HCS Anaheim Regional: Qualified Teams, Prize Pool, Format & More
| Tags: Halo Infinite, HCS
| Author Matt Pryor
The stage is set for HCS Anaheim following this past weekend’s online qualifier.
Sixteen of North America’s best Halo Infinite teams have punched their ticket to the Halo Championship Series (HCS) LAN in Anaheim, CA, next month. The first eight qualified teams earn the right after achieving a top-eight at HCS Raleigh. Only eight more spots remained heading into this past weekend.
HCS Anaheim initially would have been a complete DreamHack festival if not for what the organizers described as “hosting difficulties.” Instead, DreamHack and the HCS agreed the show must proceed. With just under two weeks remaining until HCS Anaheim, let’s see which teams will journey to the Golden State for a crack at the $125K USD prize pool.
Who Will Compete at HCS Anaheim?
ICYMI – The @HCS NA Regional Finals at @DreamHack Anaheim 2022 will now only feature the Top 16 teams.
– No spectators
– Open Bracket will be held online https://t.co/xPFOyPyjq7— Halo Esports (@HCS) January 10, 2022
A sizable portion of North America’s top Halo rosters will be in attendance from February 11 to February 13. That list includes Cloud9–who has looked unstoppable since HCS Raleigh. They’ll look to continue their run in pool play against an unknown group of three opponents.
Here is the complete pool play format followed by a list of the eight qualified squads:
- Four pools of four teams drawn before the event
- Single Round Robin, Best of five
- First-place teams receive a bye and move to Winner’s Bracket Round Two of the Championship Bracket.
- Second and third-place teams go into Winner’s Round One.
- Fourth place teams go into Elimination Round One.
Championship Bracket (Qualified for pool play)
GGs to all. Teammates are goated, time to lock in for Anaheim. https://t.co/B76RZzwgJ0
— SSG Eco (@KevinEcoSmith) January 28, 2022
- Cloud9 (Eco, StelluR, Pznguin, Renegade)
- eUnited (KingNick, Rayne, RyaNoob, Spartan)
- FaZe Clan (Snip3down, Bound, bubu dubu, Falcated)
- Sentinels (LethuL, Royal 2, Snakebite, Frosty)
- Spacestation Gaming (Ace, Tylenul, Ziyon, Flazin)
- G2 Esports (Gilkey, Sab, Str8 Sick, Tusk)
- OpTic Gaming (Trippy, aPG, Pistola, Lucid)
- KC Pioneers (Druk, SoulSnipe, Manny, Taulek)
The HCS Anaheim Regional Qualifier saw 390 teams enter. However, only eight could earn the right to compete in Anaheim next month. Some recognizable names such as Status Quo and Built By Games put forth solid efforts but ultimately fell short.
Here is the Championship Bracket format followed by the eight teams that qualified via the January 30 Qualifier:
- Sixteen Teams
- Double Elimination
- Best of five games per series until Grand Finals
- Grand Finals is a best of seven
Open Bracket
‼️ WE’RE GOING BACK TO LAN ‼️
After securing a Top 8 placement in today’s qualifier, we will be attending @HCS Regional in Anaheim, CA 🤝 pic.twitter.com/G9GSJiiDL1
— G1 (@g1official) January 30, 2022
- G1 (Commonly, Squallaye, PreDevoNatoR, Marbs)
- Complexity (Hysteria, Triton, Vetra, Rob the turtle)
- XSET (Cratos, Suppressecl, Svspector, Articc)
- Oxygen Esports (Common, Its Name, Swish, Haines)
- FNATIC (SuperCC, Juziro, Sceptify, Envore)
- Incognito (Karmea, Piggy Saiyan, tonisun, CyKul)
- Pushin P (Rammyy, Boammx, Neuronical, Kuhlect)
- We Love Anime (Abature, FilthyG, Huss, HotShotGhost)
Although HCS Anaheim is not classified as a major, it’s still a LAN event sporting a $125K USD prize pool. There’s a lot on the line for the sixteen teams above who desperately want to take down the dominant Cloud9 force and earn a piece of the pie.
Mark your calendar down from February 11 to February 13 to see how the action plays out. Be sure to check back with ESTNN for more information ahead of HCS Anaheim!
Featured Image: HCS