MLG’s Initial 2012 Format Changes, Return to Columbus
January 19, 2012
Major League Gaming, fresh off a season of explosive growth, has released an initial batch of information about upcoming format enhancements for 2012. The organization has decided to move away from its more ambitious year long format, opting instead to divide 2012 into four major seasons. A move that perhaps implies that eSports is not yet in a position where long-format seasons can really succeed. Players aren’t fiscally comfortable enough with the commitment, and audiences demand more consequential, high stakes matches.
Might as well be honest, the 2011 MLG long-form point system never really worked. The occasional appearance of high level Koreans was directly at odds with it, and the seeding at Providence was wildly inaccurate as a result.
So what does a season consist of? According to their announcement (and a followup comment from Sundance), there will be several online (as in no live audience) “Arena” events, each prefaced by regional qualifiers for Europe, North America, and Korea/Taiwan respectively. The first arena will be held in New York City from Feb 24-26 and consist of 32 players (the top 8 qualifiers from each region plus the top 8 from Providence). The qualifiers will occur over three weekends in early February.
In addition to a more than modest prize pool (first place gets $10K), a high ranking finish at an Arena event nets a better seed in the seasonal championships. The seasonal championships, from what I gather, will be formatted similarly to the MLG events we came to know and love during 2011. The first of such events, dubbed the Winter Championships, will be held in Columbus, OH from March 23-25.
Given that this is an initial batch of information, it is yet to be determined how a season with multiple Arena events will factor in to Championship seeding. We’re also still waiting on concrete prize pool and format information on the Winter Championships. Still, the initial information is pretty exciting. Given MLG’s willingness to cover travel expenses for players at their Arena events, I can’t see this new format not working in their favor. As a viewer, I look forward to an increased frequency of SC2 content. Qualifiers, Arenas, and Championships are all fun to watch in their own separate, yet viable ways.
Reducing the total live-audience events to four per year should also allow the organization to more effectively deal with logistics. I expect the quality of those seasonal championships to be markedly improved compared to last year’s events. Here’s to hoping MLG’s 2012 can match, or even exceed 2011.
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