Complexity manager Graham "Messioso" Pitt raised concerns about the discrepancies in Perfect World's seeding process compared to Valve's Major rulebook at the Shanghai Major 2024. He observed that teams were allocated to the Opening and Elimination stages based on RMR results instead of Valve's Regional Standings (VRS) as prescribed. Pitt reached out to the developers seeking clarification on this matter.
Initially, Pitt questioned the need for a 4th-place decider at the European RMR, a step that seems redundant when teams are seeded according to VRS, as seen at the PGL Major Copenhagen 2024. Despite the precedent set by past events, Perfect World's rule set presents inconsistencies, with one section endorsing Valve's methodology while another mandates sorting teams based on RMR outcomes.
The potential ramifications of this discrepancy could be significant if the participants are unaware of the rule variance, especially if it is uncovered belatedly. Teams that previously may not have been overly concerned with their RMR finishes now face the risk of starting in the Opening Stage—a departure from the previous Challenger Stage protocol, as confirmed by Perfect World.
Pitt shared his findings following the conclusion of the first day of the European RMR A. The absence of major upsets during the initial matches, where the favored teams largely dominated their lower-ranked counterparts, has somewhat mitigated the effects of the potential issues arising from this incident.
