The Coalition and PGL have partnered up to reveal the esports plans for Gears 5, which we're promised will "provide more opportunities for players of all skill levels from around the world to compete for fun and fortune in a season boasting more than $2 million [USD] worth of prizing".
There are four quarters of the 2019-20 season, as you can see in the infographic below. Each will end with an international event, and you can start competing from September 22, since it's open to any and all, since travel coverage is dedicated to the regions of North America, Latin America, South America, Asia-Pacific, and Europe.
There's a brand new online platform to register with here, letting you create teams and register for tournaments, featuring online and live events through the season. The "core of the program", however, revolves around online ladders and tournaments, exclusively played on the Escalation game mode.
Challenger Points are awarded in the online competitions, earned by teams rather than players and awarded in weekly tournaments. You can still play in the ladders at other times, except this doesn't award points and instead determines rankings. The first weekly tournament starts on September 22, and regional ladders kick off the next day.
At the close of the quarter, the team with the most Challenger Points and the winner of a double elimination playoff between the top six sides on the regional ladder will be invited to the major event, but if they can't travel they can get a set cash award instead.
We can also expect another new feature, as those in Latin America, North America, and Europe can qualify for the Gears Pro League, split into NA Alpha and Bravo, Latin America, and Europe, with each featuring four teams.
Qualification takes place over four weeks in the first quarter, again with ladders and weekly tournaments, and three spots for each division will go to teams with the most Challenger Points, with the final one going to the victor of a double elimination playoff between top six ladder sides. In NA, however, six of the spots will go based on points, while both the final winner bracket and loser bracket teams will qualify from the ladder playoff.
In the Pro League, each team will play every other side twice over six weeks, determining cash prizes and seeding for the major event, with bottom teams forced to re-qualify for their spot again at the end. Once qualified, however, all teams are guaranteed cash prizing as well as travel for all five players and a coach.
With four major international events, regional events with cash and travel prizing open to non-Pro League sides, local competitions at Microsoft Stores, and more, there's a lot to be excited about this season.
Can this be the best season yet?
