MLG Releases Rules for Fighting Game Tournaments at the Winter Championships

MLG announced the rules for their Mortal Kombat, King of Fighters XIII and Soul Calibur V tournaments earlier today. It appears that they are not going with the standard double elimination format, instead opting to use the continuation format, which is not really that popular. Each game is capped at a 128 player tournament with randomized seeding, and there will be a winner's bracket and a loser's bracket.

Be that as it may, the ruleset looks pretty standard. Have a look below!

Universal Match Format

1. All Games will be Best of 5 Rounds.
2. All Matches will be Best of 5 Games unless the Players have already played each other in the Event.
3.  If Players are scheduled to play each other for a 2nd time, their Match will expand to a Best of 11, include the previous Match, and pick up where that Match left off. For example, if Player A beat Player B 3 Games to 0 in the Winners Bracket, the Best of 11 will resume with Game 4 and Player A leading 3 Games to 0. The winner of a Finals Best of 11 Games Match will win the Event.
4. If the Players scheduled to play each other in the Finals have not yet played against each other, an initial Best of 5 Games Match must be played. If the Player that came from the Winners Bracket wins the initial Match, they will win the Event. If the Player that came from the Losers Bracket wins the initial Match, the Match will expand to a Best of 11, include the initial Match, and pick up where that Match left off. For example, if the Losers Bracket Player beat the Winners Bracket Player 3 Games to 0 in the initial Match, the Best of 11 will resume with Game 4 and the Losers Bracket Player leading 3 Games to 0.

Mortal Kombat

Gameplay Rules

1. Players may not use Kombat Codes.
2. Players may not use the Character Kratos.
3. Players may not quit out of a Game before it has ended, without Referee’s permission.
4. Players may not incorrectly end a Game, without Referee’s permission.
5. Players who break Gameplay Rules #1-4 will Forfeit the Game.
6. Players who Pause a Round, without Referee’s permission, will Forfeit the Round. When a Round is forfeited, the Round must be un-paused, the winner of the Round must use Basic Attacks to gain a health advantage, and the Round timer must then be allowed to expire.
7. With Referee’s permission, Players may start a Game, prior to the start of Game 1, in order to check their settings. Such Games may not last longer than one minute.
8. The higher seeded Player must choose to play on the left (Player 1) or right (Player 2) side of the screen, before the start of the Match. The Players must then select their correct side of the screen.
9. Players may request a Blind Pick of Characters for Game 1 of a Match.
10. The loser of each Game may select a new Character for the next Game. The winner of each Game won’t be allowed to select a new Character for the next Game. If a Match expands to a Best of 11, the loser of the Best of 5 Games Match may select a new Character for the next Game. The winner of the Best of 5 Games Match won’t be allowed to select a new Character for the next Game.
11. The Maps Chamber of Flame and The Streets may not be played. If a Player selects one of these Maps, the Game must be restarted from the beginning and the Player must select another Stage.
12. The higher seed must select the Game 1 Stage of each Match.
13. The loser of each Game must select the Stage for the next Game. If a Match expands to a Best of 11, the loser of the Best of 5 Games Match must select the Stage for the next Game.
14. If a Game is started without the approval of a Referee it will be restarted from the beginning.
15. Players who are disqualified prior to the start of a Game won’t be allowed to play in the Game. Players who are disqualified during a Game must quit out of the Game. Players who are disqualified won’t receive any benefits (seeding, prize, etc.) for their ranking in the Event.

Soul Calibur V

Gameplay Rules

1. Players may not use an Original Character or a modified Regular Character.
2. Players may not use the Soul of Devil Jin Fighter Style.
3. Players may not quit out of a Game before it has ended, without Referee’s permission.
4. Players may not incorrectly end a Game, without Referee’s permission.
5. Players who break Gameplay Rules #1-4 will Forfeit the Game.
6. Players who Pause a Round, without Referee’s permission, will Forfeit the Round. When a Round is forfeited, the Round must be un-paused, the winner of the Round must use Basic Attacks to gain a health advantage, and the Round timer must then be allowed to expire.
7. With Referee’s permission, Players may start a Game, prior to the start of Game 1, in order to check their settings. Such Games may not last longer than one minute.
8. The higher seeded Player must choose to play on the left or right side of the screen, before the start of the Match. The Player set to play on the left side of the screen must then press start at the title screen.
9. Players may request a Blind Pick of Characters for Game 1 of a Match.
10. The loser of each Game may select a new Character for the next Game. The winner of each Game won’t be allowed to select a new Character for the next Game. If a Match expands to a Best of 11, the loser of the Best of 5 Games Match may select a new Character for the next Game. The winner of the Best of 5 Games Match won’t be allowed to select a new Character for the next Game.
11. The Random Stage Option must be selected for Game 1 of a Match unless both Players agree on a specific Stage.
12. The loser of each Game must select a specific Stage, or the Random Stage Option, for the next Game. If a Match expands to a Best of 11, the loser of the Best of 5 Games Match must select a specific Stage, or the Random Stage Option, for the next Game.
13. If a Game is started without the approval of a Referee it will be restarted from the beginning.
14. Players who are disqualified prior to the start of a Game won’t be allowed to play in the Game. Players who are disqualified during a Game must quit out of the Game. Players who are disqualified won’t receive any benefits (seeding, prize, etc.) for their ranking in the Event.
15. Games can’t end on a Draw. If a Round ends in a Draw, and counting the Draw as a win for both Players would result in the end of the Match, the Game must be reset with the appropriate pre-Draw Round Score.

Settings

1. Player = Player VS Player
2. Battle Count = 3
3. Round Time = 60

King of Fighters XIII

Gameplay Rules

1. Players may not quit out of a Game before it has ended, without Referee’s permission.
2. Players may not incorrectly end a Game, without Referee’s permission.
3. Players who break Gameplay Rules #1-2 will Forfeit the Game.
4. Players who Pause a Round, without Referee’s permission, will Forfeit the Round. When a Round is forfeited, the Round must be un-paused, the winner of the Round must use Basic Attacks to gain a health advantage, and the Round timer must then be allowed to expire.
5. With Referee’s permission, Players may start a Game, prior to the start of Game 1, in order to check their settings. Such Games may not last longer than one minute.
6. The higher seeded Player must choose to play on the left or right side of the screen, before the start of the Match. The Players must then select their correct side at the Controller Select Screen.
7. Players may request a Blind Pick of Characters for Game 1 of a Match.
8. The loser of each Game may select new Characters for the next Game. The winner of each Game won’t be allowed to select new Characters for the next Game, however, they will be allowed to change the order in which their Characters will fight in the next Game. If a Match expands to a Best of 11, the loser of the Best of 5 Games Match may select new Characters for the next Game. The winner of the Best of 5 Games Match won’t be allowed to select new Characters for the next Game, however, they will be allowed to change the order in which their Characters will fight in the next Game.
9. The “?” Stage Option must be selected for Game 1 of a Match unless both Players agree on a specific Stage.
10. The loser of each Game must select a specific Stage, or the “?” Stage Option, for the next Game. If a Match expands to a Best of 11, the loser of the Best of 5 Games Match must select a specific Stage, or the “?” Stage Option, for the next Game.
11. If a Game is started without the approval of a Referee it will be restarted from the beginning.
12. Players who are disqualified prior to the start of a Game won’t be allowed to play in the Game. Players who are disqualified during a Game must quit out of the Game. Players who are disqualified won’t receive any benefits (seeding, prize, etc.) for their ranking in the Event.
13. Games can’t end on a Draw. If a Round ends in a Draw, and counting the Draw as a win for both Players would result in the end of the Match, the Game must be reset with the appropriate pre-Draw Round Score.

Settings

1. 3 on 3 Match

Phew! That was quite the read. Still with me folks? Good. Personally I'm really looking forward to seeing how well the Fighting Game Community conducts itself at its first real MLG in years. Any thoughts, GameZone?