Swiss Stage Starting Maps

• Round 1: Antarctic Peninsula
• Round 2: Nepal
• Round 3: Busan
• Round 4: Samoa
• Round 5: Antarctic Peninsula
• Round 6: Nepal
• Round 7: Busan
• Round 8: Samoa
• Round 9: Antarctic Peninsula
• Round 10: Nepal

Playoff Bracket

The higher seeded team selects the starting map in the Single Elimination stage. The higher seeded team is the team closest to 1st following the Swiss tournament stage.

In the Double Elimination stage, the starting map will be selected by the team with more winners bracket match wins, if both teams have an equal amount of winners bracket match wins, the higher seeded team will select the first map for that match.

Tournament Map Pool

Map Rotation

The second map and beyond will be chosen by the loser of the prior map. If a map is a Hybrid or Escort map, the winner of the prior map will choose whether their Team shall attack or defend on that map. No map may be played twice in any match, and Teams may not select a second map of a certain game mode (Control, Push, Hybrid or Escort) until the Teams have first played one map of all game modes.

Match Format

• Stage 1: Swiss
  • First to Three Wins
  • Control ⮞ Hybrid ⮞ Flashpoint ⮞ Push ⮞ Escort
    • (Tiebreakers if needed: Control ⮞ Escort)
• Stage 2: Double Elimination
  • First to Three Wins
  • Control ⮞ Hybrid ⮞ Flashpoint ⮞ Push ⮞ Escort ⮞
    • (Tiebreakers if needed: Control ⮞ Escort)
• Grand Finals
  • First to Four Wins
  • Control ⮞ Hybrid ⮞ Flashpoint ⮞ Escort ⮞ Push ⮞ Control ⮞ Escort
    • (Tiebreakers if needed: Push ⮞ Control ⮞ Escort)

Lobby Settings:

• Custom Games
• Presets ⮞ Competitive
• Game Settings Code:
• Modes - All - Kill Cam ⮞ Disabled
• Modes - All - Skins ⮞ Enabled
• Invite Only ⮞ Enabled

Hosting:

• The team listed at the top of the match, in bracket view hosts the lobby. The hosting team is responsible for ensuring all settings are correct prior to launching the map.

• Spectators are only allowed in a lobby if both teams agree.

Server Selection:

• The first map of all Matches will be played on the in-game “USA - Central” server. On subsequent maps, the losing Team of the previous map in the Match may select either the in-game “USA Central” or “USA West” server.

DISCLAIMER

This brief overview is in addition to the Overwatch Flash Ops Holiday Showdown Official Ruleset, and is not intended to be read in replacement of the official tournament ruleset which can be found linked here or the Global Rules which can be found linked here and are abridged below.

• Registrants should carefully consult the Official Rules for additional requirements concerning the operation of the Tournament and read the Official Rules and the tournament info page before signing up.

Players.

• Eligibility. To be able to compete as a “Player” a Participant must:

  • be in good standing with respect to any Battle.Net accounts registered in such Participant’s name, with no undisclosed violations of the Blizzard End User License Agreement;

  • be over the age of seventeen (17) prior to the date of the first day of competition in the region;

  • if, prior to the date of the first day of competition in your Eligible Jurisdiction, you are under the age of majority in your country of citizenship, you must have written permission from a parent or guardian;

  • Reside in and compete from one of the following jurisdictions (each, an “Eligible Jurisdiction”):

    • North America: Canada, or the United States;

    • Europe, Middle East and Africa: Algeria, Austria, Bahrain, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Macedonia, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, United Arab Emirates, or the United Kingdom;

Such other jurisdictions as may be permitted by Administration

Teams.

• Tournament Teams. Players will compete in the Tournament in “Teams”. A Team’s “Roster” will consist of five (5) Players and up to three (3) optional alternate Players (each, an “Alternate”). Additionally, one Player on each Team will be designated as the “Team Captain”.
• Roster Locks. Once registration has concluded and the first Matches of the Tournament have been assigned, each Team’s Roster must have five (5) starting Players.
• Player Substitutions. Teams can substitute Players between maps. No substitutions may be made between stages of maps.

Tournament Structure.

• Platform. Tournament Matches may be played on PC only. Players will be required to have a Battle.net account to connect to online services and compete. At later tournament stages, players may be required to use Administration issued tournament accounts.

• Hosting. All Matches held during each Tournament (each, a “Match”) should be played using the competitive setting following the hosting format displayed on the Match page. The Team that is not hosting will pick which side to play on.

• Format: Matches in the Tournament will be held across two (2) stages: the “Swiss Stage”, and the “Double Elimination Stage”.. Teams will be invited to participate in the Tournament in accordance with the below:

• Swiss Stage. Each Team will compete in ten (10) Matches against other Teams in the Swiss Stage. Match pairings will be conducted per Swiss format rules, pursuant to which Teams will be matched against similarly performing Teams. Each Match in the Swiss Stage will consist of a number of maps played until the first Team to win three (3) maps will win the Match. Upon the conclusion of the tenth round of Matches in the Swiss Stage, the eight (8) highest positioned Teams from the Swiss Stage will advance to the Double Elimination Stage

• Double Elimination Stage. Eight (8) Teams will be invited to the Double Elimination Stage and seeded based on Swiss Stage performance. Each Match in the Double Elimination Stage Winners rounds 1,2, Winners Finals and Double Elimination Stage Losers rounds 1, 2, 3, and Losers Finals will be determined by the first Team to win three (3) maps. The Grand Finals Match will be determined by the first Team to win four (4) maps. The Grand Finals Match does not include a double elimination bracket reset.

  • Swiss Stage Ties. • Tiebreaker A. Tiebreaker “A” is the highest priority and will be decided by which Team has beaten the strongest opponents based on match win percentage. In the event that two or more Teams are tied with the same amount of Match wins at the end of the Swiss Stage, the Team with the stronger opponents will be seeded higher. A Team’s opponents’ strength is calculated by averaging the Match win percentage of such Team’s opponents during the Swiss Stage (such Team’s “A Score”). • Tiebreaker B. In the event that any scores from Tiebreaker A are also tied, the Team which has match opponents with stronger total “A scores” will be seeded higher. This is calculated by considering both the Tiebreaker team’s opponents and averaging those opponents cumulative “A Scores” (“B score”). • Tiebreaker C. If both “A” and “B” methods result in a tie, the Team with the round 10 opponent which finished the Swiss Stage with the strongest placement will be seeded higher.

• Swiss Stage First Map Selection. The starting map for each round will be communicated by Administration prior to the start of each Tournament. The Team at the top of the match page on the Tournament website will host the tournament lobby on an Overwatch custom game server within the Tournament’s Eligible Jurisdiction as further described in Section 5.9. The other Team will pick side.

• Double Elimination Stage First Map Selection. The starting map for each Match will be selected by the Team with more upper bracket Match wins, if both Teams have an equal amount of upper bracket Match wins, the higher seeded Team will select the first map for each Match. The Team that selects the first map will host the tournament lobby on an Overwatch custom game server within the Tournament’s Eligible Jurisdiction as further described in Section 5.9. The other Team will pick side.

Rules and Settings

• Rule Enforcement. All rules are subject to the Administration’s interpretation in all respects, and the Administration shall have final say on any rulings. These Official Rules may be amended, updated, or modified by the Administration at any time.

• Match Day Check-in. Teams will be required to check-in before each match day. Refer to your region’s tournament page or contact the Administration for full details.

• No Shows. Teams have ten (10) minutes after the scheduled Match time to be in-lobby and ready to play. If a competing Team has been contacted and is unresponsive after ten (10) minutes, the opposing Team may mark such Team as a no-show. If a Team is in contact with the opposing Team and actively working to become ready (or is in touch with the Administration), such Team shall not be considered a no-show.

• Time Limit. Both Teams must report the Match results within ten (10) minutes of its completion. Failure to report Match results on time or respond to any messages that a Player receives from the Administration may result in their Team receiving a loss for the Match.

• Match Reporting. Team Leaders must report the results of the Match on their Match page.

• Custom Match Settings

  • Presets: Competitive
  • Modes, All: Kill Cam Disabled
  • “Invite Only” must be selected within the Custom Game Lobby. On subsequent maps, the losing Team of the previous map in the Match may select either the in-game “USA – Central” or “USA – West” server for the North American event and "France" or "Netherlands" for the EMEA event.

• Gameplay pauses during a Match are only permissible in extreme circumstances, such as a technical or network issue or failure to field a full five (5) Player Roster.

• Teams may not start or continue a Match or map without a full five (5) Player Roster. If a Team has no remaining pause time and cannot begin a map with five (5) Players, such Team will lose that Match by default

• Teams who initiate a pause must immediately contact the Administration to explain the reason for the pause.

• Teams are allowed a maximum of fifteen (15) minutes of pause time (“Pause Time”) in a maximum of three (3) “Pauses” (each no longer than five (5) minutes) during a Match. Once a Team’s Pause Time has elapsed, the Match will resume.

• Teams must wait until the conclusion of any ongoing Team fight before initiating a Pause.