343 Industries heard your battle cries and opened the flood gates for the Halo Championship Series, allowing every able Spartan a chance to become the next Halo World Champ! Along with the HCS Pro League 2016 Fall Season, 343 has also revamped the HCS: Open Circuit. Suit up Spartans! We’re dropping into some heavy detail:
HCS Pro League:
The HCS Pro League, hosted by ESL, began last week, with weekly live broadcasts on Twitch. The Fall 2016 Season will feature top teams from North America and Europe battling it out to see which team is the top squad in each region. For updates on the current HCS Pro League, check out the HCS hub on ESL’s website. You’ll find helpful information about team standings, league news, video content, ticket sales and more: pro.eslgaming.com/halo/proleague
HCS Open Circuit:
The HCS: Open Circuit features a series of open events as a path for new teams to reach the HCS Pro League. In relegation, the top 2 teams from the European & North American Open Circuit will play against the 2 bottom teams from the HCS Pro League for a chance to earn their spot in the HCS Pro League. If the Open Circuit teams defeat the Pro League teams, they will be invited to play in the next Pro League, knocking the now ex-pro teams back into the Open Circuit.
EU HCS Open Circuit:
The European HCS: Open Circuit by ESL consists of 2 types of online tournaments that help seed the Open Circuit Finals. HCS Points earned in these online tournaments will be added up to seed the teams for the Open Circuit Finals. Open Cups and Legendary Cups both take place every weekend, but with different formats and prize pools. Legendary Cups are closed tournaments, meaning invite only. The top 8 teams from the Saturday Open Cups are invited to compete in the Sunday Legendary Cups against the previous week’s top 8 Legendary Cup Winners. After 5 weeks of play, the top 4 teams from Legendary Cup #5 will advance to the HCS EU Open Circuit Finals and compete against the top 4 Open Cup teams with the highest point standings. The top 2 EU open teams will play the bottom 2 EU pro teams in a relegation tournament at the EU Pro League Finals. The winners qualify for the next Pro League.
NA HCS Open Circuit:
The North American HCS: Open Circuit is hosted by the Millennial Esports (PGL) & Esports Arena and features two open events. The NA Online Tournaments are operated by Pro Gaming League (PGL) in a very similar fashion to ESL’s Open/Legendary Cup format. PGL’s online Open Cups are hosted every Saturday, and seed the Sunday Legendary Cups on the same weekend. However, HCS points earned in the NA Online Tournaments do not earn team’s direct placement into the Open Circuit Finals, they are instead used to seed the 2 NA Open Circuit LAN events. Teams with the highest amount of HCS points at the time of each Open Circuit LAN will receive higher seeding in their brackets.
The first LAN event is October 7-9th at HCS Orange County hosted by Esports Arena (ESA) in Santa Ana, California with a $20,000 prize pool for 4v4. The second LAN event is November 18-20th at HCS Las Vegas hosted by PGL at their Las Vegas eSports facility with a $25,000 prize pool for the 4v4. The top 4 open teams from both LAN events will compete in the HCS Open Circuit Finals at the Las Vegas LAN. The top 2 Open Circuit teams from HCS Las Vegas will play the bottom 2 NA Pro League teams in a relegation tournament on December 10-11th at the NA HCS Pro League Finals. The winners qualify for the next pro tournament series in 2017.
Halo 5: Free For All – Powered by ASTRO!
This Fall, we’re proud to provide both NA HCS Open Circuit LANs with ASTRO products at every station, including the Free-for-All. We’re also providing a $5,000 prize pool and several ASTRO Care Packages for the winners of both the Orange County & Las Vegas FFAs. Don’t worry if you can’t make it though, we’ll have some special giveaways for our Twitter fans at home as well. Be sure to tune in for both the FFA and Open Circuit matches all weekend long on Twitch!
FFA Prizing Breakdown:
1st = $3000 + ASTRO Care Package + Twitter Shout Out
2nd = $1500 + ASTRO Care Package + Twitter Shout Out
3rd = $500 + ASTRO Care Package + Twitter Shout Out
4 – 6th = Halo A40 + MixAmp M80
Halo FFA tournaments have traditionally been a proving grounds for up and coming competitors who often get selected to join 4v4 Pro Teams based on their individual performance. Both NA HCS Open Circuit LAN events will be hosting Free-for-Alls, Open Bracket Play, Pro Group Play and the Championship Brackets during the 3-day weekends. This is truly a chance for amateurs to get noticed, so don’t hesitate & sign up today! – Are you the next rising star?
Open Circuit LAN Schedules:
Friday – Halo 5 FFA powered by ASTRO
Saturday/Sunday – Open Brackets & Pro Groups
Sunday – Championship Bracket
Join the HCS Open Circuit & FFA:
Do you have what it takes to go pro? Sign up for the HCS Open Circuit with ESL, PGL & ESA! To enter the HCS Orange County FFA competitors can purchase a singles ticket for $15 or buy a team pass to and get FREE entry for all 4 team members. Purchase your HCS OC 4v4 & FFA passes here: squareup.com/store/esports-arena
Details about the Free-for-All settings & details can be found on Halo Waypoint and tickets for HCS Las Vegas Open Circuit are coming soon! For more info on each event and how to join, click the links below:
European HCS Open Circuit by ESL
North American HCS Open Circuit by PGL
HCS Orange County LAN by Esports Arena
The ASTRO Events & Content teams will be on site for both NA LAN events, so be sure to say hello! You might even get featured in our event montage! Be sure to also follow us on social for more updates.
GLHF ASTRO Family!
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