they did not perform up to the level we had expected them to against our goals outside of the NA Super. Thus we are moving away from them for Year 2 again in favor of more emphasis on LAN while keeping a consistent 4v4 rotation of tournaments around for players to compete in to earn points and qualify for the LAN events. </li><li>Bracket sizes: In Year 1, we had large and in some cases like Raleigh, very large Championship Bracket sizes. The game had just launched and wanted to push the format size as much as we could in order to mitigate the potential inconsistencies that could be possible due to online competition as well as players still acclimating to the game and meta. What we found was general stability in the scene and consistency across online and LAN performances, which is great. Additionally, due to the large bracket sizes we found that there were quite a few matches that were not as competitive and thus exciting/entertaining as they could be. So for 2023 we’re slightly reducing the pool play and championship bracket slots (more details are below and in the handbook) in order to promote competitiveness in both open and championship brackets and thus make each more exciting and interesting to follow. </li></ol>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">2023 ROADMAP</h2>



Without
further ado, here’s the official HCS 2023 Roadmap



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/HCS-2023-Roadmap-1024x576.png" alt="" class="wp-image-56089" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/HCS-2023-Roadmap-1024x576.png 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/HCS-2023-Roadmap-300x169.png 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/HCS-2023-Roadmap-768x432.png 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/HCS-2023-Roadmap-1536x864.png 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/HCS-2023-Roadmap-1568x882.png 1568w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/HCS-2023-Roadmap.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Texas, Texas, Texas: One of largest requests we received last year was, “When is HCS coming to Texas?”. Well, we’re excited to say that we’re headed to Texas for a total of 3 times in 2023. Texas has historically been a state HCS has visited many times over the years and we’ve always seen great attendance there. With our partners OpTic hosting one event, as well as adding the juggernauts in Complexity to the Team Partnership Program, we felt this would be a great destination and centrally located area for more events. 



New event type – Global Invitational: In 2023 we’re introducing a brand-new event type and format which will be used for 2 events on the roadmap – one at DreamHack Dallas, and one in Salt Lake City with our partners in Spacestation Gaming. For these events, we’re bringing 16 of the world’s best teams to the stage to play for their share of $125,000! In terms of competitiveness, we’re expecting these to be as exciting as Majors and a great way to see which teams are the best in the world in that moment. Additionally, this format ensures that there are more events for all teams to gather instead of just Majors and HaloWC, and thus increases the number of events attended from 5 to 6 total across the year. Finally, it makes it very clear to all fans in the ecosystem that this is the event that you should be following and watching as it brings it all under one roof. 



The 16 qualified teams for the SSG Global Invitational will be broken down as follows:



<ul><li>Top 8 from Arlington Major</li><li>North America: 4 teams</li><li>Europe: 2 teams</li><li>Mexico: 1 team</li><li>Australia and New Zealand: 1 team </li></ul>



Partnered Team Events: The team partnership program is continuing to expand to bring more and more opportunities to teams in effort to help them grow their business while providing great content for fans. Some of these will be smaller online tournaments where teams are broadcasting, others will be large in person tournaments like with the HCS Major and Global Invitational with OpTic and Spacestation respectively. We see teams as a critical component to the entire ecosystem and this is a big leap we’re taking forward for the program as teams have come to us wanting to run more and more tournaments. As time goes on, our ambition to continue to expand this philosophy year over year, and we’re really excited to see where it goes.



Note: For any team tournaments that are part of the official HCS roadmap, the administration will not be managed by the teams but rather by the league directly and independent from the teams. This is to avoid any conflict of interest and maintain competitive integrity. 



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-wcg7jJ3-X3-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-56047" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-wcg7jJ3-X3-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-wcg7jJ3-X3-300x200.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-wcg7jJ3-X3-768x512.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-wcg7jJ3-X3-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-wcg7jJ3-X3-1568x1046.jpg 1568w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-wcg7jJ3-X3.jpg 1600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Weekly Online Events: As with last year we’ve once again partnered with FACEIT to bring you all of the online competition taking place, including of course this weekend’s Charlotte Online Open and subsequent qualifiers. Also taking place on FACEIT are the Quadrant and FaZe Clan Online events coming this Spring. The weekly online events are meant to provide teams with stable and regular competition to earn points, gain tournament experience as a team, and ensure they’re securing positioning for LANs and travel coverage to the various events. 



Prizing:
Each Major in 2023 will feature a prize pool of $250,000 for the 4v4, and a
$5,000 FFA open to all players. As always the Majors feature an open bracket
where any team can show up and fight for a share of the prize. As mentioned above,
the Global Invitationals will feature a prize pool of $125,000. Finally, the
Halo World Championship will once again see a $1,000,000 prize pool as well as
award the title of the best Halo team in the world!



<ul><li><s>Feb 11-12: Charlotte Online Open (Feb 12 for rest of world) </s></li><li><s>Feb 13-14: Charlotte Qualifier (Feb 14 for rest of world)</s></li><li><s>Feb 24-26: HCS Kickoff Major Charlotte: </s></li><li><s>Mar 12: Open Series 2k</s></li><li><s>Mar 16: NA Open Series 2k Finals</s></li><li><s>Mar 19: Open Series 2k</s></li><li><s>Mar 23: NA Open Series 2k Finals </s></li><li><s>Mar 26: Open Series 4k Qualifier</s></li><li><s>April 1-2: NA Open Series 4k (Apr 2 rest of world)</s></li><li><s>April 16: EU Quadrant 4k Qualifier, Open Series 4k Qualifiers (rest of world)</s></li><li><s>April 22-23: NA Open Series 4k</s></li><li><s>April 23: EU Quadrant Open Series 4k, MX/ANZ Open Series 4k</s></li><li><s>April 30: Open Series 2k </s></li><li><s>May 4: NA Open Series 2k Finals</s></li><li><s>May 7: NA FaZe Clan 4k Qualifier, Open Series 4k Qualifier (rest of world)</s></li><li><s>May 12-13: NA FaZe Clan Open Series 4k DreamHack Dallas Qualifier, Open Series 4k DreamHack Dallas Qualifier (May 13 rest of world)</s></li><li><s>June 2-4: HCS Global Invitational @ DreamHack Dallas</s></li><li><s>June 30 – July 1: HCS Arlington Major hosted by OpTic</s></li><li>July 16: SSG Pre-Qualifier </li><li>July 22-23: HCS/SSG Global Invitational Qualifier, (NA starts on July 22. All other regions start on July 23)</li><li>August 4-6: HCS Global Invitational hosted by Spacestation Gaming</li><li>August 12-13: HCS Open Championship (All Regions – NA starts on Aug 12. All other regions start on Aug 13)</li><li>Sept 1-3: HCS Fort Worth Major </li><li>October 13-15: Halo World Championship 2023 (Seattle, Washington)</li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">WHERE TO WATCH</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-9ZhvWPT-X3-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-56103" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-9ZhvWPT-X3-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-9ZhvWPT-X3-300x200.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-9ZhvWPT-X3-768x512.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-9ZhvWPT-X3-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-9ZhvWPT-X3-1568x1046.jpg 1568w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-9ZhvWPT-X3.jpg 1600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



In 2023,
you’ll be able to watch all official HCS events live on Twitch and YouTube as
in Year 1.



Primary streams:



<ul><li><a href="https://www.twitch.tv/halo">Twitch.tv/Halo</a></li><li><a href="mailto:YouTube.com/@HaloEsportsHCS">YouTube.com/@HaloEsportsHCS</a></li></ul>



And for
events with multiple streams, we’ll be using these channels:



<ul><li><a href="https://www.twitch.tv/hcs">Twitch.tv/HCS</a></li><li><a href="https://www.twitch.tv/hcs_red">Twitch.tv/HCS_Red</a></li><li><a href="https://www.twitch.tv/hcs_blue">Twitch.tv/HCS_Blue</a></li></ul>



Be sure to follow and subscribe
to each account to ensure you’re not missing any of the action! 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">MORE DETAILS</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-FWh7FpL-X3-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-56131" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-FWh7FpL-X3-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-FWh7FpL-X3-300x200.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-FWh7FpL-X3-768x512.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-FWh7FpL-X3-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-FWh7FpL-X3-1568x1046.jpg 1568w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/i-FWh7FpL-X3.jpg 1600w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Crowdfunding: Our desires and ambitions around crowdfunding remain strong, and going forward we want to increase our support here and provide a more transparent way for fans to contribute to the scene they love. There won’t be crowdfunding in 2023. For us to bring it back, there’s some feature work in the game/web that we want to ensure is in place first before we bring crowdfunding back again in a big way. We want to make this a fully fledged feature that players and fans have a great time engaging with and supporting. We’ll have more details down on the road on this. 



Handbook: The HCS 2023 handbook is also available and ready for players to reference <a href="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/02/HCS_2023_Program_Handbook_v1.0.pdf">here.</a> We encourage all players to read and understand the handbook so they best know the format, how the tournament structure works and comes together, and how they can best be prepared for the competition this year. This is where you’ll find all the information regarding qualification, points breakdown, code of conduct, and more. 



Free-For-All (FFA): FFA will still be a regular part of the HCS roadmap with an open FFA at each major with a prize pool of $5,000, as well as at the Halo World Championship with a prize pool of $25,000. At the moment, there are no plans for weekly online FFA tournaments and we will continue to look for opportunities to include FFA into the ecosystem. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CONCLUSION</h2>



After a
long offseason it’s finally time to get back into the action and Charlotte is
just a few short weeks away from kicking off – we can’t wait. All new rosters,
new events, more global events than 2023, and nonstop action. Best of luck to
all teams competing!



For all the latest on the Halo Championship, keep it locked to <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/esports">Halo.gg</a>, and be sure to follow @HCS on <a href="https://twitter.com/hcs">Twitter</a> and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hcs/">Instagram</a>.

HCS 2023 Roadmap

With the offseason coming to a close shortly we’re providing updates about the 2023 season of the Halo Championship Series so competitors and fans know what to expect for qualifiers as well as format for the Charlotte Major. Let’s jump right in.



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CHARLOTTE KICKOFF MAJOR</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="360" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/01/HCS_Charolette-Vis-ID_1920x675-1-1024x360.png" alt="" class="wp-image-55305" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/01/HCS_Charolette-Vis-ID_1920x675-1-1024x360.png 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/01/HCS_Charolette-Vis-ID_1920x675-1-300x105.png 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/01/HCS_Charolette-Vis-ID_1920x675-1-768x270.png 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/01/HCS_Charolette-Vis-ID_1920x675-1-1536x540.png 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/01/HCS_Charolette-Vis-ID_1920x675-1-1568x551.png 1568w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2023/01/HCS_Charolette-Vis-ID_1920x675-1.png 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



Format: The event format will be very similar to what
we saw in Year 1 but we’ve made a few refinements now that we’ve got a full
year of global competitive results to build from. Here’s what you can expect:



<ul><li>Open Bracket: As is customary, there will be an open bracket featured at the Charlotte Major (and every Major in 2023). This will take place on Friday, February 24 and will start and end on the same day. The bracket will be filled by the first 96 teams to purchase a pass. The top 4 teams from the Open Bracket will move on to Pool Play (2 from the Winner’s bracket, 2 from the Elimination Bracket) They will be placed into Pool Play and will have a shot to earn a spot in the Championship Bracket.</li><li>Pool Play: The Top 12 teams from qualifiers will be starting the tournament from Pool Play on Friday, February 24 competing in a Best of 5 round robin format as is customary. You’ll notice this number is slightly reduced from Year 1. We made this decision to increase the competitiveness of Pool Play, as well as the competitiveness of the Open Bracket. We expect to see more intense matches, a more intense Championship Bracket, as well as more competitive teams coming out of the Open Bracket. As with last year, each of the 4 competing regions will have a set amount of slots in Pool Play and Open Bracket which we’ve also adjusted based on Year 1 results. The regional breakout is as follows:<ul><li>North America: 8 Pool Play slots, 2 Open Bracket Travel Coverage slots</li><li>Europe: 2 Pool Play slots, 2 Open Bracket Travel Coverage slots</li><li>Mexico: 1 Pool Play slot, 1 Open Bracket Travel Coverage slot</li><li>Australia and New Zealand: 1 Pool Play slot, 2 Open Bracket Travel Coverage slots</li></ul></li></ul>



IMPORTANT NOTE: As with last year, all teams in pool play will receive travel stipends. Additionally, as with last year, we’re still providing regional travel support for the next top teams regionally so that there’s still meaningful global participation at the Majors and those teams have the chances to prove themselves worthy of qualifying for pool play and the championship bracket.



<ul><li>Championship Bracket: For HaloWC 2022 the
top 2 teams from each pool went to the Winner’s Bracket, the 3rd
place team went to the Elimination Bracket, while the 4th place team
was eliminated from the competition. In 2023, we’re going to replicate this
format for the Majors. Like with the Pool Play changes, our aim is to overall
create a more competitive format where the matches are also higher stakes along
the way. We felt this was a success for HaloWC and we’re excited to see it in
action for the Majors.</li></ul>



<ul><li>Qualifier Dates: As announced back at HaloWC, online qualifiers for the Charlotte Major are taking place later this month for all 4 regions. See the dates below:<ul><li>Charlotte Online Open: February 4-5 in NA, Feb 5 for rest of world.</li><li>Charlotte Main Qualifier: February 7-8 in NA, Feb 8 for rest of world. </li><li>Charlotte Roster Lock: February 9 (For Pool Play teams)</li></ul></li></ul>



Qualifier
Format:



<ul><li>Year 1 Points: Players fought all season long in 2022 and we want to recognize their efforts as well as ensure the first competition of the new season is as balanced as it can be. To accomplish this, Year 1 points will be used for seeding for Charlotte Online Open. Once the Online Open has concluded, all Year 1 points will be wiped and only Year 2 points will be used going forward. </li><li>Qualification: In Year 1 we leaned heavily into rewarding teams for earning spots in those specific qualifiers as opposed to points accumulated across all qualifiers. In Year 2, we’re going to balance this out a bit more so that teams that perform well in the main qualifier are rewarded, but that we’re accounting for consistent performances by rewarding teams that have accumulated points through consistent performances during the qualification period. You’ll see this philosophy throughout the season as well as we look to strike the right balance. Here’s how it breaks out per region:<ul><li>North America: 6 with placement qualification, 2 with points.</li><li>Europe: 1 with placement qualification, 1 with points.</li><li>Mexico: 1 with placement qualification</li><li>Australia and New Zealand: 1 with placement qualification</li></ul></li></ul>



Note: Teams that qualify for Open Bracket travel coverage per the breakout above will be determined based on points only.  



Just like with Year 1, all online tournaments will be run on the FACEIT platform and registration opens tomorrow, January 26. Keep an eye out for registration links by following <a href="https://twitter.com/hcs">@HCS on Twitter.</a> 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">CONCLUSION</h2>



Looking forward into 2023 we’re thrilled to get back out on
the road and put on a great tournament experience and show for all fans and
players. I think we all needed a bit of a break after the wild action in Year
1, but it’s now time to kick off Year 2! 



Next up we’ll talk about the HCS Team Partnership program
and what you can expect this year, as well as the full roadmap for the year. 



Keep it locked to <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/esports">Halo.gg</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/hcs">HCS on Twitter</a>, and <a href="https://www.instagram.com/hcs/">HCS on Instagram</a> to see the latest updates on the Halo Championship Series.

Charlotte Format and Qualifiers

HaloWC

OPTIC GAMING ARE YOUR 2022 HALO WORLD CHAMPIONS!

Since Halo Infinite’s launch nearly 1 year ago the community has been contributing crowdfunded dollars to the Halo esports ecosystem. Up to this point, nearly $500,000 has already gone directly towards boosting prize pools of official HCS events – and that doesn’t include funds that have gone directly to partnered teams from the sale of cosmetics in their store. This is remarkable. Thank you to everyone who has contributed up to this point. Partway through the season, based on the community feedback, we realized there was an opportunity to use the crowdfunding to have a greater impact on the ecosystem at large, rather than just a few select tournaments. This led us to begin working with partnered teams to see where we could support and the result was boosting the FaZe prize pool to $75,000 back in April, as well as working with eUnited to fund the Grunt Classic tournament that just took place last month. Supporting partnered teams in this way has proven to be a powerful route to take as we can elevate the work that they’re doing, and even fill in gaps in the roadmap with all new tournaments.   



Going forward, we’re going to continue this new philosophy in an effort to bolster the roadmap and add new events all together, rather than boosting what are already very large prize pools. Overall, we believe this holistic approach will result in more opportunities for players, as well as more content and entertainment for fans to watch. Ultimately, we feel this will drive a larger impact across the entire ecosystem, rather than putting so many eggs in one basket. And on top of all this, we’re going to be increasing the HaloWC FFA Prize Pool from $5,000 to $25,000. Finally, with all that said we’re excited to offer our biggest prize pool of the year at HaloWC with $1,000,000 on the line, of which $400,000 goes to first place alone.  







<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="683" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/10/HaloWC-FFA-Trophy-6349f04493c1a-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-48096" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/10/HaloWC-FFA-Trophy-6349f04493c1a-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/10/HaloWC-FFA-Trophy-6349f04493c1a-300x200.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/10/HaloWC-FFA-Trophy-6349f04493c1a-768x512.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/10/HaloWC-FFA-Trophy-6349f04493c1a-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/10/HaloWC-FFA-Trophy-6349f04493c1a-1568x1045.jpg 1568w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/10/HaloWC-FFA-Trophy-6349f04493c1a.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /><figcaption>FFA World Championship Trophy awaits its victor</figcaption></figure>



So, what’s next? We’ve already begun working with the partnered teams to add more events to the roadmap and we’ll be sharing more details live at the Halo World Championship, along with initial roadmap details for Year 2 of the Halo Championship Series. Like with Year 1, our aim is to publicly announce the entire Year 2 roadmap before all of the Official HCS competition begins, and we’ll be releasing more info following the Halo World Championship this year.  



Once again, we want to say thank you to everyone in the community that has supported HCS. From the fans, to the players, the teams, and all of our partners – thank you.   



The Halo World Championship begins October 20 with the Play-In Stage of the tournament with the Main Event taking place October 21-23 live from the Seattle Convention Center. We hope you all enjoy the show and for those attending the event, we’ll see you there! To see all the latest HaloWC info including schedule and the full FAQ head to the event page on <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/halowc2022">Halo.gg</a>.