Valve updates invite allocation for the next Major

Valve has released updated information regarding invite distribution for the upcoming StarLadder Budapest Major. The decision was made based on the results of the BLAST.tv Austin Major.

According to the new rules, Europe will receive five direct invites to both Stage 2 and Stage 3, while the Americas will receive two, and Asia one. This means that Europe has lost one Stage 3 slot in favor of the Americas: both paiN and FURIA made it to the top 8 at the Austin Major. Meanwhile, in Stage 2, Europe and Asia have each gained one slot at the expense of the Americas.

As for Stage 1, the allocation of 16 invites is currently listed as TBD (to be determined), suggesting a possible change from the previous 6/6/4 format (Europe/Americas/Asia). Valve appears to be continuing its effort to adapt the system to reflect the current performance of the regions.

Another important addition to the rulebook states that teams will no longer be allowed to change their core lineup after receiving an invite. The five players registered at the time of submission will be considered the "core," and only one substitute player may be registered, provided that their inclusion does not affect the team’s regional affiliation.