Halo Infinite HCS Kickoff Major in Raleigh: Scores, brackets, schedule

What better way to kick off the resurrection of a beloved esports scene than with a massive, 32-team offline major? The 2021-2022 Halo Championship Series is opening with the HCS Kickoff Major in Raleigh, North Carolina from Dec. 17 to 19.

The Kickoff Major is the first stop in a long road to the eventual Halo World Championship in Seattle at the end of 2022, and the teams at 343 and Microsoft are going all out with an expanded format to get the oddball rolling. A massive trove of HCS points will be on the line in addition to a $250,000 prize pool.

Here’s everything you need to know about the HCS Kickoff Major.

HCS Kickoff Major format

The HCS Kickoff Major consists of a pool play of 16 teams in addition to an open bracket, both of which will feed into a huge, 32-team championship double-elimination bracket that will determine the eventual winner.

The pool play stage features 16 teams that directly qualified either through their regional qualifier bracket, or by earning enough HCS points via regional open series. The 16 teams will be split into four round-robin groups of four. The top two teams will advance to the second round of the championship upper bracket, and the bottom two teams will advance to the first round of the championship upper bracket.

The open bracket is an open signups bracket that will produce 16 teams that will join the pool play teams in the championship bracket. The top eight teams from the open upper bracket will advance to the championship upper bracket, and the top eight from the open lower bracket will advance to the championship lower bracket.

All the matches will be best-of-five, consisting of Slayer, Oddball, CTF, and Strongholds matches on Bazaar, Live Fire, Streets, Recharge, or Aquarius. Here’s the breakdown of what game modes are playable on each map:

• Aquarius: CTF and Slayer
• Bazaar: CTF and Slayer
• Live Fire: Slayer, Oddball, and Strongholds
• Streets: Slayer, Oddball, and Strongholds
• Recharge: Slayer, Oddball, and Strongholds

Teams attending the HCS Kickoff Major

Here’s the list of the 16 teams that have qualified for the pool play stage and the means by which they qualified.

• OpTic Gaming: Top four at NA Qualifier
• FaZe Clan (formerly Inconceivable) Top four at NA Qualifier
• eUnited: Top four at NA Qualifier
• G2 Esports: NA HCS Points
• Cloud9: NA HCS Points
• Kansas City Pioneers: NA HCS Points
• Oxygen: NA HCS Points
• Acend (formerly Cartel): Top two at EU Qualifier
• Quadrant (formerly OEX): Top two at EU Qualifier
• Natus Vincere: EU HCS Points
• Bing Chilling (formerly HMDA): EU HCS Points
• Chiefs ESC: Winner at Oceania Qualifier
• Divine Mind: Oceania HCS Points*
• The Boys: EU HCS Points*
• Spacestation: NA HCS Points*
• XSET: HCS Points*

*Changes regarding pool play teams:

• Sentinels forfeited their pool play spot as a result of the HCS’ competitive ruling regarding Royal2’s use of geo-filtering during the NA Qualifier. Sentinels will play in the open bracket with FormaL in place of Royal2. XSET have been given Sentinels’ pool play spot based on HCS points earned.
• The three teams qualified from the Mexico region (Pittsburgh Knights, Fire N Ice, and LeaveNoWitness) are all unable to attend the event due to visa issues. The top remaining teams in HCS points from each of NA, EU, and Oceania (Spacestation, The Boys, and Divine Mind) will take their place.

Groups, brackets, and schedule

Here are the four round-robin groups set for the pool play stage:

• Group A: OpTic, Pioneers, Bing Chilling, Chiefs
• Group B: FaZe, G2, Na’Vi, Divine Mind
• Group C: eUnited, Quadrant, Oxygen, The Boys
• Group D: Cloud9, Acend, XSET, Spacestation

Schedule

Times in CT and subject to changes and delays.

Friday, Dec. 17

• 10am to 10pm CT: Open bracket play
• 11am to 6:15pm CT: Pool play and broadcast

Saturday. Dec. 18

• 9am to 12pm CT: Open bracket play
• 12pm CT: Championship bracket begins

Sunday, Dec. 19

• 9am CT: Championship bracket resumes
• 3pm CT: Winners finals
• 4:30pm CT: Grand finals

Championship Bracket and Results

Upper bracket results

Round one

• Sentinels def. The Boys (SEN 250-43 Strongholds on Live Fire, SEN 50-20 Slayer on Aquarius, SEN 4-1 CTF on Bazaar)
• Built By Gamers def. Oxygen (Oxygen 250-221 Strongholds on Live Fire, BBG 50-26 Slayer on Aquarius, Oxygen 3-2 CTF on Bazaar, BBG 2-0 Oddball on Streets, BBG 50-37 Slayer on Recharge)
• Chiefs def. BLVKHVND (Chiefs 250-195 Strongholds on Live Fire, Chiefs 50-23 Slayer on Aquarius, Chiefs 4-2 CTF on Bazaar)
• Mock-It def. Bing Chilling (Mock-It 250-246 Strongholds on Live Fire, Mock-It 50-36 Slayer on Aquarius, Bing Chilling 3-2 CTF on Bazaar, Mock-It 2-1 Oddball on Streets)
• Acend def. Status Quo (Acend 250-57 Strongholds on Live Fire, Acend 50-40 Slayer on Aquarius, Acend 2-1 CTF on Bazaar)
• XSET def. The Guard (Guard 250-170 Strongholds on Live Fire, XSET 50-30 Slayer on Aquarius, Guard 2-1 CTF on Bazaar, XSET 2-0 Oddball on Streets, XSET 50-40 Slayer on Recharge)
• Na’Vi def. FootFungas792 (Na’Vi 250-23 Strongholds on Live Fire, Na’Vi 50-22 Slayer on Aquarius, Na’Vi 5-0 CTF on Bazaar)
• Team WaR def. Divine Mind (WaR 250-128 Strongholds on Live Fire, WaR 50-49 Slayer on Aquarius, WaR 3-0 CTF on Bazaar)

Upper bracket round two

• OpTic def. Sentinels (OpTic 2-0 CTF on Aquarius, OpTic 50-36 Slayer on Streets, OpTic 2-0 Oddball on Live Fire)
• Pioneers def. BBG (Pioneers 5-0 CTF on Aquarius, Pioneers 50-38 Slayer on Streets, Pioneers 2-1 Oddball on Live Fire)
• Acend def. G2 (Acend 2-1 CTF on Aquarius, Acend 50-39 Slayer on Streets, Acend 2-0 Oddball on Live Fire)
• Quadrant def. The Chiefs (Quadrant 5-0 CTF on Aquarius, Quadrant 50-45 Slayer on Streets, Quadrant 2-0 Oddball on Live Fire)
• eUnited def. Mock-It (eUnited 3-1 CTF on Aquarius, eUnited 50-33 Slayer on Streets, eUnited 2-0 Oddball on Live Fire)
• Cloud9 def. Team WaR (C9 5-1 CTF on Aquarius, C9 50-39 Slayer on Streets, C9 2-0 Oddball on Live Fire)
• FaZe Clan def. XSET (FaZe 2-1 CTF on Aquarius, FaZe 50-35 Slayer on Streets, FaZe 2-1 Oddball on Live Fire)
• Spacestation Gaming def. Na’Vi (Na’Vi 4-3 CTF on Aquarius, SSG 50-49 Slayer on Streets, SSG 2-0 Oddball on Live Fire, SSG 250-84 Strongholds on Recharge)

Upper bracket quarterfinals

• Pioneers def. Acend (Pioneers 2-1 Oddball on Recharge, Pioneers 50-42 Slayer on Live Fire, Pioneers 250-141 Strongholds on Streets)
• Cloud9 def. Quadrant (C9 2-1 Oddball on Recharge, C9 50-49 Slayer on Live Fire, Quadrant 250-245 Strongholds on Streets, C9 3-0 CTF on Bazaar)
• OpTic def. FaZe Clan (OpTic 2-0 Oddball on Recharge, OpTic 50-45 Slayer on Live Fire, FaZe 250-248 Strongholds on Streets, OpTic 1-0 CTF on Bazaar)
• eUnited def. Spacestation Gaming (eU 2-1 Oddball on Recharge, eU 37-35 Slayer on Live Fire, eU 250-169 Strongholds on Streets)

Upper bracket semifinals

• Cloud9 def. OpTic (C9 250-49 Strongholds on Streets, C9 50-47 Slayer on Bazaar, OpTic 2-1 CTF on Aquarius, OpTic 2-1 Oddball on Live Fire, C9 50-37 Slayer on Recharge)
• eUnited def. Pioneers (Pioneers 250-100 Strongholds on Streets, eUnited 50-35 Slayer on Bazaar, eUnited 4-3 CTF on Aquarius, eUnited 2-1 Oddball on Live Fire)

Upper bracket finals

• Cloud9 def. eUnited (C9 2-1 CTF on Bazaar, eUnited 50-48 Slayer on Live Fire, C9 2-0 Oddball on Streets, C9 250-237 Strongholds on Recharge)

Grand Final

• Cloud9 def. eUnited (C9 2-0 Oddball on Streets, C9 46-45 Slayer on Recharge, C9 250-147 Strongholds on Live Fire, eUnited 2-1 CTF on Aquarius, C9 50-37 Slayer on Bazaar)

Lower bracket results

Round one

• WarZ def. The Boys (3-0)
• ExiLe Gaming def. Divine Mind (3-0)
• Aspyre.Astra def. BLVKHVND (3-0)
• Status Quo def. Vandyl (3-2)
• Oxygen def. Solaris (3-1)
• Unsigned Talent def. Bing Chilling (3-0)
• G1 def. FootFungus792 (3-0)
• The Guard def. Falling Esports (3-1)

Round two

• Na’Vi def. WarZ (3-0)
• The Guard def. Mock-It (3-1)
• BBG def. ExiLe Gaming (3-0)
• G2 def. Aspyre (3-0)
• Status Quo def. Chiefs (3-1)
• WaR def. Oxygen (3-0)
• Unsigned Talent def. XSET (3-0)
• Sentinels def. Gamers First (3-0)

Round three

• G2 def. BBG (G2 250-54 Strongholds on Live Fire, G2 50-40 Slayer on Recharge, G2 2-1 CTF on Aquarius)
• Sentinels def. Unsigned Talent (SEN 250-86 Strongholds on Live Fire, SEN 50-38 Slayer on Recharge, SEN 3-0 CTF on Aquarius)
• Na’Vi def. The Guard (Guard 250-186 Strongholds on Live Fire, Guard 50-38 Slayer on Recharge, Na’Vi 3-0 CTF on Aquarius, Na’Vi 2-0 Oddball on Recharge, Na’Vi 50-36 Slayer on Streets)
• Team WaR def. Status Quo (SQ 250-128 Strongholds on Live Fire, WaR 50-44 Slayer on Recharge, WaR 5-0 CTF on Aquarius, WaR 2-1 Oddball on Recharge)

Round four

• FaZe Clan def. G2 (FaZe 2-1 Oddball on Live Fire, G2 50-45 Slayer on Streets, G2 250-178 Strongholds on Recharge, FaZe 4-0 CTF on Bazaar, FaZe 50-37 Slayer on Aquarius)
• Sentinels def. Acend (SEN 2-0 Oddball on Live Fire, SEN 50-38 Slayer on Streets, Acend 250-82 Strongholds on Recharge, SEN 2-1 CTF on Bazaar)
• Spacestation Gaming def. Team WaR (SSG 2-0 Oddball on Live Fire, SSG 50-36 Slayer on Streets, WaR 250-134 Strongholds on Recharge, SSG 1-0 CTF on Bazaar)
• Na’Vi def. Quadrant (Quadrant 2-1 Oddball on Live Fire, Na’Vi 50-46 Slayer on Streets, Na’Vi 250-143 Strongholds on Recharge, Quadrant 5-1 CTF on Bazaar, Na’Vi 50-43 Slayer on Aquarius)

Round five

• Sentinels def. Spacestation Gaming (SEN 3-1 CTF on Aquarius, SEN 50-47 Slayer on Recharge, SEN 2-1 Oddball on Streets)
• FaZe Clan def. Na’Vi (FaZe 3-2 CTF on Aquarius, FaZe 50-48 Slayer on Recharge, FaZe 2-0 Oddball on Streets)

Lower bracket quarterfinals

• FaZe Clan def. Pioneers (Pioneers 250-42 Strongholds on Streets, FaZe 50-43 Slayer on Recharge, Pioneers 2-1CTF on Bazaar, FaZe 2-1 Oddball on Live Fire, FaZe 50-28 Slayer on Streets)
• Sentinels def. OpTic (SEN 250-139 Strongholds on Streets, SEN 50-43 Slayer on Recharge, OpTic 2-0 CTF on Bazaar, OpTic 2-0 Oddball on Live Fire, SEN 50-39 Slayer on Streets)

Lower bracket semifinals

• FaZe Clan def. Sentinels (FaZe 2-1 Oddball on Recharge, FaZe 50-48 Slayer on Bazaar, SEN 250-135 Strongholds on Live Fire, FaZe 4-3 CTF on Aquarius)

Lower bracket finals

• eUnited def. FaZe Clan (FaZe 2-1 CTF on Bazaar, eUnited 50-42 on Live Fire, eUnited 2-1 Oddball on Streets, FaZe 250-105 Strongholds on Recharge, eUnited 50-43 Slayer on Aquarius)

Pool Play Results

The top two teams from each group advance to the second round of the championship upper bracket. The bottom two teams from each group advance to the first round of the championship upper bracket.

Group A

• Chiefs def. Bing Chilling (Chiefs 250-248 Strongholds on Live Fire, Chiefs 50-46 Slayer on Aquarius, Chiefs 3-1 CTF on Bazaar)
• OpTic def. Chiefs (OpTic 5-0 CTF on Aquarius, OpTic 50-33 Slayer on Recharge, OpTic 2-1 Oddball on Live Fire)
• Pioneers def. Bing Chilling (Pioneers 2-0 Oddball on Streets, Pioneers 50-30 Slayer on Bazaar, Pioneers 250-246 Strongholds on Live Fire)
• OpTic def. Bing Chilling (OpTic 250-71 Strongholds on Recharge, OpTic 50-29 Slayer on Live Fire, OpTic 3-0 CTF on Bazaar)
• Pioneers def. Chiefs (Chiefs 4-1 CTF on Bazaar, Pioneers 50-42 Slayer on Recharge, Pioneers 2-0 Oddball on Live Fire, Pioneers 250-43 Strongholds on Streets)
• OpTic def. Pioneers (OpTic 2-0 Oddball on Recharge, OpTic 50-48 Slayer on Live Fire, OpTic 250-8 Strongholds on Recharge)

Group B

• Na’Vi def. Divine Mind (Na’Vi 250-30 Strongholds on Live Fire, Na’Vi 50-28 Slayer on Aquarius, Na’Vi 5-0 CTF on Bazaar)
• FaZe def. Divine Mind (FaZe 5-1 CTF on Aquarius, FaZe 50-35 Slayer on Recharge, FaZe 2-0 Oddball on Live Fire)
• G2 def. Na’Vi (Na’Vi 2-0 Oddball on Streets, Na’Vi 50-38 Slayer on Bazaar, G2 250-236 Strongholds on Live Fire, G2 3-2 CTF on Aquarius, G2 50-30 Slayer on Recharge)
• FaZe def. Na’Vi (FaZe 250-228 Strongholds on Recharge, FaZe 50-42 Slayer on Live Fire, Na’Vi 2-0 CTF on Bazaar, FaZe 2-1 Oddball on Streets)
• G2 def. Divine Mind (G2 4-0 CTF on Bazaar, G2 50-33 Slayer on Recharge, G2 2-0 Oddball on Live Fire)
• FaZe def. G2 (G2 2-0 Oddball on Recharge, G2 50-36 Slayer on Live Fire, G2 250-242 Strongholds on recharge)

Group C

• Oxygen def. The Boys (Oxygen 250-51 Strongholds on Live Fire, Oxygen 50-41 Slayer on Aquarius, Oxygen 3-0 CTF on Bazaar)
• eUnited def. The Boys (eUnited 5-0 CTF on Aquarius, eUnited 50-36 Slayer on Recharge, eUnited 2-1 Oddball on Live Fire)
• Quadrant def. Oxygen (Quadrant 2-0 Oddball on Streets, Quadrant 50-44 Slayer on Bazaar, Quadrant 250-67 Strongholds on Live Fire)
• eUnited def. Oxygen (eUnited 250-149 Strongholds on Recharge, Oxygen 49-38 Slayer on Live Fire, Oxygen 3-0 CTF on Bazaar, eUnited 2-0 Oddball on Streets, eUnited 50-43 Slayer on Aquarius)
• Quadrant def. The Boys (Quadrant 3-0 CTF on Bazaar, Quadrant 50-38 Slayer on Recharge, Quadrant 2-0 Oddball on Live Fire)
• eUnited def. Quadrant (eUnited 2-1 Oddball on Recharge, eUnited 50-43 Slayer on Live Fire, eUnited 250-140 Strongholds on Recharge)

Group D

• XSET def. Spacestation Gaming (SSG 250-41 Strongholds on Live Fire, XSET 50-41 Slayer on Aquarius, XSET 2-1 CTF on Bazaar, XSET 96-87 Oddball on Recharge)
• Cloud9 def. Spacestation Gaming (C9 5-0 CTF on Recharge, SSG 50-45 Slayer on Recharge, C9 2-0 Oddball on Live Fire, C9 250-17 Strongholds on Streets)
• Acend def. XSET (XSET 2-1 Oddball on Streets, Acend 50-42 Slayer on Bazaar, Acend 250-129 Strongholds on Live Fire, XSET 5-4 CTF on Aquarius, Acend 47-44 Slayer on Recharge)
• Cloud9 def. XSET (C9 250-0 Strongholds on Recharge, C9 50-39 Slayer on Live Fire, C9 3-0 CTF on Bazaar)
• Spacestation Gaming def. Acend (SSG 1-0 CTF on Bazaar, SSG 50-41 Slayer on Recharge, SSG 2-1 Oddball on Live Fire)
• Cloud9 def. Acend (C9 2-1 Oddball on Recharge, C9 50-42 Slayer on Live Fire, Acend 250-213 Strongholds on Recharge, C9 4-2 CTF on Aquarius)

The championship bracket will be posted here once it becomes available. Visit the HCS Kickoff Major page on the Halo Waypoint website to view the full schedule including in-person check-in times and FFA tournament times.