The group stage of the ELEAGUE Major was different than recent Majors because it used the Swiss format, which randomly draws teams against one another for a best-of-one, and if a team wins three matches before it loses three matches, it qualifies for the playoffs.
During the Major, Slingshot’s Vince Nairn asked nine pro players what they thought of the Swiss format, and the results were overwhelmingly positive. Take a look at the players’ responses below.
Epitacio “TACO” de Melo, SK Gaming: I think it’s great. I think it’s better than the last format. I think it’s the best format possible.
Rene “Cajunb” Borg, North: I think it’s nice. I like it, actually. I think it’s giving something for the viewers, and I think it’s giving something for the players as well. Look at our situation. We were down 0-2 and we still (made the playoffs). So I like it.
Nathan “NBK-” Schmitt, EnVyUs (now on G2): I like the Swiss format. I don’t like the randomness. I think it should be still seeded until have some logic to the matchups because, I mean, poor OpTic. If OpTic would have faced North on the elimination game, that would have been a fucking disaster for them. (The format) has its flaws, but overall I think the main problem is technically we only play three games. Randomness plays a part in there, but if you play four, five games or have a system like The International, where you play every other team, that would be the perfect system.
Will “RUSH” Wierzba, OpTic Gaming: It’s really good. It makes the good teams come out. You have to win three times to go through, and you have three chances, which is awesome, too. The last Major we lost twice and we’re out, and it sucks. Two BO1s and you go home. So having three chances is very nice.
Mathias “MSL” Lauridsen, North: I think the Swiss format is great, honestly. You have three chances. If you are not good enough, that’s how it is. But as I always have said, it’s much better to have best-of-three, but it takes a lot more days. But I think every player wants to have best-of-threes, but Swiss is all right.
Dauren “AdreN” Kystaubayev, Gambit: I like it because I know there is less random rounds because you have to win three games. In a group, there could be a strong group and a weak group. This is a whole group, and you just show your best. If you’re really good, you’ll go to the playoffs.
Fabien “Kioshima” Fiey, FaZe Clan: I think it’s really good because you can be upset and still come back. If you’re the better team, you cannot be upset three times. And even if you have bad matchups, you start 0-2, then you’re gonna face the lower teams. You can always come back, so I think it’s a really good format for the Major.
Ladislav “GuardiaN” Kovacs, Natus Vincere: I like it because you play a lot of games. The matches are random, so you get to face anyone. It’s much better than the GSL because you play much more here and I like it much more.
Janusz “Snax” Pogorzelski, Virtus.Pro: It’s OK. It can be random, but what can you do? I think it’s OK, for sure for the viewers because it’s a lot of good teams playing each other, even in the first matches. I think it’s OK. It’s a bit random, but it’s OK.
Cover photo courtesy of Turner Sports/ELEAGUE, illustration by Slingshot