APAC deviating from the global rulebook helps nobody

_{Banner image: Ubisoft / Kiril B.}

After widespread confusion over the way teams are positioned in tie-breaker scenarios over the last couple of years, the beginning of 2022 finally saw the end of the mini-league tie-breaker that had caused so many issues. 

The new 2022 global rulebook was a way to bring all four regions in line with a much simpler format, as all ties began by looking at the overall round difference:

5.3.2.2 Tie breaker rules

Ties for all Local and Regional Leagues and Majors are broken by looking at the following elements sequentially:

1. Round difference
2. Head-to-head
3. Match win percentage
4. Round win percentage
5. Tiebreaker match

Across all seven leagues, during Stage 1, not a single tie has needed to go past the first breaker to be solved, as the round difference is a very easy criterion to figure out, understand, explain, and keep track of. 

Unfortunately, APAC has decided to deviate from the global rulebook for Stage 2, perhaps associated with the format change that saw the removal of APAC Playoffs.

Instead of using round difference over head-to-head, the region uses a year-old tie-breaker system which isn’t available online. 

The rules in question can only be seen online using the Wayback Machine, as all the Ubisoft links to the APAC-specific 2021 rulebook produce errors and there’s no accessible 2022 APAC rulebook. The only public rules state they’re just like every other region, when that’s not the case.

Not only is it confusing to everyone involved, it is another example of an unnecessary lack of transparency. Earlier in Stage 1, viewers found out about a change in the global rehost rules after BDS was given a rehost many thought they shouldn’t have gotten. There was actually no issue; the rules had just changed without us knowing. 

This issue has now resurfaced. APAC running their own tie-breaker system is fine, but the change was not communicated as it was last year when they published their own APAC-specific rulebook online. This year, the change is hidden, so there was no way for the wider public to have known for certain if DWG KIA could have qualified for the Major yesterday. 

The issue is excacerbated as APAC is the a region that especially needs a clear tie-breaker system. The last three stages in APAC South have seen just one or two points separate second from fifth place. APAC North, meanwhile, saw a four-way tie for fourth in the eight-team league during Stage 3 last year. The scene is unbelievably tight and a more simplified system will help improve tension and interest in the scene instead of leaving viewers guessing. 

The solution is very simple; better communication, as promised by ESL after Stage 1's issue with the APAC Playoffs.  It’ll lead to less confusion, more transparency, and a load of free impressions on social media. Everybody wins.