Starting this very month, players from all over the world will be vying for points for the 2015 Hearthstone World Championship.
Last year's Road to Blizzcon was some story to follow. Spanning from the Spring months all the way to the grand finals in November, the race for the Hearthstone world cup was a treat every step of the way. Big names and up and comers were put in the spotlight, as they fought tooth and nail for the most prestigious trophy in the game. Eventually, a champion was crowned in Anaheim, the prize going to one James "Firebat" Kostesich of team Archon.
Now, as the official statement says, "the road begins anew". And the first details are already in.
Once again, the competition will be divided into four regions: Europe, the Americas, China and Asia-Pacific. The country distribution is one of the bigger changes for this year. If in 2014 most of Asia had to compete in the NA region - as the "Asian" tournaments were reserved for China, Korea and Taiwan - this time they will be competing on their own turf. The Asia-Pacific region will include Korea, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand and Japan.
Like last year, players will be gathering points through their ranked play or by excelling at Hearthstone tournaments. In the fall of 2015, the Regional Qualifiers for each of the four subdivisions will be held. These qualifiers will be 40-man double elimination tournaments, the top 8 of which will go the Regional Championships. There, the eight players will be cut in half and whoever's left standing will advance to the grand finals at BlizzCon.
Format of the grand finals and prize pool distribution is yet to be revealed.
About
The Hearthstone World Championship is the largest professional Hearthstone tournament in the world, where 16 exceptional card-slingers from around the globe come together to duel for glory, prizes, and the esteemed title of Hearthstone World Champion. This massive tournament is preceded by months of Ranked Play seasons, invitational tournaments, community tournaments, and Fireside Gatherings where players compete for points used to secure coveted spots in Regional Qualifier events.
World Championship
The Hearthstone World Championship will take place at the end of fall 2015, featuring 16 of the world’s best players. The Hearthstone World Championship’s tournament format will be announced at a later date.
Regional Championships
The Hearthstone Regional Championships decide the 16 players that will attend the Hearthstone World Championship. The Americas, Europe, China, and Asia-Pacific regions will each have Regional Tournaments where eight of the most talented card-slingers from their respective regions will compete for four representative spots at the Hearthstone World Championship. The Americas region consists of North America and Latin America, while the Asia-Pacific region includes: Korea, Taiwan, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan.
Regional Qualifiers
The Hearthstone Regional Qualifiers will take place in the fall of 2015, just before the Regional Championships. Players from North America, Latin America, Europe, Southeast Asia, Australia, New Zealand, China, Korea, Japan, and Taiwan will duel at regional 40 player double-elimination tournaments. The top eight players who emerge from the tournaments victoriously will clench a spot at their corresponding Regional Championships. Players will be seeded into the 40 player tournament based on their standing in the 2015 Hearthstone point structure.
Point Structure
Duelists are able to obtain Hearthstone World Championship 2015 qualifier points through Ranked Play seasons as well as through Blizzard sanctioned tournament s. Points received are based on performance, with better results awarding more points. Players who achieve a minimum of 2 points by the end of July will be eligible for their regional Last Call Tournament, which feeds into their corresponding Regional Qualifiers. The 23 players per region with the highest point totals will receive advanced seeding in their Regional Qualifier and do not need to play in the Last Call Tournament in order to qualify.
Fireside Gatherings
Select Fireside Gathering events will host Blizzard-sanctioned Hearthstone tournaments. The winners of these tournaments will be entered into the Fireside Gathering Championship, and the Grand Champion will be awarded a seed directly into their corresponding Regional Qualifier.
Residency Requirements
Participation in a Regional Championship, Regional Qualifier, or Fireside Gathering is dependent on proof of residency or citizenship within the given eligible region.
This thread will continue to be updated with more information. Check back later for more information!”
