Just weeks before the PGL Singapore Major invite deadline, Valve has implemented a major change to tournament regulations that targets opportunistic region switching.
The updated rulebook now prevents rosters from receiving invites based on regional rankings if they competed in different regions during the previous three months. HLTV confirmed with Valve that this modification applies immediately to the upcoming Singapore Major, marking an unusually swift policy shift for the developer.
The timing follows recent controversial moves by multiple organizations. Sashi became the latest squad to jump regions shortly before invite cutoffs, relocating from Europe to Asia in pursuit of an easier qualification route. BC.Game executed an identical strategy weeks earlier, also shifting from European to Asian competition.
Team Liquid previously employed similar tactics in March, replacing Guy "NertZ" Iluz with Mario "malbsMd" Samayoa to secure an IEM Cologne 2026 invitation through Americas rankings.
These eleventh-hour region swaps have drawn sharp criticism from professional players, broadcast talent, and competing organizations. Critics argue that such maneuvers unfairly steal opportunities from teams that dedicated entire seasons to their respective regions.
Under the new framework, squads hoping to qualify through alternative regional rankings must commit to those regions significantly earlier in the competitive calendar, eliminating the previous loophole that allowed strategic last-minute transfers.
