Given the importance of Summer Playoffs in determining World Championship qualification and the lack of incentive to try for a high seed with the Spring single elimination bracket, the LPL has revealed a new format for its Summer Playoffs. The format combines gauntlet style and double elimination for a unique twist that gives higher seeded teams an easier way into the finals and a better buffer for difficulty. First and second seeds will be guaranteed to place in the Top 4 of the playoffs.

The entire playoffs will consist of best-of-five matches. The Top 8 2015 LPL Summer teams will qualify. The schedule of dates and times has yet to be announced.

Here is the detailed the match order:

Match 1: The eighth place team will face the seventh place team. The loser will be eliminated from the tournament.

Match 2: The winner of Match 1 will face the sixth place team. The loser will be eliminated.

Match 3: The winner of Match 2 will face the fifth place team.

Match 4: The winner of Match 3 will face the fourth place team. The loser will be eliminated.

Match 5: The loser of Match 3 will face the third place team. The loser will be eliminated.

Match 6: The winner of Match 4 or 5 (which ever of the two had the highest regular season seeding) will face the second place team.

Match 7: The winner of Match 4 or 5 (which ever of the two had the lowest regular season seeding) will face the first place team.

Match 8: The losers of Matches 6 and 7 play. The winner gets third place. The loser is eliminated.

Match 9: The winners of Matches 6 and 7 play. The loser gets second place. The winner is the tournament champion.

This format seems to be designed to prevent the "Oscar Night" that happened when Invictus Gaming and LGD Gaming were both incentivized to lose matches for lower seeding. Teams with a casual approach to their games until this point may begin to play for higher seeds going forward.

Teams will be seeded into the Regional Qualifier based on circuit points form Spring and Summer Playoffs. The Regional Qualifier format for LPL has yet to be announced, but the five teams with the most points will receive invitations. The following are current point totals of LPL teams from Spring Playoffs, Promotion, and LSPL Playoffs, and points available this summer.

Current point totals

Team Spring Points Edward Gaming 300 LGD Gaming 200 Invictus Gaming 100 Snake eSports 80 Oh My God 50 Vici Gaming 50 Team King 50 Team WE 50 Qiao Gu 30 Royal Never Give Up 20 Master3 10 Unlimited Potential 10

Points available from Summer Playoffs

Placing Summer points 1st 450 2nd 300 3rd 150 4th 100 5th-8th 60

Summer placing grants higher point totals into Regionals, but Edward Gaming and LGD Gaming sit comfortably in the event that they don't do well. Since the Regional format has not yet been released, it's unclear whether there will be major advantages for higher point totals.

Kelsey Moser is a staff writer for theScore eSports. You can follow her on Twitter.