Hello Lumia Island survivors,
We want to express our sincere gratitude for the overwhelming interest and support shown during the Esports events held throughout Season 5—especially the Masters Season 5 Finals!
Cartel’s stellar performance over two days, culminating in their well-deserved victory, left a lasting impression on fans and showcased the thrilling potential of Eternal Return Esports.
As we look ahead to 2025, exciting changes are on the horizon! Next year will feature a revamped Eternal Return Masters tournament format, alongside even more opportunities for players and teams to shine. Let’s dive into what’s coming next!
§ Eternal Return Season 6 Masters Schedule
As previously announced, Eternal Return Masters Season 6 will feature a newly revamped format. One of the biggest challenges teams faced was the difficulty of qualifying through the narrow doors of the Qualifiers. With this change, we’re expanding both the Qualifiers stage and the Main Stage to address these concerns.
| Before | After | |
| Seed Teams | Previous Season Finals Top 8 teams | Previous Season Finals Top 8 teams |
| Main Stage Teams | 16 Teams (Seed 8 Teams + 8 Qualifiers Teams) | 32 Teams (Seed 8 Teams + 24 Qualifiers Teams) |
| Qualifiers Format | 6 Round Points | 4 Round Points |
| Qualifiers Groups | 4 Groups | 6 Groups |
| Main Stage Slots | 2 Teams per Group | 4 Teams per Group |
| Phases per Season | 3 Phases | 2 Phases |
| Tournament Days per Phase | 3 days (1 week) | 6 days (2 weeks) |
The revamped Masters format introduces two key features: a wider path for both Qualifiers and the Main Stage, and a Knockout Stage where teams of similar skill levels will continue to compete against each other.
With an expanded structure, qualifying teams will experience less pressure regarding rating cuts, while accidents or small mistakes during Qualifiers are less likely to lead to immediate elimination. To accommodate this new format, Qualifiers matches will now consist of 4 rounds instead of 6, aligning with the Main Stage matches.
Competing against teams of similar skill levels is also crucial from a viewer's perspective. The introduction of the Swiss system, widely used in other tournaments, maximizes this aspect. While the broader team pool in the new 32-team structure may increase skill gaps, the Group Stage ranking will ensure matchups remain tight and competitive. As a result, games following the Group Stage are expected to deliver even more tension and excitement for both players and fans.
Day 1 | Group Stage A | Teams will begin their matches on Days 3–6 based on their group stage rankings |
| Group Stage B | ||
| Day 2 | Group Stage C | |
| Group Stage D | ||
| Day 3 | Knockout Stage 1 | Groups’ 7th vs. 8th place match |
| Knockout Stage 2 | Knockout 1’s Top 4 vs. Group 6th place match | |
| Day 4 | Knockout Stage 3 | Knockout 2’s Top 4 vs. Group 5th place match |
| Knockout Stage 4 | Knockout 3’s Top 4 vs. Group 4th place match | |
| Day 5 | Knockout Stage 5 | Knockout 4’s Top 4 vs. Group 3rd place match |
| Knockout Stage 6 | Knockout 5’s Top 4 vs. Group 2nd place match | |
| Day 6 | Final Stage(CP.) | Knockout 6’s Top 4 vs. Group 1st place match |
*(CP.): Checkpoint
In the event that unforeseen challenges arise during the tournament, we have prepared alternative plans and will closely monitor the progress of the newly restructured Masters. With the number of teams increased to 32, concerns about performance gaps between teams may surface. We will carefully observe and respond promptly with adjustments if necessary.
§ Circuit Points Table for the new Masters
The Circuit Points system is also being updated to match the newly restructured tournament format. With more teams competing in the Masters this season, Circuit Points will now be distributed to a larger pool of participants. Here's how the points will be allocated:
You’ll notice a slight difference in Circuit Point distribution between Phase 1 and Phase 2. Phase 1 offers a special incentive for the top-performing teams. Meanwhile, Phase 2 awards more points to increase the chances for teams that perform well in the later stages to advance to the Season Finals.
1st ~ 4th | Direct qualification to Season Finals Day 2 (Seed) (Seed) |
| 5th ~ 10th | Direct qualification to Season Finals Day 1 |
| 11th ~ 12th | Direct qualification to LCQ Main Stage |
The starting positionings for the Season Finals based on Circuit Point rankings will remain unchanged, and the structure of both the Season Finals and LCQ will stay the same. With more opportunities to qualify for Qualifiers and the Main Stage, we expect the competition for Circuit Points to be just as fierce. Additionally, since the doors to the Qualifiers and Finals are now wider, situations where teams earn Circuit Points in Phase 1 but are unable to participate in Phase 2, leaving them to anxiously watch others' results, should occur far less frequently than before.
Season 6 brings many exciting changes to Eternal Return Esports, and we’re eager to see how these updates shape the competition. With more teams competing in Masters, we’re just as excited as you to see how the matches will unfold.
To ensure the sustainability of esports—a goal we emphasize every season—it's essential to create a stable environment where players and teams can compete with confidence. Equally important is the unwavering support from our fans, which makes it all possible. In Season 6, we encourage you to show your enthusiasm through the Esports Support Bundle and the Team Support Bundles designed for each participating team.
As always, we extend our heartfelt gratitude to all the fans who continue to support Eternal Return Esports. Thank you for your incredible dedication throughout 2024, and we look forward to your continued support in 2025. We remain committed to providing an enjoyable experience for both players and viewers alike.
Sincerely,
Eternal Return Esports Team
