With just five short (hopefully!) weeks away from the Major League Gaming Fall Championships in Dallas, TX, MLG's decided to take the lid off the can that is the Halo 4 Prerelease Championship. Legends of the Halo and FPS communities in general have been coming out of the woodwork to take part in what's sure to be a historic tournament – names like Ogre1, Status Quo and Team Optic (MLG Orlando 2011 champions) of Call of Duty fame. They're coming out to compete for a $40,000 prize pool in a 4v4 format.
The prize breakdown is as follows:
- 1st: $20,000
- 2nd: $10,000
- 3rd/4th: $5,000
The competition itself starts on Saturday, November 3rd lasting through Sunday November 4th – but that's not all. There will be a scrimamge on Friday Novemeber 2nd at 1:30PM for the teams to get hands on time with the game, and a broadcasted analysis of the new weapons and maps at 5:00PM. The matches will be streamed, as always, via Major League Gaming's website, and will feature a dedicated tournament area with a feature station showcasing select matches – A large video screen above the competition area will broadcast gameplay for spectators to congregate and watch the action live from the show floor. This is a bit of a change from how things were done in the past, where MLG had a stage setup where featured matches would be played. This setup allows you to get closer to the action, which is always a good thing.
The action will be brought to you by Halo legends Dave "Walshy" Walsh and Andy "Bravo" Dudynsky, so you know the commentary will be top notch, and the action is sure to be furious in this first of many Halo 4 MLG events. After all, you can be a MLG Champion in a game at any MLG event, but there's something to be said for being the first. You become the team to beat. If you think you and your friends are tough enough to run with the legends, you can buy your competitor pass now on MLG's store, for $280.00. Let's not forget that this also grants you the opportunity to be the first of your friends to play Halo 4, as it releases a couple of days after the conclusion of the Fall Championships.
Below, I've linked the full schedule from MLG's press release:
The Broadcast Schedule
Friday, November 2 – 5:00pm – Midnight CST (Broadcast):
· First Look Game Analysis – Bravo, Walshy and pro players will provide an in-depth first look at the game including a Pro analysis of new weapons, gametypes, maps, and features.
· Interviews – Bravo and Walshy interview top competitors and personalities attending MLG Dallas to get their first thoughts on the new game, and to divulge how they prepared for the tournament.
· Scrimmages – Top teams will face off as they warm-up and formulate strategies for the first time in Halo 4. The broadcast will showcase Pro Scrimmages, Show-Matches, and Exhibition.
Saturday, November 3 – 10:00am – 10:00pm CST (Broadcast): non-stop tournament play
10:00 AM – 1:00 PM Winners Round 1
1:00 PM – 2:30 PM Losers Round 1
1:00 PM – 4:00 PM Winners Round 2
4:00 PM – 5:30 PM Losers Round 2
5:30 PM – 6:15 PM Losers Round 3
4:00 PM – 7:00 PM Winners Round 3
7:00 PM – 7:45 PM Losers Round 4
8:30 PM – 9:15 PM Winners Round 4
9:15 PM – 10:00 PM Losers Round 5
Sunday, November 4 – 10:00am – 7:00pm CST (Broadcast): non-stop tournament play
10:00 AM – 10:45 AM Losers Round 6
10:45 AM – 11:30 AM Winners Round 5 / Losers Round 7
11:30 AM – 12:15 PM Winners Round 5 / Losers Round 8
12:15 PM – 1:00 PM Winners Round 6 / Losers Round 9
1:00 PM – 1:45 PM Winners Round 6 / Losers Round 10
1:45 PM – 2:30 PM Winners Round 7 / Losers Round 11
2:30 PM – 3:15 PM Winners Round 7 / Losers Round 12
3:15 PM – 4:00 PM Winners Final / Losers Round 13
4:00 PM – 4:45 PM Losers Final
4:45 PM – 7:00 PM Final
In the mean time, let's take a look back at the best plays from MLG's Halo Reach Pro Formal, and remember how exactly MLG came to be the leader in North American eSports!
As I keep saying – Dallas is going to be epic! If you're going, look for us there – I'll be live on the floor getting interviews with the pros, and providing coverage! Stop by and say hello!
Dustin Steiner is GameZone's eSports Correspondent! Follow him on Twitter @VGHC_Deitis and check out Video Gaming Hard Corps, where he is a local tournament organizer for the S. FL. Fighting Game Community.
