MLG releases details for Blizzard's StarCraft WCS America Season 1!

The first season of the $1.6 million StarCraft II WCS 2013 (World Championship Series) is kicking off soon and American partner MLG has announced fresh details of WCS America Season 1, which will include a $100,000 prize pool.

It will feature a 256 player Qualifying Tournament where the top eight players will earn a spot in the WCS America Season 1 Premier League. The other 24 places in the Premier League will be populated by invited players, including some of the best Koreans in the world; reason enough to upset the European and North American community who expected WCS to foster competition outside of Korea. 

WCS Season 1 will be broken up into two leagues: the higher ranking Premier League and the Challenger League which gives players a chance to be promoted up into the higher tier.

32 players will compete in the Premier League in two group stages consisting of eight groups of four followed by an Eight-Player, Single Elimination Bracket called the Regional Finals. Group Stage 2 and the Regional Finals will see players compete in person at the MLG Studio in New York City. 

Meanwhile, the Challenger League will be made up of 40 players. A second qualifying tournament will be held to award 16 spots, while the bottom 24 players in the Premier League will drop down to populate the remaining spots. The Challenger League will feature a Single Elimination Bracket followed by a Group Stage, not only will competitors be playing for money, they will also have the opportunity to qualify for the WCS Season 2 Premier League. 

Blizzard has noted there will be a third league called the Qualifier League, but this will not be used in season 1. 

Now for the important part, where and when?

All broadcasts begin at 8pm ET at www.majorleaguegaming.com and www.twitch.tv/mlgsc2 and will be cast by Axslav, Axeltoss and special guests.

Broadcast Schedule:

Monday, April 22 – Thursday, April 25: Qualifying Tournament (four matches each night)

Monday, April 29 – Thursday, May 2: Premier League, Group Stage 1 (one group each night)

Monday, May 6 – Thursday, May 9: Premier League, Group Stage 1 (one group each night)

Monday, May 13 – Thursday, May 16: Challenger League Bracket

Monday, May 20 – Thursday, May 23: Premier League, Group Stage 2 (Four Players LIVE in the MLG Studio each night)

Monday, May 27 – Thursday, May 30: Challenger League Bracket

Weekend of June 1 – Premier League Regional Finals (details TBD)

Monday, June 10 – Thursday, June 13: Challenger League Group Stage

Monday, June 17 – Thursday, June 20: Challenger League Group Stage

WCS America is not the only content MLG broadcasts, they also present additional StarCraft content including the fantastic strategy show Rules of Engagement hosted by Axslav, and other shows including the new PlanetSide 2 Battle Report, find the full schedule on the Major League Gaming site. 

Click through to read official MLG post

Chris Rainey, Columnist