Rules

• John "SlayerJohn" Jackson – Tournament Admin

Please also read the General Rules that apply to every single Esports Wales tournament.

• Signups close Sunday 30 August 2026 at 23:59 BST
• Main event team limit: 8 teams
• If more than 8 teams register, qualifiers will be held on Friday 4 September 2026
• Qualifier start time, if required: 18:00 BST
• Main event begins: Saturday 5 September 2026
• Players under 18 require parental or guardian consent where required
• Tournament Admins may request proof of age or identity where eligibility, safeguarding, or integrity concerns arise

Team Rosters

• Teams must register 6 starting players
• Teams may register up to 2 substitutes
• Players may only represent one team during the tournament
• Rosters lock at 12:00 BST on Saturday 5 September 2026
• Roster changes after roster lock require Tournament Admin approval

• All teams begin in the Upper Bracket Quarter Finals
• All matches are Best of Three (Bo3)
• Teams are eliminated after two match losses
• The Grand Final does not include a bracket reset
• The Upper Bracket finalist receives no additional competitive advantage in the Grand Final, other than side selection for the first game. 

Friday 4 September 2026 – Qualifiers, if required

Saturday 5 September 2026

Sunday 6 September 2026

Check-In

• Teams must check in at least 60 minutes before their first scheduled match
• Teams must check in at least 15 minutes before subsequent matches
• Failure to check in may result in penalties or disqualification

Ready Check Penalties

• A team not ready within 10 minutes of the scheduled start time will receive a one-game penalty in the series
• A team not ready within 20 minutes of the scheduled start time may forfeit the series
• Tournament Admins may exercise discretion in exceptional circumstances

Broadcasted Matches

An observer or Tournament Admin will contact teams and assist with match setup if selected for broadcast.

Non-Broadcasted Matches

Unless otherwise instructed by Tournament Admins, the Hidden King side team captain creates both the draft lobby and the in-game lobby.

Lobby Settings

• Server: England
• Specify Lane Assignments
• Visible to Everyone
• Cheats Disabled
• Alternative servers may only be used if approved by Tournament Admins and agreed by both teams

Side Selection

• Game One side selection is decided by a coin toss
• The loser of each game selects side for the next game in the series

• The Hidden King side captain creates the draft lobby unless production or Tournament Admins are managing the lobby
• Teams must follow the in-game competitive draft process
• Any changes to Deadlock's official competitive draft system apply once implemented in-game
• Coaches and managers may communicate with teams during drafting only

Official Communication

• Team Captains must remain reachable through the official Esports Wales Discord throughout the event
• Tournament Admins may create private captain channels or threads for match coordination
• Failure to respond to Tournament Admins may result in delays, penalties, or forfeits

Language Requirement

• All participants must be able to communicate with Tournament Admins in English

Voice Communication

• Teams may use their own voice communication platform
• Teams are not required to use Esports Wales voice channels during live gameplay

Coaches & Managers

• Coaches and managers may communicate with players during drafting
• During live gameplay, only rostered players may communicate regarding gameplay decisions
• Managers may support multiple teams provided there is no conflict of interest or integrity concern

Allowed Pause Reasons

• Player disconnects
• Hardware failure
• Major peripheral failure
• Significant game bug
• Platform outage
• Tournament Admin instruction

Pause Procedure

• The player initiating the pause must immediately state the reason in all-chat
• Players should attempt to reconnect immediately if disconnected
• Tournament Admins may pause or delay a match while technical issues are assessed
• Internet connectivity and ping issues are treated as technical issues

Pause Abuse

• Pauses may not be used for tactical discussion
• Abuse of the pause function may result in warnings, game penalties, game losses, or match forfeits

• Cheating is prohibited
• Exploiting known bugs is prohibited
• Deliberately manipulating gameplay outcomes is prohibited
• Match fixing is prohibited
• Collusion is prohibited
• Account sharing is prohibited
• Playing on behalf of another player is prohibited
• Bribery and corruption are prohibited
• The use of cheats, exploits, automation tools, or software that provides an unfair competitive advantage is prohibited

Team names, player names, logos and branding must be appropriate for an Esports Wales tournament.

• Names and branding must not include discriminatory language
• Names and branding must not include hate speech
• Names and branding must not include explicit, adult, offensive, or illegal content
• Names and branding must not promote illegal activity
• Names and branding must not impersonate another individual, team, or organisation
• Names and branding must not bring Esports Wales or the tournament into disrepute
• Tournament Admins may require teams or players to change names, logos, tags, or branding

• Follow all instructions from Tournament Admins
• Do not use abusive, threatening, discriminatory, or harassing language
• Do not bully, intimidate, or target other participants
• Do not disrupt matches, broadcasts, Discord channels, or admin processes
• Maintain appropriate conduct in gameplay, voice channels, Discord, social media, and broadcast environments
• Conduct that damages the safety, wellbeing, or experience of others may result in sanctions

Player Welfare

• Players are encouraged to take breaks between matches
• Players are encouraged to stay hydrated and rested
• Players should report welfare concerns promptly
• Tournament Admins may intervene where welfare or safety concerns arise

Safeguarding

• Safeguarding concerns must be reported immediately to Tournament Admins or the appropriate Esports Wales safeguarding contact
• For players under 18, parental or guardian involvement may be required where appropriate
• Tournament Admins may pause or remove participation where safeguarding concerns are identified

Accessibility & Reasonable Adjustments

• Players requiring reasonable adjustments should contact Tournament Admins before the event where possible
• Requests will be considered on an individual basis
• Adjustments must support fair access and must not create an unfair competitive advantage

Selected matches may be broadcast, recorded or restreamed on official Esports Wales channels.

• Main event broadcast plan: 3 Bo3 series per day
• Qualifier broadcast plans are TBC
• Broadcast match selection is at the discretion of Tournament Admins
• Players are not required to use face cameras

Player and club streaming is permitted unless Tournament Admins state otherwise.

• Streams must not reveal private team communications
• Streams must not display admin-only information
• Streams must not negatively impact competitive integrity
• Streams must have a 2-minute delay
• Tournament Admins may request stream delay or stream restrictions where required

Tournament Admins may apply sanctions based on the severity, context and impact of a rule breach.

If a controversial situation occurs during a match, the team that identifies the issue should capture evidence where possible and contact Tournament Admins immediately.

If a team continues to play without raising the issue, this may be treated as acceptance of the situation depending on the circumstances.

• Protests must be submitted by the Team Captain
• Protests must be submitted via the Esports Wales Discord or tournament support process
• Appeals must be submitted within 30 minutes of the decision
• Appeals must include supporting evidence where available
• Tournament Admin decisions are final for the duration of the event

Contact Tournament Admins via the official Esports Wales Discord support process.

Captains must remain available throughout the event so Tournament Admins can resolve issues quickly.