In general, any player may play on any single team at that player's company, in a single tournament.

Playing on more than one team of the same game is forbidden except under the following conditions:

1. 1. 1. All teams must meet the minimum team size without counting any players who are listed on multiple teams.

      2. Shared players still count towards a team’s maximum roster size.

      3. A player on multiple rosters may only play for one of those teams of each game in any given week. Violation of this rule will lead to disqualification from the CEA.

      4. The maximum number of floaters allowed across a company's teams in a particular tournament depends on the number of teams that company has in the tournament as well as the minimum roster size for that tournament, and is as follows:

Half-Team / Joint-Team Policy:

1. 1. 1. A Joint-Team may consist of members from different companies if the following criteria are met:
         1. There are no more than 2 companies represented on the team.
         2. The companies represented are not represented in any other teams in a single game's tournament.
            1. Interpretation: If Company A already has a team present in GameTitle1 (that has a minimum roster size of 3), then CompanyA is not eligible to participate on a joint-team, even if they have 5 players. The other 2 should join the team from CompanyA as substitutes or recruit an additional player and form a second team.
      2. Subsidiary Companies
         1. Subsidiary companies were previously viewed as their own corporate entities within the CEA. This restriction has been lifted with the Spring 2024 season. While it is encouraged for subsidiaries to form teams internally, every employee of a subsidiary is eligible to join teams of the parent company.
      3. A Joint-Team is subject to all other rules normally surrounding CEA teams.
      4. A Joint-Team may have 1 single captain from either company, or may have 2 captains total (1 from each company).
      5. Registering:
         1. Two Half-Teams may combine and register as a Joint-Team through the normal registration process without first consulting CEA. Please list both companies on the registration form.
         2. Half-Teams may also consult CEA for help with pairing, and upon being paired will register as a Joint-Team through the normal registration process.

Players may stream their matches or have others stream for them. Stream cheating is not allowed and using a stream delay is HIGHLY encouraged to avoid the temptation. Observers able to see both teams' perspectives are discouraged and require the explicit approval of both captains and teams must notify their Game Lead. Observers who are limited by the game settings to view only one team’s perspective only need the approval of the team that they observe. In the case of limited observing slots, slots must be shared equally between teams.

Regardless of the observer's perspective, teams are not allowed to communicate with observers in-game (via text chat, voice chat, or anything else) with the exception of CEA staff, or CEA designated referees, or oberservers that are filling an explicitly functional coach slot.

CEA official updates are conducted primarily through Discord, but can happen via email if needed. Team captains and their designated alternates must be available on the CEA Discord server, and match-related communication between teams should also occur on that platform. Players are strongly encouraged to be in the Discord server as well.

Discord should also be the primary method of contacting CEA administrators, using #help-and-feedback and tagging the appropriate administrator or player.

If a team is unable to play within 15 minutes of the scheduled time, that team automatically forfeits the match. The time period for no-shows may be extended by the captain of the opposing team in writing.

​If a team partially fails to show up by fifteen (15) minutes after the scheduled time, captains should ensure that the situation is documented with screenshots and chat logs. Teams must choose between:

Team Games

1. 1. 1. 1. Playing without the absent members if the game allows.

         2. Forfeiting the first game (regardless of Bo1, Bo3, or Bo5). In a Bo3 or Bo5 this will provide the partially-present team an additional 30 minutes for the rest of their team to arrive. If players don't show up within this time, the team may again choose to play with the currently present members or forfeit the rest of the match.

1v1 Games

1. 1. 1. 1. Matches default to being played in series (one after another) and in the order of lineup submission. If the missing player is scheduled to play first, they forfeit their game and the next players have a 15 minute grace period before their match begins​. Two or more forfeits in this way result in an automatic match loss.

​In the event both teams have arrived to play, but one team fails to join the match lobby within the later of twenty (20) minutes after the scheduled match time and five (5) minutes after both teams communicated being ready to play, the opposing captain may submit documentation (screenshots and chat logs) to claim a victory by forfeit as follows:

1. 1. 1. In the event of a team game, the opposing captain should provide notice they will be submitting documentation for a victory by forfeit. At this time, the team may still elect to play short-handed.

      2. In the event of a 1v1 game, the opposing captain should provide notice to their opponent's captain that they are submitting documentation for a victory by forfeit.

​Teams may opt to forfeit a match at any time with the consent of their team's members. In this case please notify the organizers and opposing captain in Discord using #forfeit-reporting.

​Teams which forfeit multiple consecutive weeks and do not respond to messages from the organizers may be removed from the season without a refund.

During Swiss, teams will be ranked by W/L record. For games with a best of 2 format, teams will instead be ranked and paired by points as explained in tiebreakers below.

Ties are broken by these factors (in order):

1. Points: 3 per Win, 0 Per Loss, 1 Per Tie

2. Game Score Differential

3. Bucholz Tiebreakers

​Teams which achieve the number of wins listed for their individual game will automatically qualify for playoffs in the order in which they achieved this win count. They will be removed from regular Swiss pairings for the following weeks. If multiple teams achieve this final win in the same week, seeds will be determined by additional matches in the following weeks. If there are not enough weeks to play these matches, ties will be broken by Swiss tiebreakers at the end of the regular season.

We strongly encourage players to take videos or screenshots of gameplay, score screens, and chat logs with timestamps enabled as well as save replays (where applicable) to use in the event of a conflict.

Mention the game lead and/or admins with an @ on Discord in #help-and-feedback channel if you require assistance during the season.

To minimize post-game conflict, if there is an event that either team suspects to be disputed, pause the game if possible and reach out to your Game Lead immediately. DO NOT CONTINUE PLAY. While Game Leads reserve the right to overturn results, it is in everybody's best interest to resolve issues during the game rather than post-game.

A team may submit a dispute within 12 hours in the event that they believe their opponents broke any of the game rules, the referee unfairly awarded a win to their opponents upon an in-game disconnect, referee or opponents did anything that violates the spirit of the rules, or that the incorrect match result was submitted. CEA organizers will review any disputes.

All participants must adhere to the decisions and rules of the tournament organizers, admins, and referees. All decisions are final, except in cases where the option to appeal is clearly stated. Conversations, either verbal or written, between organizers, admins, or referees, and participants are confidential. Publicly posting or sharing these conversations with outside parties is strictly forbidden, unless permission is obtained.

If an agreement to change a rule is made between captains, ensure the agreement is saved in writing in case a disagreement arises. Such agreements between captains should remain consistent for the duration of the match.

The CEA reserves the right to change these rules and to make additional decisions outside the defined rule set as necessary. Rule changes will be posted on the CEA Discord and all relevant parties notified.

If you, as a Player, sincerely believe that your opponent:

- cheated,

- exhibited behaviour that was hostile, toxic, vulgar or otherwise unacceptable,

- or infringed on either these rules

Please follow this step by step process:

- Take screenshots or make a desktop recording the behaviour in question. Either through use of screenshot tools like Gyazo, or video encoders, such as OBS (both of which are free to use).

- Contact your Team Captain and present your evidence to them.

- Your Team Captain should then contact the Game Lead and make the case clear to them.

- The Game Lead and the CEA team will then decide what action needs to be taken, if any.

Finally, take a deep breath and take a step back. Many players in the CEA are filled with good will and a desire to have fun. Often an incident of cheating is an accident or an honest misunderstanding of the rules.

The CEA investigates thoroughly all claims of cheating. If the CEA determines that a player deliberately and knowingly violated rules set out by the CEA, the game publisher, or game platform in order to achieve an in-game advantage, that player will be removed from all CEA events for the remainder of the season. In addition:

• • All games in which the cheating player participated will be marked as a loss for the cheating player's team.
  • Other penalties will be applied as appropriate.

Recognizing the value companies place on their logo and brand, the CEA strives to make only very light use of either.

The CEA will not use your logo without your written consent. Teams who post their company's logo in public-facing spaces owned by the CEA may be subject to removal from the tournament.

A company's name is used strictly to identify the teams playing for that company, and is never used to imply the views or opinions of a company. During broadcasts, we discourage discussion of specific products or services offered by companies except in a neutral, introductory, and informative manner where necessary.

The CEA is very understanding and flexible regarding IP. For more information, or to request an exception to the rules above, please let us know through the Contact form above. We typically respond within 24 hours.