The start will be in the Spring Split in North America, Oceania and the MENA region. While North America and the MENA region each have two teams at the top, the Pioneers are alone in Oceania. But a duel has broken out directly behind them.
FaZe Clan has caught up with Gen.G in North America, with only three points separating the two teams. In the Winter Major, FaZe was able to prevail in a direct duel against Gen.G, but failed in the final at KarmineCorp. The Spring Split promises a gripping battle for the first seed in North America.
Spring split format
The Closed Qualifier will continue to run as a Swiss Stage with sixteen teams, eight seeded and eight qualified teams. Here is the schedule for all Spring Split events:
Fixed it! https://t.co/wDJSNMsLaQ pic.twitter.com/ReF3hBQWzJ
— Rule One (@RuleOneGG) May 2, 2023
The Regionals and the Major are played in the Double Elimination Bracket, with sixteen teams. The first two rounds in the lower and upper bracket are best-of-five, followed by best-of-seven.
The upper bracket is the much easier way, it only takes five series to win the title, while teams that drop directly into the lower bracket in round one have to play a full nine games to win the tournament.
The top eight teams with the highest total points in the season are seeded for the Regionals. However, not automatically as seed one to eight, because the seeding depends on the performances in the last three tournaments. As a result, a seeded team with a better overall score may receive a worse seed than a team that prevailed in the closed qualifier.
However, the points accumulated in the Spring Split are important for Major and potential Worlds qualification.
Here's a look at the MENA #RLCS Spring Open bracket after the opening day! 👀
Only eight teams remain as the action continues tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/WbzmBUt5zu
— Rocket League Esports (@RLEsports) May 4, 2023
NA Spring Open
The fact that the seeding is based on the current trend makes it possible for the duel FaZe against Gen.G to take place in the upper bracket semifinals and not only in the finals.
This has the advantage for all other teams that they avoid the two heavyweights up to the podium. Beneficiaries of this situation could be G2, Complexity and Version1, who could secure important points in the fight for the worlds and thus increase the gap on the pursuers.
On the other hand, hey bro and Zero2One can cause a lot of chaos, while hey bro goes directly against FaZe, Zero2One can try his luck against Complexity. Both teams earn their first points of the entire season and are the 22nd and 23rd teams to do so in North America. But that the breadth of quality really depends on the region itself, some people have doubts about that:
I mean it ain’t even a joke, a pretty decent amount of “bubble” teams and players are made up of ppl who were pro before col geng and furia moved. Nothing the bubble can do tho
— Dylan (@_Flitz) May 1, 2023
In addition to the teams already mentioned, there are other big names and new teams to keep an eye out for in North America. Starting with NRG, who are wobbling this season but still among the top eight in North America, through Version1, who want to go back to a major, to Dignitas, who want to build on the successful days in Europe.
FURIA, who have so far missed both majors of the season, have a similar experience. Also keep an eye out for KOI, who recently beat Complexity, G2 and OpTic Gaming. This OpTic Gaming, M80, Spacestation Gaming, Shopify Rebellion and sup are also in the Spring Open in North America.
Oceania Spring Open
The region has to find itself again after the major, despite a tight series there is only one win against the Asian region. There’s a big gap behind the Pioneers in the region, which is because Ground Zero Gaming and PWR basically shared points.
Four points separate both teams before the spring split and this could be decisive in the fight for the worlds. Ground Zero Gaming has the momentum and was the best team from the region at the Major, whether that’s enough for the fight for the crown or just to get past PWR remains to be seen.
MENA Spring Open
So far, Team Falcons has been the undisputed number one in the region, but with the arrival of Rule One, that position is increasingly faltering. So much so that Rule One almost confessed to the Major himself.
THE REGIONAL STREAK IS BROKEN 🏆@RuleOneGG are your MENA #RLCS Winter Invitational Champions, taking the win over Team Falcons in the Grand Finals!
🏅 @Rw9_rl
🏅 @kiileerrz
🏅 @rl_m7sn
🏅 @crespor_ pic.twitter.com/BnP4sQII6k— Rocket League Esports (@RLEsports) March 4, 2023
That didn’t happen, however, instead they secured victory in the last regional and as a result had no chance of participating in the Major. A sporting dilemma or an advantage? Three of the last four games have gone to Rule One, including two wins in Grand Finals, the team has the potential to topple Team Falcon’s dominance in the region.
Header: Psyonix