Source: Com2uS

Com2uS (CEO Nam Jae-kwan) is implementing a major rules overhaul for its global esports tournament, the Summoners War World Arena Championship (SWC), as the event marks its 10th anniversary this year.

The core of this change is the newly introduced 'Stack Ban' rule. In the previous 'SWC match' format, players designated one monster to be banned per set, but they could not ban the same monster in subsequent sets. Under the new Stack Ban format, once a monster is designated as a pre-ban, it remains unavailable for the duration of the entire match. The first set will proceed without bans, but from the second set onward, banned monsters will accumulate. In a best-of-five series that goes to a full five sets, a minimum of four and a maximum of eight monsters will be restricted across both players. For the World Finals, which follow a best-of-seven format, the same cumulative ban rule will apply, excluding sets 1, 6, and 7.

By narrowing the pool of available core monsters, the rule change makes match dynamics more volatile. Players will be challenged to move beyond their primary decks, requiring them to utilize a wider variety of monsters and engage in more sophisticated strategic battles. For spectators, this maximizes the viewing experience by ensuring each set features new monster combinations and unpredictable, unconventional strategies. The rule will be applied to the World Arena friendly match mode in an update at the end of April, allowing regular users to experience the tension of the Stack Ban format as well.

The operation of the Asia-Pacific regional qualifiers will also see changes. Previously held over two days per group, the qualifiers will now be condensed into a one-day schedule for each of the four groups: Korea, Japan, Southeast Asia, and Other Asia. This more efficient, streamlined approach aims to provide an optimal environment for both players and spectators to stay engaged. Additionally, the company plans to uphold the value of fair competition with a strict zero-tolerance policy, including potential permanent bans for any instances of cheating.

Meanwhile, SWC2026 will begin accepting applications in early June, with regional qualifiers kicking off in late August. The tournament will select top-tier summoners by prioritizing players based on their World Arena Season 36 rankings, while also balancing those results with their performance in Season 37.

Regional cups will be held in Hamburg, Toronto, and Bangkok, with the World Finals taking place in Seoul, South Korea. Further details regarding the SWC2026 schedule and matches will be released via the official cafe at a later date.