Guild Wars Factions Championship

The Guild Wars Factions Championship (GWFC) is a series of tournament events sponsored by ArenaNet. Guilds from all territories participate by playing GvG-Battles followed by special seasonal play-off events and the World Championship Finals.

Format
The first qualifying season began March 7, 2006, with a reset of the guild ladder. There will be three qualifying seasons:


 * March 7, 2006 – April 3, 2006
 * April 18, 2006 – May 15, 2006
 * May 30, 2006 – June 26, 2006

At the end of each qualifying season, the top 16 highest ranking guilds worldwide will be invited to the Seasonal Play-Offs. These teams will compete in a single-elimination tournament. Guilds will earn GWFC Points based upon their final position in each seasonal play-off. Additionally, the 1st and 2nd highest ranking guilds in each territory will receive bonus points.

After the last qualifying season, the top five guilds with the highest GWFC Point total (with a maximum of two guilds from any specific territory) will have earned an invitation to compete in the Guild Wars Factions World Championship Finals. The World Championship Finals will take place from August 24 to August 27 during the GC Games Convention 2006 in Leipzig, Germany.

The 6th and final invitation to the World Championship Finals will be awarded to the winner of the Guild Wars Factions Championship Open tournament event. Details have yet to be announced.

GWFC Points
Each Seasonal Play-Off will offer GWFC Points to the top 16 guilds of the guild ladder. The amount of points gained follows the chart below:

The two highest ranked guilds on the guild ladder from each territory will earn the additional number of GWFC points shown below:

Prizes
There will be a total of 100.000 USD prize money for the participants of the Guild Wars Factions World Championship.


 * First place: 50,000 USD
 * Second place: 25,000 USD
 * Third and Forth place: 10,000 USD
 * Fifth and Sixth place: 2,500 USD

In addition to the GWFC Points, there are in-game rewards given to the guilds competing in the seasonal play-offs as well. Guilds who finish 2nd to 16th will win a special silver trim upgrade for their members guild cape which will last until the end of the following season. The winner of the seasonal play-off will win a permanent golden trim upgrade which will make them recognizable as champions as long as the guild exists.

Other additional prizes may be offered.

First Seasonal Play-Offs
List of participants due to guild ladder at April 3, 2006, 8:00 GMT. Official announcement by ArenaNet has yet to come.

Seasonal Final
As a special prize, the winner of the first seasonal play-offs will be invited to be a part of the Guild Wars presence at the 2006 E3 Conference. There the guild will be paid to play Guild Wars live onstage in the NCsoft booth.

GWFC Point standing
GWFC Point standing after the first qualifying season.