The Masters Tokyo format has been made public. It will include an eight-team GSL group stage, double-elimination playoffs and a $1,000,000 USD prize pool.

VCT Masters lettering Image by Riot Games

Masters Tokyo will include 12 teams, as has been previously announced. The Americas and Pacific will each take three teams. EMEA, due to FNATIC FNATIC Europe Rank #1 Leo Leo Jannesson Derke Nikita Sirmitev Boaster Jake Howlett Chronicle Timofey Khromov Alfajer Emir Ali Beder 's LOCK//IN victory, will take four teams. China will round up the number of teams present to a dozen with the two best teams from this year's FGC Invitational: Act 1.

While seeds are not yet determined in any region but China, the best teams from the three International Leagues are currently at war in regional playoffs. By the end of Sunday, May 28 every team attending Masters Tokyo and their seeds will be determined.

Teams from the Americas and Pacific drafted to Tokyo will also be automatically qualified to Champions 2023, hosted in Los Angeles. EMEA, due to its extra slot, will select its three best-placed teams at Masters to receive a ticket to September's Champions.

Champions from each of the three major regions will receive a free bye into the playoffs, similarly to last year's Masters events. However, due to the extra slot awarded to EMEA, the region's #2 seed will also get a fast pass into the playoffs, in their own seeding pool (Advanced Seeding).

The GSL groups will be randomly drawn, with each of the groups containing one team per region (Americas, EMEA, Pacific, and China). The playoffs will be completely randomly drawn, with the only rule being that group stage teams will face an Advanced Seeding team.

The playoffs will then be played in an eight-team double-elimination bracket with all matches BO3. The lower bracket final and grand final are the only two exceptions, and will be BO5 matches. The winner of the grand final will secure their region an extra Champions slot through its respective LCQ.

The entire event will be played out on patch 6.10, meaning the recently-announced Pearl changes will not be in effect in Japan.

The event will also feature a $1,000,000 USD prize pool, which has been reserved for Champions events thus far. The distribution is as follows:

  • 1st place - $350,000
  • 2nd place - $200,000
  • 3rd place - $125,000
  • 4th place - $75,000
  • 5th-6th place - $50,000
  • 7th-8th place - $35,000
  • 9th-10th place - $25,000
  • 11th-12th place - $15,000