How do I participate in the 2010 tournament?

The Warcraft III open ladder has been reset for the start of the 2010 tournament. To qualify for a chance at the invitational ladder, you must have a Battle.net account that includes an associated valid email address and be a top-ranked player at the end of the open ladder. To participate, you simply play in a regular ladder match by selecting Play Game at the Battle.net start screen and choosing the One vs. One game type.

What is different between the invitational ladders and the standard regional ladders?

On the invitational ladders, there are no restrictions on who can play whom. This means the top-ranked player could play the bottom-ranked player. Additionally, top performers in the invitational ladder are eligible to compete in offline regional tournaments and potentially in the global finals.

Who will play on these invitational ladders?

The top-50-ranked players from each of last year's invitational ladders will be automatically invited, as will the top-100-ranked players from the just-concluded standard regional ladders. The top 50 in each of the Lordaeron and Azeroth realms will comprise the 100 ranked ladder players from the Americas. This will result in 150 total players per invitational ladder.

How long will the invitational ladder tournament run?

The invitational ladder is scheduled to run for two weeks. There will then be one offline regional qualifier event for each region.

Will there be a ladder reset for this year's tournament?

Yes. We will be resetting the ladders in preparation for the 2010 tournament, as well as resetting the invitational ladder at the start of the 2010 tournament.

How do I play on the invitational ladder?

Once the invitational ladder begins, invited participants will gain access to a new ladder game type. To play in a 2010 tournament game, log into Battle.net and click the Play Game button. In the Game Type dropdown menu, there will be a 2010 Tournament game type. Choose that and play.

Who will go to the regional qualifiers?

The top-six-ranked players from each region’s invitational ladder will be invited to their respective regional qualifier event. They will combine with the top two performers from last year’s tournament for each region. This will result in a total of eight players for the regional qualifier. If the same player was in the top two last year and also reaches the top six in the current tournament, additional invitations will be extended until a total of eight players is reached.

When and where will the regional tournament be held?

More information about the regional qualifiers and global finals will be announced at a later date.