Valve has made significant changes to the Regional Major Ranking (RMR) system for Counter-Strike Majors in response to criticism from fans and analysts. The previous system, which factored RMR results into seeding, often led to powerful teams receiving low seeds based on their performance in these events. However, Valve’s new approach incorporates their own global rankings into the seeding process, making it harder for underdog teams to achieve undeserved success.
The revised system provides a clear advantage to teams that regularly compete in international events, as winning the RMR no longer guarantees direct entry to the Legends stage. Now, teams must demonstrate both strong performance in the RMR and consistent results over time to bypass certain stages of the competition. It’s important to note that this change only applies to regions with Legends spots.
In addition to altering the seeding process, Valve has also renamed the stages of the Majors. The “Challengers” stage is now called “Opening,” the “Legends” stage is now referred to as “Elimination,” and the “Champions” stage has been renamed “Playoffs.”
Furthermore, the pairings in the Swiss stage format have been adjusted. Previously, the top-seeded team would face the sixteenth seed, the second-seeded team would face the fifteenth seed, and so on. Under the new system, the first seed will play against the ninth seed, the second seed against the tenth, and so forth.
While these changes may seem minor to those unfamiliar with CS2 esports, the removal of direct advancement to the second stage for RMR winners is a significant alteration. This adjustment eliminates the possibility of an average team enjoying a lucky streak at the RMR and bypassing further competition. Although this change may disadvantage underdog teams, it highlights Valve’s emphasis on consistent performance rather than one-off successes, simultaneously rewarding excellence and preserving the allure of a Cinderella story. The first Major to implement these changes will be hosted by PGL in March 2024.
Source: DOTESPORTS
