ESL makes several changes to Pro Tour Rulebook ahead of second half of the season

ESL has updated their ESL Pro Tour rulebook to align with the recent changes made to the Valve Major Supplemental Rulebook and Tournament Operation Requirements. These changes are implemented before we kick off with the second half of the season.

Here are the key changes ESL has implemented, that include revised regional eligibility, improved seeding and invitation policies, full alignment with Valve's VRS country classifications, new integrity measures for online play, and an updated ESL Challenger League format featuring standalone cups and a revamped path to the ESL Pro League:

Regional Classification

• Earlier, teams had the authority to choose between the tied regions, but now the team will be assigned to the region with greater representation in the Major.

• If the roster cannot be tied to a single region, they can play through Europe.

• If in a mixed roster, a single player's nationality doesn't fall under the three main regions, he will be assigned the region with the lowest priority.

Seeding

• Instead of using the most recent live version of VRS for seeding, the specific version of VRS indicated in the Additional Information announcement will be applied.

• In case of a tie, instead of a coin toss, the latest VRS will be used as the tie-breaker.

Integrity camera obligations

• In online matches, players may be required to provide live camera feed of monitor, keyboard, mouse, and surrounding area.

VRS Invites

• Removed Wildcards per team, while Teams invited based on the Valve Regional Standings must retain at least three out of the five core players listed in the VRS on the Invite Date.

ESL Challenger League Regional Final

• Each season has four cups. Winners qualify for the Regional Final, which awards one ESL Pro League slot. A team may win multiple cups with these outcomes:
  2 wins: Direct to Grand Final
  3 wins: Semifinals cancelled; 1-map advantage in Grand Final
  4 wins: Regional Final cancelled; direct ESL Pro League qualification

Multiple VRS Criteria Events:

• For events using both regional and global VRS invites, regional slots take priority. If a regional team withdraws, an eligible team from the global list is promoted to fill the spot, and the global slot is then refilled per standard procedures.