[Eddie]

Really a major step backwards i think!

Nearly restricted to only Australians (and those who can travel to and attend ACL Syd). Feel really sorry for everyone else in SEA, and those who can't make it to Sydney.

Plus there's a few of our best currently overseas trying to make a career for themselves who wont be able to attend, and others going overseas/aiming too as well.

Also ACL Sydney will not undisputedly be the largest StarCraft II event for our region for 2014. I think OSC finals will have a bigger prizepool (?) and certainly more prestige since not a LAN. If you look at upcoming ACL Brisbane, i think there will only be 6 out of the top 32 players attending, Sydney might have a couple more, but still doesn't represent regional talent. There may also be some big lans in SG, PH or Hong Kong who knows what's planned...

I feared something like this might have happened when outsourcing to an Australian focused LAN organisation.

Baldie, just wondering is this change a result of scheduling? Less work/dates to worry about?
And will you be taking the WCS Prizepool and adding to your own to inflate the LAN prize?

Only positive i guess, is ACL Sydney will have more riding on it.

Quick Comments

ThatGuyDoMo:

OSC is not a representation of regional talent at all. Your numbers are incorrect.

[Baldie]

Originally Posted by Eddie

I feared something like this might have happened when outsourcing to an Australian focused LAN organisation.

I just want to firstly state that ACL's involvement in WCS qualifiers has absolutely nothing to do with Blizzard's decision to attach themselves to ACL Sydney. With all due respect if you can think of a more appropriate Oceania/SEA event in 2014 to attach to which fits within the WCS qualifier time-period, which has a production level cleared by Blizzard HQ, from an organisation with long term brand recognition and credibility - please let me know.

Originally Posted by Eddie

Baldie, just wondering is this change a result of scheduling? Less work/dates to worry about?

As stated in my first response "If we are going to have a healthy local StarCraft II scene Blizzard has recognised they need to support local events and giving a seed to an event helps to do this." It has nothing to do with scheduling.

Originally Posted by Eddie

And will you be taking the WCS Prizepool and adding to your own to inflate the LAN prize?

The WCS Prizepool is still being confirmed but I can confirm that ACL already has a set allocation and if Blizzard decides to place some of it's WCS prizepool on top, that is purely their decision.

I would also like to remind you that Oceania/SEA is the only region to have a prizepool attached to their WCS qualifiers. You can thank Blizzard ANZ for that - just don't take it as the norm.

Quick Comments

syfChadMann:

Good response Baldie, totally agree. :)

[Eddie]

Blizzard ANZ do fantastic work, no doubt about it

I don't see the need to attach to any existing event though...

Our region isn't like others, we are so spaced out, that LANS can never be a true representation of who is the best. Not many can even attend.

It's probably good for the Australian LAN circuit no doubt (shame some of our best are overseas, but out of your control), but i'd like to think something as big as a WCS spot should be open to all our region.

[|Erasmus|]

Originally Posted by Baldie

I just want to firstly state that ACL's involvement in WCS qualifiers has absolutely nothing to do with Blizzard's decision to attach themselves to ACL Sydney. With all due respect if you can think of a more appropriate Oceania/SEA event in 2014 to attach to which fits within the WCS qualifier time-period, which has a production level cleared by Blizzard HQ, from an organisation with long term brand recognition and credibility - please let me know.

The first two seasons ran fine without being "attached" to any other event. From the sounds of Blizzard HQ "agreeing to it" it was you guys who asked them to attach it to your LAN event, which sure sounds like a conflict of interests to me given how it affects a lot of players in the region outside of the Australia part of ACL... Kind of like if ESL tried to get the qualifier spots given to their IEM events.

[Maynarde]

Originally Posted by |Erasmus|

The first two seasons ran fine without being "attached" to any other event. From the sounds of Blizzard HQ "agreeing to it" it was you guys who asked them to attach it to your LAN event, which sure sounds like a conflict of interests to me given how it affects a lot of players in the region outside of the Australia part of ACL... Kind of like if ESL tried to get the qualifier spots given to their IEM events.

This is speculation. I'm only a caster and not involved behind the scenes but I do speak to PJ from Blizz ANZ reasonably often and he has always said since the beginning of the WCS Oceania / SEA qual announcement that they wanted to have a qualifier at a live event from the beginning.

[Eddie]

It's a nice idea, and as VaNzR says lans are a great experience, good fun, and ACL are the best in the business at them. However a WCS Seed is a massive opportunity, and should be available to all, not ranked behind a small spectator experience. A LAN format doesn't work for our region. This is not an Oceanic/SEA WCS Qualifier if it's limited to one location. You can't even really call it an Australian WCS spot, since not everyone has a chance/ability to get there.

A lot of big name, and even up and comers wont be able to participate, which i think is a shame, and unfair.

Guess nothings going to change since it's up and running now, i'm just a little disappointed for those who will miss out.

Quick Comments

|Erasmus|:

Can just hope that it is better in the future... :(

[Baldie]

Originally Posted by |Erasmus|

The first two seasons ran fine without being "attached" to any other event. From the sounds of Blizzard HQ "agreeing to it" it was you guys who asked them to attach it to your LAN event, which sure sounds like a conflict of interests to me given how it affects a lot of players in the region outside of the Australia part of ACL... Kind of like if ESL tried to get the qualifier spots given to their IEM events.

You can read into it and make as many assumptions as you want. I'm not going to entertain that question. This was never about attaching to something because it was necessary. Blizzard saw this as an opportunity to support the local scene through local tournaments and have decided to follow that. Period.