Esports

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Group Stage: March 19th - 24th, 2025

Two double-elimination format (GSL) Groups of eight teams

All matches are Bo3

• The top three teams from each group advance to the Playoffs:
• Group stage winners advance to the Semifinals
• Group stage runners-up advance to the Quarterfinals as the High Seeds
• Group stage 3rd place teams advance to the Quarterfinals as the Low Seeds

Playoffs: March 28th - 30th, 2025

Single-Elimination bracket

The Quarterfinals & Semifinals are Bo3

The Grand Final is Bo5

cross-posted from: https://sh.itjust.works/post/34163492

Capcom Cup 11 was only 1.28 million prize pool, with the vast majority going to 1st place at a million. So this is huge news!

LoL Esports | Wiki | Liquidpedia

Format

• Top 5 teams from each major regions are invited (Korea, China, Americas, EMEA, Asia-Pacific)
• Matches use "Hard Fearless Draft", champions can only be picked once by either team during the series

Stage 1 (Group Stage)

• Single Round Robin
• Matches are best of three
• Top four teams advance to Stage 2

Stage 2 (Knockout Stage)

• Single elimination bracket
• Matches are best of five

The winning region will get a second direct spot in the MSI 2025 Bracket Stage, skipping Play-Ins

Partifcipating teams

The situation was further exacerbated by political exploitation from far-right French politicians, notably Marion Maréchal, who attempted to use the story to push an "anti-woke" agenda.

Setting a troubling precedent, this situation weakens the women's and marginalized genders scene, underscoring the urgent need for an officially sanctioned Game Changers circuit. As reported in January, Riot Games is preparing to launch its League of Legends efforts this year, though uncertainty still surrounds the competition. Sources now anticipate potential delays, a concern that GameWard itself acknowledged and cited as further justification for its decision, with indications that the first year of League of Legends Game Changers may operate on a lower budget than initially agreed upon. With financial instability, teams like BDS Valkyries and MAD Lions KOI pulled back their efforts last year, and GameWard's situation further hinders the growth of the scene, highlighting its extreme vulnerability.

Beyond the economic impact, this move sends a significant blow to the promotion of inclusivity and the acceptance of transgender women in esports. While the majority of those within the scene continue to support transgender women, incidents like this illustrate how fragile their place in esports can be when decisions are driven by external pressures. Investors and sponsors hold substantial influence over the existence of these teams, and their actions—like GameWard's disbandment—serve as a reminder that the livelihoods of transgender players are at risk.

Connected to this news, sources have indicated that Riot Games will prevent non-binary players from competing in the upcoming League of Legends Game Changers circuit, a policy already in place in Webedia's Coupe des Étoiles, despite them having been included in the Equal Esports Cup for the past few years. Furthermore, past whistleblowers have pointed to high-profile organizations and titleholders rejecting transgender women during tryouts. Without continued support for transgender women, there’s a real risk of the scene regressing, further marginalizing these players. What starts with the exclusion of non-binary individuals today could set a precedent that leaves transgender women vulnerable to similar treatment in the future.

Today, Team Vitality is delighted to announce Chess Grandmaster, Maxime ‘MVL’ Vachier-Lagrave as the club’s new professional chess player. The signing will see the French native represent Team Vitality on international competitive stages, strengthening the club’s competitive portfolio as well as participating in wider community activations, bridging together the global esports and chess community.

Projects backed or owned by the Saudi Arabian government such as Esports World Cup are frequently criticized for helping the government engage in what is called “sports washing,” or using various forms of sport and entertainment to cover up its record on human rights, women’s rights, LGTBQ+ rights, military actions in Yemen, and more. These and other criticisms are actively highlighted by international watchdog groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.