Operation Breakout declassified

More specifics of One Nation of Gamers Operation Breakout tournament structure have emerged today with the release of a rules document for competitors. Much of what was gleaned from yesterdays' Video Game Voters Network article has been confirmed, plus more details to boot.

The two Open Qualifiers will each yield two teams to join the six invited teams. The ten teams will be split in to two groups with every team in the group facing every other team once in a round robin format played over the first two weekends. Don't be fooled in to thinking the groups don't matter though, there are major upsides and downsides associated with the final standings.

The last placed team in each group will be eliminated from the tournament and the remaining eight teams used to populate a double elimination bracket based on those group standings. The bottom four teams go straight to the Losers Bracket, whilst the top four will start in the Winners Bracket Semi-Finals.

All games will played as best-of-three right up until the Winners and Losers finals where best-of-five will take over. In true double elimination fashion, the bracket can be reset in the Grand Final if the team from the Losers Bracket wins the first best-of-five, however, the second series will only be a best-of-three.

The tournament organisers are also following the example of GosuGamers Weeklies by enforcing Hero Limit 1 and excluding Volskaya, Hanamura and Anubis from the map pool. Standard stopwatch rules will be used with the fastest or farthest team taking the win. In the event of a both teams failing to capture the same point the map will be replayed only if the series is still tied after all selected maps have been played.

The prize distribution has also been confirmed, with a fat 50% of the $15,000 pot destined for the eventual champions:

1st: $7,500

2nd: $4,000

3rd: $2,000

4th: $750

5th: $750

As a filthy European, the thing I was most surprised to see was that all games are to be played on the North American server. Pretty significant handicap for the rest of the world – are you really that scared 'MURICA? Just bringing along a few token European punching bags? Unfortunately for Uncle Sam, EnVyUs have already infiltrated your great nation.

There is still time to sign up for the first Open Qualifier which starts in two hours, but even if you are not playing remember to show your support for Overwatch's professional players by signing the VGVN petition at vgvn.onog.gg.