Esports

KNIGHTS ARE YOUR HCS MEXICO CITY 2022 CHAMPIONS!

ACEND ARE YOUR HCS VALENCIA 2022 CHAMPIONS!

The first half of the HCS 2022 Season has been full of exciting moments from incredible plays in the game to amazing experiences shared with you all at HCS live events. And if it’s any indication of how the second half of the Season will be, then buckle up because we’re in for a heck of a ride particularly for our last two events the HCS Orlando Major and the Halo World Championship 2022. 



Today we want to pull back the curtain on these events and talk about what you can expect.



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Halo World Championship 2022: <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/halo-world-championship-2022">(Full Event Details)</a>



<ul><li>Venue: Seattle Convention Center (formerly known as Washington State Convention Center) 705 Pike St, Seattle, WA 98101</li><li>Date: October 20 – 23 (Spectators allowed October 21-23 only) </li><li>Event Type: World Championship </li><li>Regional Eligibility: Global  </li><li>Broadcast channels: <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.twitch.tv/halo/" target="_blank">Twitch</a> and <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWRlMArGqt607LYdhlrrYVA" target="_blank">YouTube</a> </li><li>Spectator and VIP tickets –Available 6/29 at 10am pt on EventBrite: <a href="https://haloworldchampionship.eventbrite.com">https://haloworldchampionship.eventbrite.com</a> </li><li>Main Tournament Prize Pool: $1,000,000 </li><li>FFA Prize Pool: $5,000</li></ul>



HCS Orlando Major: <a href="https://www.halowaypoint.com/news/Orlando2022">(Full Event Details)</a>



<ul><li>Venue: Orange County Convention Center – 9800 International Drive Orlando, FL 32819</li><li>Date: September 23-25 </li><li>Event Type: Major </li><li>Regional Eligibility: Global  </li><li>Broadcast channels: <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.twitch.tv/halo/" target="_blank">Twitch</a> and <a rel="noreferrer noopener" href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCWRlMArGqt607LYdhlrrYVA" target="_blank">YouTube</a> </li><li>Spectator and VIP tickets: Available 6/29 at 10am pt on EventBrite: <a href="https://hcsmajororlando.eventbrite.com">https://hcsmajororlando.eventbrite.com</a> </li><li>Team Pass – Available August 15 @ 10am pt.</li><li>4v4 Prize Pool: Starts at $250,000 </li><li>FFA Prize Pool: $5,000</li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">HALO FEST REBORN</h2>



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At the center of the Halo World Championship experience is the biggest and most prestigious tournament of the year. It’s critically important to us however that the event feel welcome to Halo fans whether you enjoy social multiplayer, the rich story and lore, the epic campaigns, and everything in-between. In spirit, we want the Halo World Championship to feel like a “Halo Fest” or sorts – the destination each year that has something for all Halo fans, where you can play Halo with your friends and family, hear the latest news, and take part in fun activities. 



While we’re still locking in all of the details and what you can expect, here’s a brief glimpse into some of the extra activities taking place at the Halo World Championship that you’ll be able to take part in:



<ul><li>Development panels</li><li>Cosplay Contest</li><li>Artist panels</li><li>Meet and greet with members of 343 Industries </li><li>Partnered team and sponsor booths</li><li>Free Play Halo Infinite LAN stations</li><li>Special guest appearances and signings</li></ul>



This is just the start and in the coming months we’ll be
growing this list and adding the experience. Additionally, we will look to
build on the experience year over year in hope to deliver unforgettable
memories to share as a global Halo community under one roof. 



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">VIP
EXPERIENCE UPGRADES</h2>



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For the event VIPs we are also upgrading the experience in multiple key areas including viewing experience, exclusive commemorative items and experiential opportunities, and much more. 



Here’s what the VIP Experience Includes so far, and we will
be adding to it in the coming months to stay tuned to see the latest!



<ul><li>Dedicated Entry Line at Check-In</li><li>Access to the VIP Lounge and private bar</li><li>Limited Edition VIP Credential</li><li>Exclusive Production Tour on Friday morning with backstage access and onstage photo opportunity.<ul><li>A rundown of the venue and various areas including knowledge and insight on what it takes to get everything set up and working</li></ul><ul><li>The tour ends with an opportunity to get on the main stage for a group photo</li></ul><ul><li>More information will be emailed out closer to the event</li></ul></li><li>Early access to the Free-for-All Competition Check-in (30 minutes before general admission)</li><li>Chance to win Exclusive Surprise Giveaways</li><li>10% off on HCS Apparel and Merchandise</li><li>VIPs will earn the “Grand Finals” exclusive Twitch Drop. (without having to watch Grand Finals on Twitch)</li><li>Early access to merch store on Friday</li><li>Exclusive VIP Swag Bag including HaloWC Poster</li><li>Exclusive VIP Meet and Greet with 343 and Guest Celebrities</li><li>Exclusive chance to win a tour of the 343 Industries studio</li><li>Opportunity to be a judge for the cosplay contest.</li><li>Activity Fast Pass<ul><li>Playable stations</li></ul><ul><li>Signings and panels</li></ul></li></ul>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">COSPLAY CONTEST</h2>



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For the first time at an official HCS event we will be hosting a cosplay contest! The Halo community’s creativity and dedication to their craft knows no bounds, and we couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate. While full rules are still on the way, we wanted signal that the contest was happening as soon as we could so that cosplayers could prepare. Additionally, the contest has a $5,000 prize pool and will feature multiple judging stages from members of 343 Industries and luminaries in the Halo community. 



Be on the lookout for more details in the coming week and months.

Official HCS

Tickets for Orlando Major and HaloWC 2022

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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HCS Split 2 Maps and Modes

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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>



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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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