ETERNAL RETURN ESPORTS GLOBAL RULEBOOKS

1. Definition of Terms

1.1        Game/Round

The series of events where up to 24 players participate in a Custom Game and compete according to set rules until the last team survives.

1.2        Match

A set of games where rankings are determined by the total sum of points acquired across all rounds within the match. The criteria for ranking may vary by tournament, prioritizing the specific regulations of each tournament.

        1.3        Organizing Committee

The highest decision-making council responsible for the execution of regulations and the adjudication of penalties for misconduct during the operation of the tournament. The organizing committee consists of 5 people from Nimble Neuron Corp., the hosting company.

2. Circuit Overview

2.1        The Eternal Return Esports Circuit

A series of processes that qualifies teams and players to advance to Season Finals through licensed competitions by Nimble Neuron Corps.

        2.2        Client Version

All events will use the latest version of “Eternal Return'' serviced by Nimble Neuron Corp. If there is an update during the competition, it will proceed with the latest version with the update. However, organizers may provide a separate competition client/server for the operation of the competition, in which case the previous version may be used for the stability of the competition. In this case, the organizers will notify the players in advance about the version of the client in which the game will be played

        2.3        Third Party Applications

Players have to follow the instructions to use specific third-party applications or tools (Tournament Clients, Discord, etc.) if requested by organizers.

3. Player and Team

3.1         Player Eligibility

3.1.1        Account Standing

Participants must own a Steam account or Kakao account in their name and cannot participate if they are unable to play normal matches due to any sanctions on their Steam or Kakao game accounts. Players must use only one account to participate in the tournament.

3.1.2        Age

Players under the age of 15 as of the tournament participation date are not eligible to participate.

3.1.3        Military Service

Players who are under mandatory military service CANNOT play in any events. However, limited participation may be permitted with the approval of the head of the organization, and players must submit documentation proving this to the organizers. Players are solely responsible for any issues arising from appearing on broadcasts, and the organizers will not be involved.

3.1.4        Accounts

3.1.4.1        In-game Nicknames (for Tournament Server)

All players must set nicknames according to the following rules:

3.1.4.2        Inappropriate Nicknames

Players cannot use nicknames that contain sexual, political, discriminatory, or other content that may cause discomfort to others. If a nickname deemed inappropriate is used, participation may be restricted, or the organizers may request a nickname change. Changing the submitted nickname without the organizers' request can lead to difficulties in verifying applicant information and may restrict tournament participation.

3.1.4.3        Nicknames Matching In-game Terms

Players must avoid using nicknames that include in-game item and/or test subject names as they may cause confusion. If a player’s nickname seems disruptive to the casters and viewers, the tournament organizing committee can request players to change their nickname, and failure to comply may result in being barred from competition.

3.1.5        Sportsmanship

All players must be familiar with the regulations, perform to the best of their ability in matches, and must unconditionally accept the decisions made by the organizers according to the rules.

3.2        Team Composition and Transfer

        3.2.1        Player Roles and Definition of Roster

        3.2.2         Roster Composition

All teams should maintain the following composition to preserve their seed and the right to claim their slot in the team match.

If the team fails to maintain the minimum roster composition, the team will be disqualified from the whole event.

                3.2.3        Seed Preservation

A team that maintains above a certain placement during the tournament can have the seed.

3.2.3.1        Amateur Team

A team must have at least 2 players who have participated in the previous season to preserve the seed.

3.2.3.1        단체/법인 팀

Organization or Corporation, the operators, have the seed when being maintained.

                3.2.4        Team Name Restrictions

All teams are prohibited from using team names that are identical or similar to in-game terms, test subjects, or items that could cause confusion during broadcasts, infringe on the copyrights of other brands, or harm public morals. The tournament organizing committee can request a team to change its name if it's inappropriate for participation in the competition, and failure to comply may result in denial of entry into the match.

                3.2.5        Prohibition of Unauthorized Contact During the Season

Players and coaching staff of teams holding seed rights, as well as those of teams that have earned circuit points in the ongoing Eternal Return season esports as per rule 4.4, cannot directly entice, persuade, or propose employment contracts to players and coaching staff of other seed-holding teams or teams that have earned circuit points, nor can they induce said players and coaching staff to breach or terminate their contracts with their own teams. Players and coaching staff may only inquire about or propose transfers for players and coaching staff of another team through the representatives of that team.

Players and coaching staff who receive contact not through their own team are obliged to immediately inform their own team about the contact, and failure to do so may result in penalties according to Appendix 2: Eternal Return Esports Sanctions by Nimble Neuron. Furthermore, discussing transfers, contracts, etc., with another team without consultation with their own team can also be considered unauthorized contact during the season. This applies equally if the player or coaching staff initiates the process themselves.

If the legal representative or a family member equivalent to a legal representative of a player or coaching staff conducts unauthorized contact during the season, or if an agent or acquaintance of the player or coaching staff condones, requests, or encourages unauthorized contact, Nimble Neuron can impose penalties on the said player or coaching staff according to Appendix B: Eternal Return Esports Sanctions.

4. Esports Circuit Point System

4.1        Definition of Circuit Points

Circuit Points are a point system for qualifying for the Season Finals and can be earned in all tiered competitions. All awarded Circuit Points are reset based on the end date listed in the 4.3 ESPORTS season schedule. In the event of a tie in Circuit Points, priority is given to the player who has earned more points in the most recent higher-tier competition.

4.2        Earning Circuit Points

The Circuit Points that can be earned vary by the tier assigned to each competition. The Circuit Points awarded for each competition can be found in 'Appendix A'.

4.3        Maintenance of Circuit Points

Teams that have earned Circuit Points must maintain the same team roster. If there is a change in team members, the Circuit Points earned so far will be forfeited.

4.4        ESPORTS Season Schedule

All season schedules conclude with the Season Finals.

5. Pause and Errors

5.1        Definition of Terms

5.1.1        Unintentional Disconnection

Disconnections from the game due to network or PC issues provided by the organizer, limited to the game client, platform, or offline tournament environments.

5.1.2        Intentional Disconnection

Disconnections from the game due to their actions (such as quitting the game). Any disconnection resulting from a player’s action is considered intentional disconnection, regardless of the player's intent.

5.1.3        Server Disruptions

Disconnection of all players from the game due to problems with the game server, client, or the venue's network.

5.2        Rehost

A rehost may be conducted at the organizer's discretion in cases where the continuation of the tournament is difficult due to server disruptions or natural disasters. In the event of a rematch, players must proceed with the same picks as before. (Limited to broadcasted matches, if a player fails to connect to the game properly, the referee may declare a rematch to ensure the smooth progression of the broadcast match.)

5.3         Disconnection During Online Matches

Issues occurring during online matches that do not fall under 5.2 rematch are considered the individual player’s issue, and the match will continue.

5.4        Disconnection During Offline Matches

Bugs occurring during a game (both known and unknown bugs) are not recognized as reasons for a rematch or score compensation, whether during or after the match, and all matches will proceed as planned. However, intentional exploitation of a bug may result in punishment according to 6.1.12 for exploiting bugs during the competition. If a test subject is causing serious bugs that can disrupt the match, it may be banned from the point of detection.

5.5        Bugs

Bugs occurring during a game (both known and unknown bugs) are not recognized as reasons for a rematch or score compensation, whether during or after the match, and all matches will proceed as planned. However, intentional exploitation of a bug may result in punishment according to 6.1.12 for exploiting bugs during the competition. If a test subject is causing serious bugs that can disrupt the match, it may be banned from the point of detection.

5.6        Unexpected Multiple Connection Anomalies

In the event of unforeseen anomalies such as a distributed denial-of-service attack on a player, the organizer may pause the tournament for 30 minutes to identify the cause. If an external attack is confirmed, the organizer may declare an additional 30-minute tournament pause to resolve the situation. If the issue cannot be resolved within the designated time, the organizer may announce a postponement of the tournament schedule, with subsequent match schedules to be determined through consultation with the participating players.

6. Penalties

6.1        Competition Rule Violations

In-game violations are subject to punishments according to the sanctions applied in-game and outlined in Appendix B.

6.1.1        Tardiness

All players must join the in-game lobby and voice channel before the designated starting time. Players may find detailed actions regarding punishments for relevant infringements in [Appendix B].

6.1.2        Non-Joining Game Lobby

If a player fails to select a test subject during the plan selection stage and is returned to the game lobby, that player becomes subject to punishment.

6.1.3        Failure of Selecting Test Subject

If a player fails to select a test subject during the strategy map selection stage and is returned to the game lobby, that player becomes subject to punishment.

6.1.4         Non-Participation

This applies if a player does not participate in a match by the designated start time. If there is no contact with the player by the start time of the match, it is considered a non-participation and subject to punishment.

6.1.5        Unnecessary Communication

During the match or in the lobby, communication not requested by the tournament organizers is not allowed. Repeated actions that damage the fairness of the game may be punished.

6.1.6        Teaming

If circumstances of collusion for a specific benefit between different teams or players are discovered, all involved teams will be disqualified. This applies to any situation where players, coaches, or related parties act for the benefit of another team, not their own.

- In case of actions favoring a specific team by not dealing damage to them are repeated during a match.

- In case of discovering a specific team intending to share profits or prizes from the tournament with another team.

6.1.7        Match Fixing

Any collusion or attempt influenced by external factors to affect the outcome of a match may result in penalties.

6.1.8        Give-up Match

Deliberate surrendering that goes against sportsmanship is considered a match forfeit and results in disqualification. This includes actions such as selecting surrender from the in-game menu.

6.1.9        Intentional Defeat

While giving up does not equate to match-fixing, any behavior to intentionally lose a match to obtain a lower seed or ranking may find penalties.

6.1.10        Cheating

While giving up does not equate to match-fixing, any behavior to intentionally lose a match to obtain a lower seed or ranking may find penalties.

6.1.11        Gambling

Refers to betting using currency or items of monetary value in unofficially sanctioned areas, potentially in conjunction with match-fixing, and is subject to punishment.

6.1.12        Exploiting In-game Bugs

Exploiting known bugs in the game during the tournament is punishable, and the severity of the punishment can vary based on the impact of the exploit.

6.1.13        Actions Provoking Discomfort

Behaviors intended to provoke discomfort in referees, organizers, other competing teams and players, or spectators are not tolerated. Repeated or severe violations of common courtesy are punishable. All players and tournament participants must respect others, and violations of the Esports Code of Conduct under this item are punishable.

6.1.14        Non-compliance

Failing to comply with the instructions of referees, whether those instructions are part of the rulebook or are reasonable requests made to ensure match progression, can result in punishment.

6.1.15        Insults and Abusive Language Towards Referees

Insulting or using abusive language towards referees is strictly prohibited and can result in the disqualification of the offending player’s team.

6.1.16        Ineligible Participation

Participation by individuals who do not meet the tournament’s eligibility requirements, as detailed in Section 3 of the rulebook, is subject to punishment.

6.1.16        Other Violations

Violations of other specific tournament rules or guidance provided to participants, depending on the severity, are subject to punishment.

6.1.16        Hate Speech Against Tournament Officials

Hate speech by players towards tournament officials is strictly prohibited. Any hate speech related to gender, philosophy, race, etc., is not tolerated and will result in strong punitive measures, including potential bans from participation.

6.1.17        Unauthorized Contact During the Season

As specified in Section 3.2.5 of the rulebook, engaging in unauthorized contact is subject to punishment.

6.1.18        Criminal Acts

Participants must adhere to the laws of their residence country. Being under investigation for or being found guilty of criminal acts can result in punishment, especially if these acts negatively impact the tournament or the Eternal Return brand.

6.2        In-game Violations

In-game violations are subject to punishments according to the sanctions applied in-game and outlined in Appendix B.

6.2.1        Obligation to Disclose In-game Violations

All players participating in the tournament must ensure any in-game violations are disclosed as part of the sanctions notice.

6.3        Contesting Penalties

Participants who believe they have been unjustly penalized may contest the decision on the same day the penalty is finalized.

6.4        Details of Penalties

All penalties are administered according to the standards outlined in Appendix B, Eternal Return Esports Sanctions and Principles.

7. Season Finals

7.1        Composition of the Season Finals

The Season Finals are divided into the LCQ (Last Chance Qualifier) and the Main Event, structured as follows:

7.2        Seeding for the Season Finals

Seeds for the Season Finals Main Event and LCQ are allocated based on circuit points accumulated during the season. If a team forfeits, their seed passes to the next-ranked team.

7.3        Prize Pool for the Season Finals

In the Season Finals finale, which operates on a checkpoint rule, the team that survives last after reaching the checkpoint wins and receives additional prize money. Additionally, based on the round in which the winner is decided, prize money is awarded according to the rankings determined by the points accumulated until the final round.

7.4        Tiebreakers for Circuit Points

In the event of a tie in circuit points, the teams advancing to the Season Finals are determined as follows:

• First Criterion: Among the tied players/teams, the one with more points from the last S-tier tournament they participated in ranks higher (if only one side participated, the other is treated as scoring zero points).

• Second Criterion: If no points were earned in S-tier tournaments, the decision goes to who scored more in the last A-tier tournament they both participated in (if only one side participated, the other is treated as scoring zero points).

• Third Criterion: If no points were earned in A-tier tournaments, the tie is broken based on points from the last B-tier tournament (if only one side participated, the other is treated as scoring zero points).

7.5        Rights to Participate in the Next Season

Teams that reach the team finals of the Season Finals are awarded the right to participate in the next season's team matches, depending on their ranking. However, the number of teams retaining this right may change if the tournament structure is altered.

8. Miscellaneous

8.1        Application of Regulations

The regulations, player qualifications, match schedules and formats, and various penalty rules not only form the basic framework for conducting the tournament but are also used as a basis for the organizers' final decisions in handling unforeseen situations. No participant may object to the organizers' decisions on matters explicitly stated in the rulebook.

8.2        Changes to Regulations

The organizers may change the regulations to ensure fairer and cleaner tournament conduct. In such cases, the date of change and the date of application will be announced to the participants in advance.

8.3        Organizers' Responsibilities and Rights

The tournament organizers will always do their best to conduct the tournament and ensure that no specific team is disadvantaged due to the abuse of power by the organizers.

The organizers can require players to participate in promotional activities related to the "Eternal Return" tournament, such as marketing and advertising, and players are obliged to actively participate to a reasonable extent.

Promotional activities may include media interviews, shooting for opening videos or commercials, profile shoots, etc., and may use the player's name, username, photo, etc., within the scope allowed by relevant laws.

8.4        Players' Responsibilities and Rights

All copyrights of the tournament belong to the organizers, and players can upload content to their YouTube channels, etc., as long as it does not excessively damage the authority and content of the tournament.

Players cannot broadcast any part of the tournament, including the qualifiers, on personal broadcasts without the organizers' permission and can only broadcast if permitted or requested by the organizers.

If violated, the organizers can request the cessation of the broadcast or posting, and non-compliance can result in disadvantages in the ongoing and subsequent matches.

[Appendix A] Tier-Based Circuit Point Conversion Chart

Sanctions

[Appendix B] Eternal Return eSports Sanctions and Principles

Esports Sanction Principles

Esports Sanction List