Esports

HCS PRO SERIES

HCS Split 2 Tournament FAQ

Season 2 for Halo Infinite brought new maps, modes, and updates to the experience for all players including of course the competitive community. Today we wanted to detail changes coming to the map rotation for HCS. These changes have already been reflected in the Ranked playlist since Season 2’s launch.



Map rotation goals:



<ul><li>Provide a well-rounded competitive experience
with a variety of maps and modes.</li><li>Keep players engaged with new content to compete
on while minimizing interference with HCS roadmap. </li><li>Entertain fans with exciting and fresh content
to watch. </li></ul>



With Season 2 released on May 3, we’ve integrated the new map Catalyst into the rotation, as well as the King of the Hill mode which has been updated with capture and scoring mechanics in comparison to the original versions which we feel will deliver a competitive and exciting experience. Here at 343 Industries, the Competitive Insights Team has been thoroughly testing new map and mode combinations, and the ranked playlist was already updated to get extra coverage on the maps and modes as well.



New additions:



<ul><li>CTF Catalyst</li><li>Slayer Catalyst</li><li>KotH Live Fire</li><li>KotH Recharge</li><li>KotH Streets</li></ul>



While it’s important to add new content into the rotation as the season moves along, we also need to ensure the map rotation isn’t too big which in the past we’ve seen this to be too much for teams to practice and lowered overall quality of play.



Earlier in the HCS season, we asked players to provide feedback on maps and modes via surveys through our online partner, FACEIT. Thank you to everyone who took the time to give your feedback, it was this data that we used to make decisions for Season 2, especially the map rotation. When we asked players to rate each map and mode combination (AKA gametype), you told us that Slayer on Bazaar was the gametype that was furthest away from hitting the quality bar. Based on this feedback, we felt it was appropriate to replace Team Slayer on Bazaar with Team Slayer on Catalyst. 



This is the new map rotation:



<figure class="wp-block-table"><table class=""><tbody><tr><td>Mode</td><td>Maps</td></tr><tr><td>Capture the Flag</td><td>– Aquarius – Bazaar – Catalyst</td></tr><tr><td>King of the Hill</td><td>– Live Fire – Recharge – Streets</td></tr><tr><td>Oddball</td><td>– Live Fire – Recharge – Streets</td></tr><tr><td>Slayer</td><td>– Aquarius – Catalyst – Live Fire – Recharge – Streets</td></tr><tr><td>Strongholds</td><td>– Live Fire – Recharge – Streets</td></tr></tbody></table></figure>



We also wanted to provide details on how tournament map rotations were going to be made now that there’s an additional objective mode in the rotation. Philosophically speaking, HCS considers all objective modes to be prioritized equally so therefore our goal is going to be balancing the modes during a tournament so that again we’re providing a well-rounded competitive experience that will test players across everything. 



The following is unchanged:



Best of 3:



<ul><li>Game 1: Objective</li><li>Game 2: Slayer</li><li>Game 3: Objective </li></ul>



Best of 5:



<ul><li>Game 1: Objective</li><li>Game 2: Slayer</li><li>Game 3: Objective</li><li>Game 4: Objective</li><li>Game 5: Slayer</li></ul>



Best of 7:



<ul><li>Game 1: Objective </li><li>Game 2: Slayer</li><li>Game 3: Objective </li><li>Game 4: Objective</li><li>Game 5: Slayer</li><li>Game 6: Objective</li><li>Game 7: Slayer</li></ul>



 In a Best of 5 series, you’ll see a unique mode each time an objective mode comes up. We will do our best to balance the total number of occurrences for each objective mode throughout each tournament. 



Below is an example of a few rounds in order to illustrate how rotations will be created. 



Round 1:



<ul><li>Game 1: CTF</li><li>Game 2: Slayer</li><li>Game 3: Strongholds</li><li>Game 4: Oddball</li><li>Game 5: Slayer</li></ul>



Round 2:



<ul><li>Game 1: Strongholds</li><li>Game 2: Slayer</li><li>Game 3: Oddball</li><li>Game 4: King of the Hill</li><li>Game 5: Slayer</li></ul>



Round 3:



<ul><li>Game 1: Oddball</li><li>Game 2: Slayer</li><li>Game 3: King of the Hill</li><li>Game 4: CTF</li><li>Game 5: Slayer</li></ul>



Round 4:



<ul><li>Game 1: King of the Hill</li><li>Game 2: Slayer</li><li>Game 3: CTF</li><li>Game 4: Strongholds</li><li>Game 5: Slayer</li></ul>



We wish all teams the best of luck through the rest of the season on the road to the Halo World Championship. 



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Official HCS

HCS Split 2 Maps and Modes

<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="975" height="244" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/04/image.png" alt="" class="wp-image-33928" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/04/image.png 975w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/04/image-300x75.png 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/04/image-768x192.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 975px) 100vw, 975px" /></figure>



During the development of the Halo Infinite, the 343 Industries team partnered closely with Dolby, innovators in the science of sight and sound for movies, TV shows, music, and gaming. Thanks to Dolby technologies we were able to take the audiovisual experience for Halo Infinite to all new heights, delivering that same world-class experience to players at home. For the Halo Championship Series, we wanted to build off the partnership and extend to Halo esports in all new ways. 



Today we’re excited to announce that the Halo Championship
Series is now officially partnered with Dolby to showcase the amazing experience
that Dolby brings to Halo Infinite. 



As part of the partnership, Dolby will be onsite with a
booth in Kansas City, Orlando, and the Halo World Championship right here in
Seattle, showcasing the extraordinary spatial sound of Dolby Atmos and visual
fidelity of Dolby Vision in Halo Infinite. Fans will be able to go hands-on to
truly experience the difference for themselves. Dolby will also be offering
free trials of Dolby Atmos for Headphones via the Dolby Access app on Microsoft
Store so you can have the same experience right in the comfort of your home.



Be sure to stop by the booth and try it out for yourself,
we’re very interested in hearing feedback from our competitive players!



And, in the future, we’re also working with Dolby to deliver
the HCS broadcast in Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision so fans at home watching the
show can experience every moment like never before. 



We want to thank Dolby for supporting the Halo community not
only with their amazing technology already in place with Halo Infinite, but
also for supporting the HCS and providing a great experience for players and
fans at the events. 



We’ll see you in Kansas City!

Dolby Joins the HCS

HCS Major Kansas City 2022

Today we have some exciting news to share about the expansion of the HCS – particularly with the Team Partnership Program.



Before getting into that however, we know right now the competitive community has a growing list of feedback ranging from weapon balance, more maps/modes, continued updates to ranked and anti-cheat, and more. This blog is not the place to get into those details, but we felt it was still important to acknowledge this feedback and say the various teams at 343 are working diligently on everything listed above and more.



To hear more about what the studio is working on and what to expect in Season 2, head on over to the blog Joseph Staten released earlier today which can be found <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/halo-infinite-update-march-2022">HERE</a>. Thank you for your continued support and patience!



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Team Partnership Program</h2>



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/i-p44FZdz-X3-1024x683.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-29392" width="906" height="604" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/i-p44FZdz-X3-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/i-p44FZdz-X3-300x200.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/i-p44FZdz-X3-768x512.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/i-p44FZdz-X3-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/i-p44FZdz-X3-1568x1046.jpg 1568w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/i-p44FZdz-X3.jpg 1600w" sizes="(max-width: 906px) 100vw, 906px" /></figure>



On the HCS league side, we’ve seen record viewership,
participation, and attendance since launch. Halo esports has never seen this
level of support and we can’t help but feel grateful to everyone in the
ecosystem from fans to players to partners who are all working together to make
Halo esports the success it’s been so far. This community has grown immensely. 



Another area that’s been a breakout success has been the Team Partnership Program and today we’re excited to announce that the program is officially expanding. In Year 2 of HCS we’re going to be adding 1-3 more partnered Teams into the program and the application window for aspiring Teams is open starting TODAY.



There are many Teams looking to get into the partnership program and while we wish we could bring them all in right away, we are committed to a slow and steady approach with a long-term vision. It’s critical that we don’t expand too quickly, and we are methodically expanding based on the metrics and success that we are seeing and proving out as we go. 



To learn more about what the application process entails, the deadlines, and how to submit, please see the form <a href="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/HCS-Year-2-Partnership-Application-Form.pdf">HERE</a>. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">UPCOMING EVENTS</h2>



As a reminder, this weekend we are hosting the HCS Supers for ANZ and MX, including an English stream for MX. All new Twitch Drops will be available all weekend long so make sure your accounts are linked and keep an eye on <a href="https://twitter.com/HCS">@HCS on Twitter</a> for more details. Later this month we’ll also be hosting the EU Super which will be the last regional final event that leads into the next live event, the Kansas City Major.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" width="1024" height="576" src="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/FM91dlPVkAkgjoE-1024x576.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-29378" srcset="https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/FM91dlPVkAkgjoE-1024x576.jpg 1024w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/FM91dlPVkAkgjoE-300x169.jpg 300w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/FM91dlPVkAkgjoE-768x432.jpg 768w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/FM91dlPVkAkgjoE-1536x864.jpg 1536w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/FM91dlPVkAkgjoE-1568x882.jpg 1568w, https://wpassets.halowaypoint.com/wp-content/2022/03/FM91dlPVkAkgjoE.jpg 1920w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" /></figure>



The Kansas City Major will take place on April 29 – May 1 and will be an open event just like the Raleigh Major. We will have more details to share next week including information on when VIP, Spectator tickets, as well as Team Passes go on sale. As always, we will continue to monitor and adhere to the COVID-19 guidelines as we get closer to the event but based on current information we are planning to move forward with hosting the event. 



Once again, thank you to everyone in the Halo community and
ecosystem for supporting Halo esports. Growing this community and providing
amazing entertainment to watch is why we do this. 



Thanks,



Tashi



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Tashi

HCS Team Partnership Expansion

HCS NA Regional Finals at DreamHack Anaheim 2022

HCS Update – January 2022

The Halo Championship Series returns this weekend bringing United States Marine Corps reinforcements to the highly anticipated kickoff event in Raleigh.



For two decades, Marines have played a significant role throughout the Halo franchise, protecting and serving alongside Master Chief. Their fighting spirit spans generations where battles are won on behalf of humanity in the face of uncertainty and adversity. As a predecessor of the United Nations Space Command, today’s Marine Corps serves as America’s expeditionary fighting force, remaining the most ready when our Nation is least ready to fight and win across every domain.



To celebrate the fighting spirit exhibited by teams and
individual players at all levels, the United States Marine Corps is partnering with
the Halo Championship Series to recognize and reward excellence on the road to
the Halo World Championship.



“Competing at the highest level requires grit, self-determination
and the will to succeed despite all odds,” said Director of Esports and Gaming,
Captain Michael Maggitti. “We are truly humbled to support the competitors and
larger Halo community as they fight with the same tenacity and resolve exhibited
by both the Marines of today and of the future. We are equally honored to take
part in the long and storied history as the Halo Championship Series redefines
the competitive landscape starting in Raleigh.” 



We’re very thankful for the U.S Marine Corps and their supporting partners at Mindshare and Wunderman Thompson for their support of the Halo community!



For more information about how Marines are trained and equipped to lead with confidence in themselves and their teams, head to <a href="https://www.marines.com/life-as-a-marine/standards/battle-ready.html">Marines.com</a>.

U.S. Marine Corps Joins Forces with Halo Championship Series

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



Following the NA Kickoff Qualifier 12-1 tournament on December 1-2, 2021, a number of players raised allegations that Sentinels had forced the game to select a server resulting in abnormally high ping for players in the game lobby. One of these accusations was directed towards Royal 2 from Sentinels. These allegations were accompanied by reviews of Sentinels players’ Twitch streams which categorized the perceived changes and abnormalities in player pings directly in the game client. There were also significant lobby connection issues during the tournament which led to the 4+ hour delay of the tournament. On December 3, 2021, HCS Administration made the decision to immediately undertake a formal investigation to better understand the causes of lobby connection issues experienced during the 4+ hour delay to the NA Kickoff Qualifier Day 2 and to more closely examine these allegations of server manipulation. 



Competitive integrity and fairness are paramount to the HCS, our partnered teams, players, and community. We take these matters very seriously and with HCS Raleigh approaching, HCS Administration moved quickly to undertake a thorough and accurate review. This included research and analysis done by multiple teams within Microsoft, as well as providing ample time for Sentinels to present any evidence they wished to be reviewed.



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



In Halo Infinite a server is determined automatically by the game with no organic ability for players to control the outcome of this. The game measures the pings of all of the players in the lobby to all of the servers in the world, 7 of which are located in the United States, and then selects the server it determines best for everyone in the match to play on. To investigate, the development team<a> </a>extensively reviewed server logs from all matches, both matchmaking and custom games, that Royal 2 played in Halo Infinite since November 15, 2021. We found that from November 26, 2021, the day before NA Open Series 11-27 on November 27, 2021 through the last match of the NA Kickoff Qualifier 12-1 on December 3, 2021, all US servers but 1 server in the United States (westus2) were missing from the server ping list, thus forcing all of Royal 2’s matches onto that server and creating an abnormally high ping for players in the affected matches. 



Our internal development team reproduced a publicly known and documented tactic to proactively remove servers from the list of eligible servers. Upon doing this, the resulting data signature matched the same data signature found in the matches that Royal 2 played in where only the westus2 server was available. Additionally, the team was able to confirm that there were no server or game outages that may have impacted those servers or any players in the same manner. Finally, upon review of all other top players we did not see any similar data anomalies. 



Sentinels
have been given several opportunities to provide reliable support for an
alternative explanation. The ISP data provided by Sentinels to support an
alternative explanation is inconsistent with the timeline of data irregularities
that occurred between November 26 and December 3. Further, the increase in
latency that the ISP data details does not explain the irregularities in data
observed.



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



We
have determined that the only plausible explanation for Royal 2’s telemetry
data pattern referred to above is that there was a direct modification of files
giving Royal 2 an unfair competitive advantage during play. This violates the
Official Rules, specifically Section VII.C(2) Hacking and Section VII.C(4) Network
Abuse. 



HCS Official
Handbook VII. Code of Conduct – C. Cheating (emphasis added):



“C. Cheating  The Administration understands that it has an obligation to facilitate a level playing field for all competitors. Competing fairly and to the best of your ability is important towards fostering a healthy competitive environment, and the Administration is committed to ensuring the facilitation of fair competition throughout the duration of the Program and beyond. Any form of cheating, whether intentional or not, by any Participant is strictly prohibited. Participants are required and expected to maintain cognizance of these Official Rules and any form of cheating or violation of these rules, or the spirit of these rules, either intentionally or unintentionally, will result in penalties in accordance with the Code of Conduct. All Participants are prohibited from influencing or manipulating a Game or Match so that the outcome is determined by anything other than fair and reasonable play….



…2. Hacking



Using any cheats,
hacks or other third-party “helper” applications, or the modification
of game code or files beyond the intended use of standard game options
while competing in any element of the Program for the purpose of gaining an
unfair competitive advantage…



…4. Network
Abuse



Participants may
not intentionally delay or slow gameplay, including but not limited to
stalling, disconnecting network cables, interruption of network
connectivity, or any other known or unknown manner of tampering with gameplay.”



HCS Official
Handbook IX. Heightened Conduct Expectations:



“Due to the
elevated stature and reach associated with being partnered with the Program,
Partnered Teams owners, staff, affiliates, and rosters are subject to
heightened expectations of conduct and behavior. These heightened expectations
may include but are not limited to the following:



<ul><li>Supplemental
conduct standards within partnered team agreements;</li><li>A responsibility
for Partnered Teams to avoid, actual or perceived, violation of the Official
Rules; and,</li><li>The more
stringent application of penalties in comparison to similar violations
committed by Player(s) from non-partnered teams.”\</li></ul>



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



The Official Rules provide guidelines on penalties for Hacking as follows:



<ul><li>“Typical Minimum Penalty: $2,000 Fine and Suspension</li><li>Typical Maximum Penalty: $2,000 Fine, Indefinite Suspension”</li></ul>



The NA Open Series & Kickoff
Qualifier Event Rules provide the following on penalties (emphasis added): 



“13.2. The
Administration reserves the right to enforce any of the following penalties
against Participants found to be in violation of any rules or stipulations set
forth in these Official Rules, the Handbook, or the official code of conduct:



<ul><li>13.2.1. Forfeiture of Game</li><li>13.2.2. Forfeiture of Match</li><li>13.2.3. Removal of Participant from Tournament (Disqualification)</li><li>13.2.4. Forfeiture of prizing</li><li>13.2.5. Forfeiture of HCS Points</li><li>13.2.6. Partial or full removal of HCS Points</li><li>13.2.7. Partial or full removal of travel coverage</li><li>13.2.8. Enforcement of a fine</li><li>13.2.9. A ban from participation in the HCS program</li><li>13.2.10. Temporary or permanent suspension from: Xbox Live, Halo game platforms and services, and/or participation in a HCS, Halo, and/or Microsoft online or live tournament or event</li><li>13.2.11. Pursue prosecution with the law or authoritative bodies for any illegal activities.”</li></ul>



The following penalties have been applied accordingly:



<ol><li>Nullification of Sentinels’ placement for the NA Open Series 11-27 and NA Kickoff Qualifier 12-1 event. This includes:<ul><li>Removal of HCS 4v4 Points (3,660 total) for all members of the Sentinels team.</li><li>Forfeiture of the 1st place Pool Play position for the HCS Kickoff Major Raleigh 2021 awarded in the NA Kickoff Qualifier 12-1. </li></ul></li><li>Effective immediately, suspension of Royal 2 from HCS Competition until January 28, 2022. </li><li>As a result of Royal 2’s suspension, Sentinels will be unable to field the same, full roster for the HCS Kickoff Major Raleigh 2021 as was used in the NA Kickoff Qualifier event, and therefore will be ineligible for a Pool Play position at the Raleigh event</li><li>The rest of the roster is eligible to compete in the Open Bracket. Sentinels will have until Roster Lock on Monday, December 13, 2021 to complete their roster. </li></ol>



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