Valve has made substantial updates to its tournament rules relating to team invitations, aiming for equitable distribution of teams in the Americas and Asia subregions. The revised Valve Regional Standings (VRS) system includes changes that focus on invitation criteria, inclusion of Wildcard teams, and redefined definitions for tournament phases.

Previously, each team’s qualifications varied significantly, but the changes now mandate that for every eight directly invited teams, two additional teams will be eligible through Wildcard invitations. Notably, a Wildcard team must consist of at least three players who were part of a top 8 roster within the last six months or must have ranked first or second in a relevant tournament in that time frame.

Additionally, North America and South America will now have designated subregions, giving tournament organizers (TOs) discretion to balance participation from both regions, which could lead to a more inclusive environment for international play.

These adjustments come with clear expectations regarding tournament stages and team rankings which will now utilize the Global VRS rankings if available, emphasizing the importance of consistent performance across all events. This not only boosts the competitive integrity but also streamlines the process for team invitations.