NEXON announced on the 20th that THE FINALS esports will undergo a major shake-up, shifting to a unified global league structure. This move sees the competition split into three distinct regions: APAC, AMERICAS, and EMEA, all operating in tandem under a new global framework.

With an annual prize pool hitting $200,000 (approximately 271,530,000 KRW), the league will run four cycles per region. The team that accumulates the most points across these cycles earns a direct ticket to The Grand Major, the international showdown slated for November. Korean players will find themselves battling it out in the APAC division against rivals from China, Japan, and Southeast Asia.

Each regional cycle spans three weeks of online play, split into three distinct stages. It starts with an open tournament—a Swiss stage hosting up to 256 teams—before the top 16 advance to the 'Top 16' stage. From there, it's a fight through upper and lower brackets until the final eight remain. These finals will be broadcast online, with prize money and points distributed based on final standings from 1st to 8th place. The top team pockets $2,000 (approx. 2,715,300 KRW) and 100 points, with a total of $4,000 (approx. 5,430,600 KRW) up for grabs per cycle.

Once all four cycles wrap up, the cumulative regional points will determine who makes the cut for the big stage. The regional point leader secures an automatic spot in The Grand Major, while teams ranked 2nd to 9th must sweat it out in the qualifiers for a chance to join. The grand finale takes place over three days, from November 27th to 29th, at DreamHack Stockholm, boasting a hefty total prize pool of $150,000 (approx. 203,647,500 KRW).

For the APAC region, the first cycle kicks off on May 16th, with the finals set for May 30th. If you fancy your chances, you can register via the official host FACEIT's website until May 15th. Anyone can sign up as long as they form a team of up to four, including one substitute. You can catch the APAC finals in Korean on THE FINALS' official SOOP and Chzzk channels, while the AMERICAS and EMEA finals will be streamed on THE FINALS' official global YouTube and Twitch channels.

For more details on THE FINALS esports, THE FINALS official website is the place to look.