TOURNAMENT FORMAT & RULES.

• Double Elimination. Each Tournament Event will be played as a double elimination (a “Double Elimination”) bracket competition, in which Players compete in Matches starting from what is known as the winner’s side of the bracket (the “Winner’s Bracket”). If a Player loses a Match while in the Winner's Bracket, that Player will be moved to the loser’s side of the bracket (the “Loser’s Bracket”). If a Player loses a Match while in the Loser’s Bracket, that Player is eliminated and will no longer advance further in the bracket for that Tournament Event. The winner of the Winner’s Bracket will play against the winner of the Losers Bracket in the Grand Finals of the Tournament Event, as set forth below.

  
  

• Match Play.

  • All Matches will be best-of-three, in which the Player who wins two (2) Sets first wins the Match, with the exception that the Winner’s Bracket finals, Losers Bracket finals, and Grand Finals of each Tournament Event bracket will be best-of-five, in which the Player who wins three (3) Sets first wins the Match.
  • The winner of any single Set is determined when the Game awards the win to that Player or upon the opponent causing a match disruption or other violation of the Rules as determined by the Tournament Organizer staff member.
  • During a Match, the winner of any single Set must comply with the following winner lock rules:
    • At the start of a Match:
      • Players select their sides. Players may mutually agree on who sits on left and right side, corresponding to Player 1 and Player 2, respectively, at the start of a Set. Players are committed to this selection for the entirety of the Match. If Players cannot agree to a Side Selection, they will play a Best-of-Three Rock-Paper-Scissors to determine who picks their side first. The winner of the Best-of-Three Rock-Paper-Scissors picks their side first and will be committed to that selection for the entirety of the Match.
    • Each Player selects their character from all selectable characters and the stage is selected at random;
    • After any single Set, the winner is "locked" into their character and they are not permitted to switch their character until or unless they lose a subsequent single Set;
    • All single Sets are loser's choice; and
    • The loser of any single Set may choose between returning to stage select and choosing a new randomly selected stage or returning to character select to choose a new character and a new randomly selected stage.
  • All Matches must use the following in-Game Settings:
    • Versus ("VS") Mode
    • Rounds: 3 out of 5
    • Time Limit: 60 seconds
    • Stage: Random
    • Special Style is allowed during Match Play
    • Character Customizations: Off
    • All Character Preset Costumes are legal for Tournament use, unless BNE determines, in its sole discretion, that certain costumes give an unfair advantage.
      • Players cannot use the same Preset. Should both Players wish to use the same Preset, they will play a Best-Of-One Rock-Paper-Scissors tiebreaker to determine who may use their preferred Preset Costume for the duration of the Match.
      • If a Character Customization or one of the above listed Presets that cannot be used are used, the Set is subject to not being scored. Players are responsible for immediately finishing the Set with one (1) Player holding forward for the remainder of the rounds to quickly return to the lobby and restart the Set.
    • Players must use a Game version on one of the following platforms as determined by the Tournament Organizer or as otherwise set forth herein:
      • PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, or Steam.
    • Player Options. Prior to commencement of a Match, Players may exercise the following options:
      • Blind Pick. Players may request a method of character selection known as blind pick (“Blind Pick”) to keep their character selection secret until the first Set begins. In the Blind Pick process, the Players will each tell a Tournament Organizer staff member, in secret, their character selection for the first Set. Players will then select their character with the Tournament Organizer staff member validating their selections. If a Player purposely does not select the character they told the Tournament Organizer staff member, that Player will forfeit that single Set.
      • Rule Violations. Players must bring up any rule violations or disruptions prior to starting or restarting a Set. If any rule violation or disruptions occur during a Set, Players must immediately notify the Tournament Organizer. If Players complete a Set without raising a rule violation or disruption, the Set will count.
    • Draws. In the event of a tied Set declared by a Double K.O. or timeout on the Game screen, the Set will not be scored and both Players will replay the tied Set with the same character selections.
    • Grand Finals. The “Grand Finals” is a Match series comprised of up to two (2) best-of-five Matches between the final two (2) Players left in a Tournament Event. In the event the Player from the Winner’s Bracket wins the first Match, the Grand Finals immediately ends, giving the Player from the Loser’s Bracket their second and eliminating loss, and making the Player from the Winner’s Bracket the overall winner of the Tournament Event. In the event that the Player from the Loser’s Bracket wins the first Match, thereby giving the Player from the Winner’s Bracket their first loss, a second best-of-five Match will be played. The Players may choose different characters and exercise any pre-Match options for this new Match. The Player that wins this final Match, thereby giving the other Player their second and eliminating loss from the Tournament Event, is declared the winner of such Tournament Event. For the sake of clarity, the foregoing shall not apply to Global Finals, the details of which are specified in Section 3.
    • Missing Players. Players must be present at the call time for a Match. Players that are not present and ready to play within ten (10) minutes of this call time are subject to Match forfeiture.
    • Match Disruptions. If a Player intentionally or accidentally causes a pause in a Match, whether by pressing the Options button or by experiencing a controller disconnection, the Player that caused the pause will forfeit the current round of the Set. If a Match disruption occurs that is out of control of the Players of the Match, such as action of another Player’s un-desynced controller or a Game software crash or console hardware failure making Players unable to continue a Set, the Tournament Organizer staff member shall order the Players to restart the Set, but with the same round count from the point that the Match disruption occurred. Players are responsible for starting a new Set and holding forward for the necessary number of rounds to quickly return to the round count that was achieved before a Match disruption.
    • Coaching. Players may designate one (1) individual to be their coach during a Match. Players may consult with the coach for a maximum of one (1) minute in between Sets in a Match. Coaching while a Set is in play is not allowed and is subject to Set forfeiture.
    • Controller Usage. A Player may not program functions on a controller using methods outside the basic functions of the Game, including, but not limited to, programmable and turbo controllers. The following are sequences are prohibited:
      • A single input that results in the execution of multiple subsequent inputs.
      • Combination inputs except for those that can be applied within the game’s controller settings.
      • A single button input which results in a directional movement input and an attack input.
        • BNE and/or the Tournament Organizer reserve the right to inspect a Player’s controller to ensure compliance with these Rules, non-compliance of which may result in disciplinary action, including, but not limited, to disqualification, suspension, and/or banning.