KeyForge Tournament Structures
The structure of a tournament determines how many rounds are played, and the conditions for advancement and elimination.
Playstile 2LO
Playstile 2LO is the tournament structure used by Ghost Galaxy for all premiere events as of August 18, 2023. It is a structure developed by Ghost Galaxy and is a combination of Swiss pairings and Double Elimination, with "2LO" standing for "Two Loss Out". Playstile is the name of the tournament organization platform developed by Playstile, Inc. (a sister company of Ghost Galaxy).
Playstile 2LO tournaments consist of two stages: qualifying rounds, and finals. Qualifying rounds are conducted by pairing players within the tournament until they either lose twice, or qualify for the finals (aka “make the top cut”). After two losses, a player is eliminated from the tournament. The top cut stage is a single elimination bracket to determine a final winner.
A detailed overview of the structure can be found on the official Playstile 2LO webpage.
As the name suggests, Playstile 2LO is supported in Playstile, KeyForge's official tournament software.
Swiss
Ghost Galaxy provides the Swiss tournament structure as an option for event organizers of Store Championships, and is a commonly used structure for Casual Tournaments at various events.
Each Swiss round pairs players of similar records. Matchup of players per round is determined by their wins, Strength of Schedule, and Extended Strength of Schedule. If a player won the first round of a tournament, the player will be matched in round 2 with an opponent that also won their first match. In subsequent rounds in case there are multiple players that went e.g. 4-0, Strength of Schedule is calculated to ensure the best performing players keep facing each other. Strength of Schedule is calculated based on the amount of wins of the opponents someone has faced. Similarly Extended Strength of Schedule is based on the amount of wins of the opponents of a player’s opponents.
Tournaments of a large enough size might include a top-cut single elimination bracket to determine a final winner.
Swiss is supported in Playstile, KeyForge's official tournament software.
Former Structures
Double Elimination
Double Elimination was the tournament structure used by Ghost Galaxy for official tournaments at KeyForge Celebration 2022, 2023 Vault Tour Dallas, and the 2023 U.S. National Championships. This structure used a traditional double elimination bracket for qualifying rounds, followed by a single elimination bracket for Top 8 playoffs (with the finals match being a best of three).
The mode was heavily criticized due to long events and egregious wait times between rounds, and Ghost Galaxy announced they would be replacing Double Elimination with Playstile 2LO for all official tournaments starting with Vault Tour Roseville on August 18, 2023.
Basic Structure
The basic tournament structure is designed to be very accessible, especially for newer participants. This structure provides a tournament experience that requires a modest commitment of time and resources from organizers and players.
| Number of Registered Players | Number of Swiss Rounds | Size of Cut |
|---|---|---|
| 4-8 | 3 | No Cut |
| 9-16 | 4 | No Cut |
| 17-24 | 4 | Top 4 |
| 25-40 | 5 | Top 4 |
| 41-44 | 5 | Top 8 |
| 45-76 | 6 | Top 8 |
| 77-148 | 6 | Top 16 |
| 149 and above | 7 | Top 16 |
Advanced Structure
The Advanced tournament structure caters to participants that enjoy competition. This structure provides a robust tournament experience that requires a substantial commitment of time and resources from organizers and players.
| Number of Registered Players | Number of Swiss Rounds | Size of Cut |
|---|---|---|
| 9-12 | 4 | Top 4 |
| 13-24 | 4 | Top 8 |
| 25-40 | 5 | Top 8 |
| 41-76 | 6 | Top 8 |
| 77-148 | 6 | Top 16 |
| 149-288 | 6 | Top 32 |
| 289-512 | 7 | Top 32 |
| 513 and above | 8 | Top 32 |
Custom Structure
The custom structure applies to all round structures other than the basic and advanced structures. Also included in the custom structure are tournaments that offer a number of rounds or size of cut that does not change based on attendance. The Event Outline of official custom tournaments will either include a specific structure tailored to that particular type of event or instruct the organizer to design a structure and communicate it to participants.