PlayVS is committed to providing the best competitive experience in esports. To ensure the best player experience, all players are expected to display sportsmanship as outlined below. By participating in a PlayVS-operated league, you are agreeing to the terms within this Code of Conduct.
Overall, the PlayVS community is expected to:
Be respectful to all players, coaches, PlayVS staff or partners, and any other person in contact with the player before, during, or after the match time.
Use appropriate language in any chat or communication channels.
Play with integrity to the game, team, and sport.
Follow all PlayVS league protocols listed in the PlayVS rulebooks.
Standards of Sportsmanship:
To ensure fair competition and respectful treatment of our community members, all participants are expected to abstain from the following behaviors:
Harassment. Harassment is defined as systematic, hostile, and repeated acts taking place over a considerable period of time, or a singular egregious instance, which is/are intended to isolate or ostracize a person and/or affect the dignity of the person.
Sexual Harassment. Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances. The assessment is based on whether a reasonable person would regard the conduct as undesirable or offensive. There is zero tolerance for any sexual threats/coercion or the promise of advantages in exchange for sexual favors. Any instance of sexual harassment or sexual misconduct aimed at one’s teammate, opponent, team staff, or PlayVS League Official will result in an immediate ban. Teammates who have witnessed behavior of this nature by another player are expected to immediately report the conduct to their coach or a PlayVS League Official.
Discrimination and Denigration. Team Members may not offend the dignity or integrity of a country, private person, or group of people through contemptuous, discriminatory, or denigrating words or actions on account of race, skin color, ethnic, national or social origin, gender, language, religion, political opinion or any other opinion, financial status, birth or any other status, sexual orientation or any other reason.
Taunting and/or Excessive Celebration. Team Members may not provoke their opponents by exploiting in-game functions excessively or by exhibiting provoking behavior outside of the game.
Game Publisher Punishment Subversion. PIayers that receive suspensions or bans by the Game Publisher may not utilize a separate account to compete. If a Team Member is found guilty and punished by the game developer and uses a separate account to compete in PlayVS matches, League Officials may assign an additional competition penalty at their sole discretion.
Criminal Activity. A Team Member may not engage in any activity which is prohibited by common law, statute, or treaty and which leads to or may be reasonably deemed likely to lead to conviction in any court of competent jurisdiction.
Confidentiality. A Team Member may not disclose any confidential information provided by the league or any affiliate of PlayVS, by any method of communication, including all social media channels.
Bribery. No Team Member may offer any gift or reward to a player, coach, manager, League Official, PlayVS employee, or person connected with or employed by another PlayVS team for services promised, rendered, or to be rendered in defeating or attempting to defeat a competing team.
Non-Compliance. No Team Member may refuse or fail to apply instructions or decisions of League Officials.
Match-Fixing. No Team Member may offer, agree, conspire, or attempt to influence the outcome of a game or match by any means that are prohibited by law or these Rules.
Gambling. No Team Member or League Official may take part, either directly or indirectly, in betting or gambling on any results or performance of any PlayVS tournament or match globally.
Standards of Competition:
In addition to the Standards of Sportsmanship, all members of the community are expected to abstain from:
Unfair Play. No cheating. The following actions will be considered unfair play:
Collusion. Collusion is defined as any agreement among two (2) or more players and/or people to disadvantage opposing players. Collusion includes, but is not limited to, acts such as:
Soft play, or any agreement among two (2) or more players to not damage, impede, or otherwise play to a reasonable standard of competition in a game.
Signaling. Sending or receiving signals, electronic or otherwise, from another person to/from a player.
Match Fixing. Deliberately losing a game for compensation, or for any other reason, or attempting to induce another player to do so.
Competitive Integrity. Teams are expected to play at their best at all times within any league game and to avoid any behavior inconsistent with the principles of good sportsmanship, honesty, or fair play.
Hacking. Hacking is defined as any modification of the game, the game’s client, or gaming equipment by any player, team, or person acting on behalf of a player or a team.
Exploiting. Exploiting includes, but is not limited to, acts such as game glitches and/or but that are confirmed by the Publisher, or any other game function that, in the sole determination of League Officials, is not functioning as intended. Any match disputes or submissions involving possible players exploiting the game will need to be backed by video or screenshot proof. If a player is found to be using an in-game exploit to gain an advantage during a match, their team will be given a loss for that game and may be subject to further penalties at the discretion of league officials.
Spectator Monitors. Looking at or attempting to look at spectator monitors.
Ringing. Playing under another player’s account or soliciting, inducing, encouraging or directing someone else to play under another player’s account.
Cheating Methods. The use of any kind of cheating device and/or cheat program or any similar cheating method such as signaling devices, hand signals, etc.
Intentional Disconnection. An intentional disconnection without a proper and explicitly stated reason.
League Discretion. Any other further act, failure to act, or behavior which, in the sole judgment of League Officials, violates these Rules and/or the standards of integrity established by the league for competitive gameplay.
Profanity and Hate Speech. A Team Member may not use language in or out of the game that is obscene, foul, vulgar, insulting, threatening, abusive, libelous, slanderous, defamatory, or otherwise offensive or objectionable; or promote or incite hatred or discriminatory conduct, in or near the match area, at any time. A Team Member may not use any facilities, services, or equipment provided or made available by the league or its contractors to post, transmit, disseminate, or otherwise make available any such prohibited communications. A Team Member may not use this type of language on social media or during any public-facing events such as streaming.
Disruptive Behavior / Insults. A Team Member may not take any action or perform any gesture in or out of the game directed at an opposing Team Member, fan, or official or incite any other individual(s) to do the same, which is insulting, mocking, disruptive or antagonistic.
Intentional Misconduct. A Team Member may not intentionally ruin the game or match experience for other members of the community. This includes abandoning a match, stalling a game with excessive pausing or scoring, or using unnecessarily disruptive language or emotes in any chat or communication channel.
Abusive Behavior. Abuse of League Officials, opposing Team Members, or audience members will not be tolerated. Repeated etiquette violations, including but not limited to touching another player’s console, body, or property will result in penalties. Team Members and their guests (if any) must treat all individuals attending a match with respect.
Baiting. Team Members may not intentionally lead opponents into or provoke behavioral violations in an attempt to disqualify or penalize opposing team members.
Unauthorized Communications. All mobile phones, tablets, and other voice-enabled and/or “ringing” electronic devices must be removed from the play area before the game. Players may not text/email or use social media while in the match area. During the match, communication by a Starter shall be limited to the players on the Starter’s team.
Apparel. Team Members may wear apparel with multiple logos, patches, or promotional language. PlayVS reserves the right at all times to impose a ban on objectionable or offensive apparel containing:
Advertising any non-" over the counter" drug, tobacco product, firearm, pornographic, or otherwise illicit brands and/or products
Defamatory, obscene, profane, vulgar, repulsive, or offensive, or that describes or depicts any internal bodily functions or symptomatic results of internal conditions or refers to matters which are not considered socially acceptable topics.
Disparaging or libeling any opposing team or player or any other person, entity, or product.
Advertising for brands that may indirectly or directly conflict with sponsors or partners
The league reserves the right to refuse entry or continued participation in the match to any Team Member who does not comply with the aforementioned apparel rules.
Identity. A player may not cover their face or attempt to conceal their identity from League Officials. League Officials must be able to distinguish the identity of each player at all times and may instruct players to remove any material that inhibits the identification of players or is a distraction to other players or League Officials.
In Pari Delicto. Latin for "in equal fault." Any Team Member who engages in a behavior violation (whether initiating or reacting) can result in disciplinary action.
Levels of Consequences
Unsportsmanlike behavior may result in disciplinary actions. League Officials at all times may act with the necessary authority to preserve the best interests of the league. League Officials may in their reasonable discretion impose any of the following penalties depending on the severity, intent, and frequency of the inappropriate behavior:
Level 1 Consequence: Official verbal or written warning, written record of misconduct, request to change inappropriate names.
Level 2 Consequence: Official verbal or written warning, written record of misconduct, required to change inappropriate names, 1-week suspension, and/or forfeit of the match.
Level 3 Consequence: Official verbal or written warning, written record of misconduct, suspension or banning players for the season or permanently, and/or forfeiting of all associated matches.
Finality of Decisions
Unless expressly stated otherwise, offenses and infringements of the Rulebooks or Code of Conduct are punishable, whether or not they were committed intentionally. Attempts to commit such offenses or infringements are also punishable.
Any person found to have engaged in or attempted to engage in any act that PlayVS believes constitutes unfair play, in its sole and absolute discretion, will be subject to penalty. The nature and extent of the penalties imposed due to such acts shall be in the sole and absolute discretion of League Officials.
All decisions regarding the interpretation of these rules, player eligibility, scheduling and staging of the league, and penalties for misconduct, lie solely with PlayVS, the decisions of which are final. PlayVS decisions with respect to these Rules cannot be appealed and shall not give rise to any claim for monetary damages or any other legal or equitable remedy.
Changelog
V 3.0 // 3/26/24 - Reformatted to match PlayVS Resources Style Guidelines
V 3.1 // 3/27/24 - Added Baiting & In Pari Delicto to Standards of Competition