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The start date for the Asia Pacific League Stage 2 has been announced, along with other mid-season changes. The announcement was made via the Rainbow Six APAC’s official Twitter handle, with June 15 as the commencement date.
While the resumption date was the primary information, they included a link that showed major changes to their format. Perhaps the most intriguing is the removal of the playoffs and the reallocation of the Six Invitational points and prize money.
In a statement released by Ubisoft, they explained the reason for their actions. The organizers also pointed out that they had conversations with professional players and fans before proceeding with the announcement.
“The span of the Asia-Pacific region created technical challenges for teams competing in Stage 1 of the Asia-Pacific League Playoffs this season.
We have been closely monitoring the situation that unfolded and in direct response to the feedback we received from pros and fans after those matches, as well as follow-up discussions with our partner organizations, we have decided to remove the APAC League Playoffs tournaments.”
The APAC Stage 1 playoffs were marred by ping issues, which the organizers took responsibility for. It was difficult to maintain a normal level due to the vast geography of the APAC region.
Ubisoft also revealed that with the scrapping of the playoffs, the top two teams in the North and South Divisions will get a direct seeding to the Six Majors.
“Starting with Stage 2, the top 2 teams from the North Division and the top 2 teams from the South Division in the final rankings of each Stage will directly qualify to the Major.”
With that change came a major restructuring of the Six Invitational points allocation. The point values have been significantly reduced, and will now be shared among only the top four teams.
Below is the new allocation for each Division:
● 1st place: 215 SI points
● 2nd place: 215 SI points
● 3rd place: 205 SI points
● 4th place: 145 SI points
The difference with that of Stage 1 is a lot. The top five teams in the previous format each got 225 points each, while the remaining three got 180, 140, and 115 points, respectively.
With regards to the prize money, teams will earn more in their respective regions. Based on the new format, here are the prize fund allocations:
● 1st place: US$20,000
● 2nd place: US$10,000
● 3rd place: US$6,000
● 4th place: US$4,500
● 5th place: US$3,000
● 6th place: US$3,000
● 7th place: US$2,000
● 8th place: US$1,500
No changes have been made between the fourth and eighth-placed teams in the new format, but the top three teams have seen a significant increase in their winnings. In Stage 1, the top three earned $15,000, $7,000, and $5,000, respectively.
However, it is worth noting that teams had the opportunity to win more prize money in the playoffs. The winner got $10,000, while the next three in the standings earned $5,000, $2,000, and $1,000 respectively.
Players and coaches in the APAC region have expressed their displeasure with the new allocation. Some have drawn comparisons with the European and North American regions, which are earning a lot more SI points than those in the APAC regions.
Note that these points will be used to determine the teams that will participate in the 2023 Six Invitational. While all teams will have the opportunity to gather more points in the Majors, the APAC teams will already be at a disadvantage as they are given fewer points in their region.
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