As 2019 begins to get into the full swing of things, it’s almost time to start looking ahead to what the HCS will have to offer in the new year and new information has finally be revealed to paint a better picture of what’s in store.

While the HCS has doled out plenty of prize money over the last few seasons since the release of Halo 5 in 2015, players and fans alike have been longing for something a bit more when it comes to Halo esports.

In an attempt to alleviate some of those struggles and concerns, HCS announced back in November that the 2019 season will instead be focused around Halo 3 for the first time in HCS history

The first event of 2019 will be the ‘Halo Classic’ taking place on January 11-13 in St. Louis, Missouri, as part of the brand-new HCS Grassroots program.

The first official HCS event of the year won’t happen until March 15-17 in Austin, Texas when the Top 6 teams from the Halo Classic will compete at the HCS Invitational.

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HCS also teased additional competitions at the Invitational that will be centered on other Halo titles besides the main event of Halo 3.

Splyce won the Halo World Championship in April 2018, defeating TOX Gaming 4-0.

HCS ended their post by assuring fans that after hearing the excitement from the community following the initial announcement, they will be increasing their efforts to add more events throughout the year both inside and outside the United States.

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While the full schedule for the 2019 calendar hasn’t been released just yet, it looks as though there is plenty in store for Halo fans this year. 

You can read HCS’ full statement below: 

2019 ANNOUNCEMENTS

Happy New Year!

In November, we kicked off the HCS Grassroots program and the response from the community thus far has been immense. Almost 500 applications (and counting) are currently being reviewed for content creators and tournament organizers alike. Additionally, the first HCS Grassroots-supported event, the Halo Classic by UGC, is shaping up to be biggest Halo event in recent years with over 128 team passes sold. And on March 23-24, Gamers Outreach will be holding their annual Gamers For Giving charity LAN event which will once again host a Halo tournament – this time supported by the HCS Grassroots program.

When we announced HCS Grassroots, we mentioned that there will indeed be official HCS events in addition to HCS Grassroots events and that they will be focused on Halo 3.

Our goals are to bring Halo to larger pre-existing events where tens of thousands of attendees have the opportunity to watch Halo, or hang out with us and play some Halo for themselves as well. We also want to entertain fans in new ways by using the broadcast to showcase different formats, modes, and players/personalities in hopes of creating of more diverse and ultimately more fun and entertaining show while keeping the thrill of competition at the forefront. We also see this as a great opportunity to unite the entire competitive Halo community in new ways. With these goals in mind, we felt an Invitational provided the best format and structure. We know open events are core to Halo esports and in 2019 we are exploring options to put open events on this year’s roadmap.

HCS INVITATIONAL: MARCH 15-17

Today, we’re excited to announce the initial details of the first official HCS event of 2019. The event will take place in Austin, Texas on March 15-17. The main portion of the Invitational will be a 6-team showdown between the Top 6 placing teams that compete at the Halo Classic by UGC. Each qualifying player and coach will be flown out to Austin, Texas to duke it out on the maintage on Halo 3. Additionally, we’ll be looking to host several exhibition matches to continue the fun with lucky Microsoft Store competitors, content creators, pro players, as well as fans in attendance. And while most of the competition will be centered around Halo 3 – wouldn’t it be fun to watch pros compete across all Halo titles? 🤔 Stay tuned for more details later this month.

Operating this event and broadcast will be the talented team at NGE who are well known for their work on Fortnite esports, the Rocket League Championship Series, and more. Comprised of many long time Halo fans, we’re excited to work with their crew to put on a high-quality show for players and fans alike.

MORE HALO 3 EVENTS

When we first talked about 2019 details, we mentioned that our support for Halo 3 would reflect the level of excitement and support from the community. Since the community has come out in droves to support the title, we’ll be doubling down our efforts to match that as well. As we work to finalize the 2019 roadmap of official HCS events and HCS Grassroots-sponsored events, we are working to add more competitions and LAN events to the calendar (including ones outside of North America) as well as increasing prize pools as we go. As part of these efforts to increase our support, we can confirm today that DreamHack are stepping up to the plate to run a 4v4 Halo 3 tournament at DreamHack Dallas on May 31 – June 2 as part of HCS Grassroots. Be one of the tens of the thousands of gaming fans in attendance and enjoy one of the largest digital festivals in the world. Be on the lookout for more details including prize pool, broadcast info, team pass sales, and more in the coming weeks.

Thank you once again for the continued support, and best of luck to all teams competing at the Halo Classic in St. Louis – we can’t wait to see which teams qualify for the HCS Invitational.

Source – HCS