Tournament is over! Congratulations to Justin Wong!
To watch it (again?), you can head over to Team Spooky's video-archive. iPlayWinner is expected to be posting a few more updates/details too, in the upcoming days.
Performance Designed Products (PDP) is proud to be the exclusive sponsor of the first ever National Mortal Kombat Tournament!
The Mortal Kombat national tournament will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada at Bally's Hotel and Casino on the weekend of May 14th -15th 2011. PDP has guaranteed a prize pool of $21,000 to be paid to the top 8 finishers, with the champion being awarded $10,000 in cash!
This will be a double elimination format tournament starting with Day 1 qualifying rounds. The top 2 from each qualifying round will face off in the semi-finals bracket on Day 2 for a shot at a big payday and the right to be called "The Mortal Kombat National Champion"!
This will be a double elimination format tournament starting with Day 1 qualifying rounds. The top 2 from each qualifying round will face off in the semi-finals bracket on Day 2 for a shot at a big payday and the right to be called "The Mortal Kombat National Champion"!
- May 14 stream: *ENDED*
- May 15 stream: *ENDED*
Our live stream, courtesy of PDP, will be coming from the very talented Team Spooky during the event, and after it's over we'll have a full wrap-up, interviews with the pros and the winners, match highlights, and you definitely won't want to miss it. The tournament is scheduled to kick off on Saturday from 12-4 PM PST, and will continue through Sunday night when a champion is crowned.
The tournament will be played exclusively using the new officially licensed Mortal Kombat Fight Stick by PDP. PDP will be providing all of the necessary equipment and an official Mortal Kombat Fight Stick for use at each tournament station.
Because of the large number of participants, the tournament will be running in two separate ways:
Phase 1: Qualifying Round
Phase 1 will be standard double elimination play (click here for details). To the extent feasible, players will be assigned to pools based on their regional seeding to prevent players from playing people from their region. Depending on the number of entrants, brackets within a pool will consist of either 64 or 128 players. The number of pools will also be determined by the number of entrants. All pools will be played until there are 2 players remaining from each pool. The top 2 players from each pool (1 from winner's bracket, 1 from loser's bracket) will move onto Phase 2 Semi-finals.
Phase 2: Semi-finals
Phase 2 will take the top 2 players from each pool and place them in the semi-finals double elimination bracket according to their pool number. The winners from each pool will be placed in the winner's semi-final bracket and the losers from each pool will be placed in the loser's semi-final bracket (meaning that your loss from the qualifying round will carry over into the semi-finals). The semi-finals bracket will be played out until one player emerges as the winner. The top 8 matches will be determined by the winner of 3 of 5 games, while the grand finals will be determined by the winner of 4 of 7 games.
Note: The tournament staff reserves the right to change the tournament format at any time due to time constraints or balancing out brackets.
Note: The tournament staff reserves the right to change the tournament format at any time due to time constraints or balancing out brackets.
Prizes
We are guaranteeing $21,000 in total prize money to be paid out to the top 8 competitors! 1st place will be awarded $10,000 in cash!!!*
Prize structure as follows:
Winners will be paid via check from PDP. All local, state and federal taxes are the winner's responsibility, and all winners will be required to fill out an IRS Form W-9 prior to receiving any prize money. Winners will subsequently be provided with a Form 1099 by PDP at the end of the year that reports their award amount.
Prize structure as follows:
- 1st: $10,000
- 2nd: $4,500
- 3rd: $2,500
- 4th: $1,500
- 5th-6th: $750
- 7th-8th: $500
Winners will be paid via check from PDP. All local, state and federal taxes are the winner's responsibility, and all winners will be required to fill out an IRS Form W-9 prior to receiving any prize money. Winners will subsequently be provided with a Form 1099 by PDP at the end of the year that reports their award amount.
Player Seeding
Since there are no official rankings for this game, all players will be sorted by their region and then seeded randomly with opponents from other regions (to the extent feasible). Regional seeding allows a better chance for players to play against an opponent whom you have not played before. The random factor is there to give all players a fair chance and to not show favoritism.
Tournament VS. Play Specifics
Before the tournament you will be issued a pool assignment. Be sure to show up at your pool when it is time to play. When your name is called within your pool or during semi-finals/finals play and you are scheduled to fight in your tournament match, these are the rules and regulations you will need to be aware of:
- Choosing a side: If players are unable to agree on the Player 1 or 2 side, a coin flip will decide the outcome.
- Choosing Characters: By request players can choose "double blind" selection, which guarantees no one knows who their opponent is selecting. This can only be requested BEFORE players pick characters during their tournament match. Any issues must be brought up with the tournament judge before this occurs.
- Once sides and characters have been chosen, the players should begin the first game in the match.
- The match is over when either player wins 2 out of 3 games.
- Once the player has won the required number of games, the winner of the game MUST report the result to the tournament judge IMMEDIATELY.
- It is mandatory for the player who won the last game to keep the same character from the previous match. The player who lost the last match is allowed to switch to another character. For example, if Player 1 wins the first match with Scorpion he must STAY with Scorpion for match 2. If Player 1 loses the second match with Scorpion, he may switch to another character.
- Players are not allowed to stop a match in progress for any reason UNLESS their joystick is not responding. The tournament judge will test the joystick in question and if it is found to be defective, the match will be replayed. If not, the round (not the match) will be forfeited. The tournament judge shall have the final say in determining the joystick functioning.
- All tournament participants are REQUIRED to use the designated Mortal Kombat Fight Stick in the tournament. You are not allowed to use/bring your own equipment unless the tournament judge announces/designates this beforehand.
- The only person allowed to stop a match in progress for any reason, regardless of outcome at the time, is the tournament judge running the bracket.
- Any match interruptions/issues (game crashes, system resets, etc.) will be dealt with directly by the tournament judge. All best attempts will be made to resume the round from where it left off. If that cannot be accomplished, the game will be replayed from the beginning.
Throughout Day 1 Qualifying Pools, players will need to win 2 out of 3 games against an opponent to win the match and advance to the next level. The games will be set to best of 3 rounds. Please know the difference between matches and games.
In Day 2, when we reach the top 8 in the semi-finals the format will change to best of 5 games. The grand finals will be set to best of 7 games.
In Day 2, when we reach the top 8 in the semi-finals the format will change to best of 5 games. The grand finals will be set to best of 7 games.
Disqualification
The tournament judge has the right to disqualify a player if any of the following circumstances occur:
- Player is unable to be located/does not arrive after being called for five minutes.
- Behaving in an unsportsmanlike manner towards an opponent; attempting to physically harm an opponent; misconduct towards anyone on tournament staff; and/or threatening any opponent, staff or attendee. Any types of violence or threats of violence will cause you to be ejected from the tournament arena.
- Knowingly performing glitches in the game that cause an unfair advantage. All glitches found will be reviewed and determined to useable or unusable by the tournament judges and directors.
- Any type of gambling on games or outcomes in or near the ballroom. Anyone found gambling on games will be immediately ejected from the tournament.
- Colluding or throwing a match. If the tournament staff has cause to believe that players are colluding to manipulate the outcome of the match, all players involved will be disqualified from the tournament.
Additional Rules:
- There will be no ties in the tournament. Any player that refuses to play any match that they are required to play will be immediately disqualified, and will forfeit their standing and any prize money.
- If the power unexpectedly shuts off, or the system malfunctions and causes the match to be unplayable, the tournament judge will force a match reset. The wins for the games and rounds will stay as it was before the power went out or the game malfunctioned. Only the round will be reset. For example: If player 1 is up 1-0 and it is on round 3 on game 2 when the game freezes, the system will be reset and the players will recreate the last game by giving each other a round. The match will then start on round 3 with player 1 still up 1-0.
- The PDP tournament staff hopes that all participants will have the best and smoothest tournament experience possible. However, due to the many possible unforeseen tournament circumstances, the PDP tournament staff reserves the right to change the tournament rules or remove any player at any time for any reason, at the PDP tournament staff's sole discretion.
Including, but not limited to:
- EG Justin Wong
- EMP Tom Brady / MKL* (only playing in the side tournaments)
- LI Joe / ILU Joe
- Calipower
- MarkMan (NeoGAF)
- Krayzie Bone
- EMP Perfect Legend
- JOP
- Floe
- Wonder_Chef
- Mike Ross
- Gootecks
- Mr Jared (NeoGAF)
- Ultradavid*
- Marn*
- Alex Valle
- 1995
Day One Summary (thanks to Mortal Kombat Online)
By plane, train, automobile, and perhaps Nethership, they flocked to the Ballys Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. Fighting for personal gain, glory, revenge, and the right to be crowned Mortal Kombat Champion, players from across the United States entered into the first official tournament in MK's home country, sponsored by Performance Design Products -- makers of the official MK gamestick!
Under the forgiving conditions of a double elimination bracket, players were pitted against each other in a fight for supremacy and a total purse of $21,000 in the latestMortal Kombat, released April 19.
From the many, a round of sixteen qualifiers emerges thanks to live reports from iPlayWinner.com.
Emerging victorious from eight pools: Eb3n3zer (1), EG Justin Wong (2), Michaelangelo (3), LI Joe (4), Trophy Club (5), Perfect Legend (6), UFO Fubarduck (7) & Ike S (8). Surviving the second-chance: Hugo101 (1), JOP (2), Sochettra Math (3), Big Marcus (4), BE Rivers (5), Floe (6), Noobe (7) & MarkMan (8)!
Kung Lao has played a prominent role in the competitive ranks, while Kitana made only a few appearances contrary to pre-tournament speculation in PDP's strategy preview. Ermac has earned special props when in the hands of players like Michaelangelo and Floe, while many punters pick Justin Wong v JOP as one of the true highlights of the tournament!
Characters like Kano remind us that MK fans love a good rogue, and who could look past MarkMan as a darkhorse surviving the double-elimination to make the final sixteen? When he isn't making waves with his mastery of Smoke, he's a lead product developer for PDP rival in peripherals, MadCatz! MarkMan, or marked man?
Under the forgiving conditions of a double elimination bracket, players were pitted against each other in a fight for supremacy and a total purse of $21,000 in the latestMortal Kombat, released April 19.
From the many, a round of sixteen qualifiers emerges thanks to live reports from iPlayWinner.com.
Emerging victorious from eight pools: Eb3n3zer (1), EG Justin Wong (2), Michaelangelo (3), LI Joe (4), Trophy Club (5), Perfect Legend (6), UFO Fubarduck (7) & Ike S (8). Surviving the second-chance: Hugo101 (1), JOP (2), Sochettra Math (3), Big Marcus (4), BE Rivers (5), Floe (6), Noobe (7) & MarkMan (8)!
Kung Lao has played a prominent role in the competitive ranks, while Kitana made only a few appearances contrary to pre-tournament speculation in PDP's strategy preview. Ermac has earned special props when in the hands of players like Michaelangelo and Floe, while many punters pick Justin Wong v JOP as one of the true highlights of the tournament!
Characters like Kano remind us that MK fans love a good rogue, and who could look past MarkMan as a darkhorse surviving the double-elimination to make the final sixteen? When he isn't making waves with his mastery of Smoke, he's a lead product developer for PDP rival in peripherals, MadCatz! MarkMan, or marked man?
Pool 1
Winner - Eb3n3zer / Loser - Hugo101
Pool 2
Winner - EG Justin Wong / Loser - JOP
Pool 3
Winner - Michaelangelo / Loser - Sochettra Math
Pool 4
Winner - LI Joe / Loser - Big Marcus
Pool 5
Winner - Trophy Club / Loser - BE Rivers
Pool 6
Winner - Perfect Legend / Loser - Floe
Pool 7
Winner - UFO Fubarduck / Loser - Noobe
Pool 8
Winner - Ike S / Loser - MarkMan
Winner - Eb3n3zer / Loser - Hugo101
Pool 2
Winner - EG Justin Wong / Loser - JOP
Pool 3
Winner - Michaelangelo / Loser - Sochettra Math
Pool 4
Winner - LI Joe / Loser - Big Marcus
Pool 5
Winner - Trophy Club / Loser - BE Rivers
Pool 6
Winner - Perfect Legend / Loser - Floe
Pool 7
Winner - UFO Fubarduck / Loser - Noobe
Pool 8
Winner - Ike S / Loser - MarkMan
Day Two Summary (thanks to Mortal Kombat Online)
From nearly two hundred competitors, an elite field of sixteen emerged from day one of competition in the National Mortal Kombat Tournament!
Staged and sponsored by Peformance Design Products in the Las Vegas Ballys Hotel and Casino; day two of the tournament was all business as it set about the very simple task of finding a US Mortal Kombat Champion worthy of the $10,000 grand prize and title of Supreme Champion!
For MK, the tournament has been a positive affirmation of the series' readiness to join the ranks of competitive fighting tournaments, supported by NetherRealm Studios' efforts to reinvent a classic style of gameplay in Mortal Kombat. With a position for the game at Evo 2011 already confirmed, the PDP tournament provides a main event preview of things to come in the MK tournament scene!
Evo stalwarts who've mastered popular, rival Capcom games were well represented in the final sixteen of the PDP National MK tour, leaving few overly surprised by the eventual victory of Justin Wong, aka; Jwonggg -- world champion of games like Marvel vs Capcom 2 and Street Fighter IV, and, yes. Recipient of that Daigo combo!
Wong beat out fellow seasoned player FLoE for the top spot and major purse! With a total prize pool of $21,000, runners up certainly weren't going home empty handed! Second place fetched a tidy $4,500, while the rest of the top eight enjoyed dividends down to $500.
As it had through the majority of rounds, the tournament hosted a flurry of Kung Lao players, with Ermac, Raiden, and Cyrax adding some colour to the roster of the most used. The seventh-placed Michelangelo deserves special note for his contributions as Kabal, proving there's still plenty of versatility and depth to be found in the MK roster!
Staged and sponsored by Peformance Design Products in the Las Vegas Ballys Hotel and Casino; day two of the tournament was all business as it set about the very simple task of finding a US Mortal Kombat Champion worthy of the $10,000 grand prize and title of Supreme Champion!
For MK, the tournament has been a positive affirmation of the series' readiness to join the ranks of competitive fighting tournaments, supported by NetherRealm Studios' efforts to reinvent a classic style of gameplay in Mortal Kombat. With a position for the game at Evo 2011 already confirmed, the PDP tournament provides a main event preview of things to come in the MK tournament scene!
Evo stalwarts who've mastered popular, rival Capcom games were well represented in the final sixteen of the PDP National MK tour, leaving few overly surprised by the eventual victory of Justin Wong, aka; Jwonggg -- world champion of games like Marvel vs Capcom 2 and Street Fighter IV, and, yes. Recipient of that Daigo combo!
Wong beat out fellow seasoned player FLoE for the top spot and major purse! With a total prize pool of $21,000, runners up certainly weren't going home empty handed! Second place fetched a tidy $4,500, while the rest of the top eight enjoyed dividends down to $500.
As it had through the majority of rounds, the tournament hosted a flurry of Kung Lao players, with Ermac, Raiden, and Cyrax adding some colour to the roster of the most used. The seventh-placed Michelangelo deserves special note for his contributions as Kabal, proving there's still plenty of versatility and depth to be found in the MK roster!
- Justin: $10,000
- Floe: $4,500
- LI Joe: $2,500
- Fubarduck: $1,500
- Pefect Legend: $750
- Trophy Club: $750
- Michelangelo: $500
- Ike S.: $500
What is this tournament?
Where is the tournament?
When is the tournament?
How much money is possible to win?
What about taxes?
How can I enter?
It's at Bally's? Are there special room rates for tournament attendees?
Can anyone enter this tournament?
How many players are attending?
Can I bring my own stick or pad for the tournament?
Do I get to keep the Mortal Kombat Fight Stick from the tournament?
I do not have a Mortal Kombat Fight Stick to practice on. Where can I get one?
What system is the tournament on?
Who is running the tournament?
What is game mode and format that will be played for the tournament?
How are you running this tournament?
I just registered. How do I know what pool I'm in?
I just found out that I can't make it. Can I get my registration fee back?
Can I eat and drink in the ballroom?
Can I smoke in the ballroom?
Can I record matches?
This is a video game tournament designed in connection with the new release of Mortal Kombat 9 and the new Mortal Kombat Fight Stick by PDP. We want to see who the best in the nation is. The winner will be rewarded handsomely.
Where is the tournament?
The Mortal Kombat 9 national tournament will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, at Bally's Casino and Hotel ballroom.
When is the tournament?
The tournament is a 2-day event and will be held on Saturday, May 14th and Sunday, May 15th.
How much money is possible to win?
We are guaranteeing $21,000 in total prize money to be paid out to the top 8 competitors! 1st place will be awarded $10,000 in cash!!! Prize structure as follows:
- 1st: $10,000
- 2nd: $4,500
- 3rd: $2,500
- 4th: $1,500
- 5th-6th: $750
- 7th-8th: $500
What about taxes?
Paying taxes is up to you, and nothing will be withheld by us. However, all winners will be required to fill out an IRS Form W-9 prior to receiving any prize money, and winners will be provided with a Form 1099 at the end of the year indicating their award amount.
How can I enter?
Go to www.pdp.com/mortalkombat to register. Entry fee is $30. (Registration is closed)
It's at Bally's? Are there special room rates for tournament attendees?
Yes! All attendees must take care of their own room reservations. We recommend staying at Bally's to make it easier on yourself for the tournament. You must use the special code SBPDP1 when reserving your hotel room to receive a special room discount we've negotiated with Bally's for you. Hurry, reserved rooms are limited.
Can anyone enter this tournament?
Unfortunately, not. You must be 18 or older to enter this tournament. Also, employees and contracted employees of PDP, Warner Bros., Netherrealm Studios and Prima are not eligible to enter. (Basically, if you work for the tournament sponsors or have worked on Mortal Kombat 9 prior to its release, you cannot enter this tournament.)
How many players are attending?
With a prize pool this large on a brand new game, we are anticipating a very high number of entries but we cannot provide any guarantees as to the total number of players. However, we are capping this tournament at 2048 players. First come, first served. (Registration is closed)
Can I bring my own stick or pad for the tournament?
No you cannot. PDP will be providing all of the equipment and official Mortal Kombat Fight Sticks for every tournament station. So you better get used to playing on the Mortal Kombat Fight Stick.
Do I get to keep the Mortal Kombat Fight Stick from the tournament?
No. Mortal Kombat Fight Sticks will be provided for use by players during the tournament itself, but you may not keep them after your play is completed. PDP may have a limited number of Mortal Kombat Fight Sticks available for purchase at the tournament if supplies last.
I do not have a Mortal Kombat Fight Stick to practice on. Where can I get one?
If your local retailer is out of the Mortal Kombat Tournament Edition, you can order a Mortal Kombat Fight Stick online at www.pdp.com/mkstick.
What system is the tournament on?
The tournament will be played on the Xbox 360 only.
Who is running the tournament?
The tournament is sponsored by PDP, the leader in video game accessories. The tournament is being directed by Sebastian "onehandedterror" Jennings and Jason "DreamTR" Wilson. Sebastian is a long time veteran of tournaments and an experienced player. Jason has been the tournament director of the Midwest Championships for 14 years and also an experienced tournament veteran.
What is game mode and format that will be played for the tournament?
The game mode will be 1 vs.1 match. Best 2 of 3 rounds will win the game and best 2 of 3 games will win the match (for qualifying rounds). Top 8 will be best 3 of 5 and the grand finals will be best 4 of 7.
How are you running this tournament?
We are doing a double elimination format with a qualifying round. The top 2 players from each qualifying round will advance to the semi-final brackets for a chance at the $10,000 first prize. For more detailed information, please see the tournament format and tournament rules section.
I just registered. How do I know what pool I'm in?
After registration closes, we will be sorting players by region and placing them in brackets. Once the brackets are finalized we will open a page for players to enter their names and find out their pool assignments. Please check back to this website after registration closes to find out your pool assignment.
I just found out that I can't make it. Can I get my registration fee back?
The entry fee for this tournament is non-transferable and non-refundable. All registrations are final. Please keep this in mind when registering.
Can I eat and drink in the ballroom?
You are only allowed to eat and drink what is provided in the ballroom. All outside food and drinks must be eaten outside of the ballroom.
Can I smoke in the ballroom?
No you cannot. Please take it outside.
Can I record matches?
Yes you can, but please only for your own personal use.
Notes
- For the Mortal Kombat Official Thread; click here.
- For the Mortal Kombat Online Kommunity Thread; click here.
- For the Mortal Kombat Spoilers Thread; click here.
