Introduction and Purpose

These Official Rules (“Rules”) of the PlayVS Middle School Esports League apply to each of the teams who have registered and met the requirements for the 2024-2025 school year, as well as their head coach, assistant coaches, vice principals, athletic directors, parents, Starters, Substitutes (collectively “Team Members”), and other members.

The 2024-2025 school year will be divided into two halves (“Seasons”).

These Rules apply only to official PlayVS-sponsored events and not to other competitions, tournaments, or organized middle school esports.

Play Versus, Inc. has established these Rules for the competitive play of esports in order to unify and standardize the rules used in middle school esports competitive play.

These Rules are designed solely to ensure the integrity of the system established by PlayVS for the organized play of esports and a competitive balance among the teams that play at the middle school level. Standardized rules benefit all parties involved in middle school esports, including the teams, players, and coaches. Additionally, the field of esports play is still relatively new and changing rapidly. Thus, these Official Rules will evolve in real time to keep pace with those changes.

These Rules do not restrict competition for players. The terms of engagement between players and teams are left to each of the teams and its players.

Each participant must agree to these Official Rules, Codes of Conduct, and the PlayVS Terms of Service to participate in the PlayVS Middle School Esports League. You may accept these Official Rules by any one of the following methods:

1.1.1 Registering to participate in a PlayVS league.

1.1.2 Participating in any match that is part of a PlayVS league.

No player shall be considered eligible to participate in any middle school esports game before enrolling in and attending the middle school associated with their team. Exceptions will be determined by the school and League Officials, which are solely defined as PlayVS league staff members. This shall not, however, prevent teams from allowing unenrolled students to participate in practices.

Additionally, student accounts under the age of 13 must be created and accompanied by a verified Parent PlayVS account. At all times, the verified Parent may create/view/update/delete their child’s PlayVS account, including their name, email, and connected game accounts.

To be eligible to compete for a middle school esports team, each player must satisfy all requirements outlined in section 2.2.

2.2.1 Grade Level. Each player must be enrolled in 6th-8th grade.

2.2.2 Academic Eligibility. Each player must submit proof to the coach, prior to being added to an active roster, that he/she will meet the GPA (grade point average) required to participate in PlayVS sports as determined by their state association and/or school. Additionally, each player must satisfy any and all attendance policies put in place by their school or athletic director.

2.2.3 Play Eligibility. Each player must have a PlayVS account and an active game account in the esport in which they will be playing. Each player must be eligible to play with no current suspensions or bans issued by PlayVS League Officials or the game's Publisher. Where applicable, players may only play on the account connected to their PlayVS settings.

Game account accessibility may include age-restricted access by a game’s publisher and may require parental approval or assistance in order to create and connect their game account to PlayVS. For assistance with creating and managing a game-specific account, parents and/or students should contact the game’s publisher directly.

Once an in-game account is used in a PlayVS Match, the game account may not be disconnected and must be used for the remainder of the season unless requested by a PlayVS Admin.

2.2.4 Region Eligibility. All players must permanently reside in the United States of America

A Team's Roster on the PlayVS Platform may not fall below the required minimum, however, in the event that a player on the starting roster cannot play on game-day, play may continue without that player as long as it does not put the opposing team at a disadvantage.

Each team must maintain one coach and a full “Roster” of starting players on the PlayVS platform at all times during the season. It is recommended that a team also maintain “Substitutes,” or alternate players, on the “Bench” in the event that a rostered player is not available on match day. For the avoidance of doubt, starting players and substitutes are subject to the same roster eligibility requirements at the sole discretion of League Officials.

Roster and Substitution requirements for each esport can be found in their respective rulebooks.

Each team will be required to have a coach who will be considered the official coach for the team. It is suggested that each team designate a head coach for official matchday communication. The coach will be listed on www.playvs.com. The coach must be a faculty member unless otherwise determined by the individual Athletic Director or school administrator. Further, a coach cannot be a starting player, substitute player, or active player. Additionally, a coach must be 18 years of age or older and may not be enrolled as a student in a middle school.

The coach will not be required to be on-site for every official game that the team participates in unless dictated by the school’s administration, district, and/or athletic association.

The coach will be required to be virtually present and available during their team’s matches in case of any required communication with the opposing team. Coaches are expected to be able to be reached for any questions on the PlayVS platform’s Match Lobby Chat.

The coach may represent more than one school. The coach may be affiliated with another school or school district, however, the eligibility of that coach will be at the discretion of League Officials and state association rules and be determined on a case-by-case basis.

If a coach is relieved of his or her position, an interim coach can be designated until a full-time coach is found. If the coach is unable to supervise a game, the principal, athletic director or coach must assign an interim coach to be present virtually in their place. The interim coach can be any other member of faculty and must abide by all rules outlined in this rulebook. If a coach is not present virtually, then the team is subject to penalties, including, but not limited to, forfeiture.

Coach Conduct is also covered further in the PlayVS Coach Code of Conduct.

All starting players must be registered to a team and have title-specific accounts available before scheduled matches begin. Players may only play for one team per game title in each scheduled week, including substitutions. Substitutes will be located in the ‘Bench’ player list. Coaches must verify enrollment and all other player requirements by match day. In the event that a coach elects to modify the Starting Roster, the coach must change their Starting Roster on www.playvs.com.

In-game names may include upper-case letters, lower-case letters, numbers 0-9, underscores, or single spaces between words only. In-game names may not contain vulgarities, obscenities, or offensive language. In-game names must be unique.

All in-game names must be approved by the Coach in advance of use in play. In-game names found to be in violation of rule 3.5 will be required to be changed at the expense of the account owner.

All in-game names linked to specific game title accounts must match at match-time between the information found on the PlayVS platform and in the game client/lobby. Failure to verify this could result in a match dispute and a possible loss if PlayVS officials are unable to verify the identity of that player.

Team names may only contain letters, numbers, and single spaces between words. Team names may not include punctuation or special characters and must not be over 15 characters long. Team Names may not contain vulgarities, obscenities, offensive language, or be worded in a way to confuse or imply ill-intent towards another team. Team Names may not be changed during the Season unless approved by a PlayVS Admin. PlayVS reserves the right to update a team name at any time if the name itself violates the PlayVS Code of Conduct.

Equipment requirements for each esport can be found in their respective rulebooks.

5.1.1 Game. An instance of competitive or recreational play that is played until a winner is determined by one of the following methods, whichever occurs first: (a) completion of the countdown timer or objective achieved, (b) Team Surrender, or (c) Team Forfeit.

5.1.2 Set. A series of games that is played until one player wins a majority of the total games (e.g., winning two games out of three “best-of-three”). The winning player will receive a win tally in favor of their team for the match.

5.1.3 Match. A group of sets that is played until one team wins a majority of the total sets (e.g., winning two sets out of three “best-of-three”). The winning team will either receive a win tally in a league format or advance to the next round in a tournament format.

5.1.4 League. A group of teams that regularly play against one another. There are two distinct types of PlayVS leagues: (a) Recreational and (b) Competitive

5.1.5 Phase. A section of scheduled league play that comprises a season. There are two distinct phases for recreational leagues: preseason and regular season. Each phase has its own league format; see Section 5.2 for more details.

5.1.6 Season. Scheduled league play that will occur over a predetermined amount of time. Each season will consist of two phases: (a) a Preseason and (b) a Regular Season.

This phase consists of each team enrolled in a league playing in official practice weeks. Preseason match formats between each team will depend on the esport title teams are participating in. The results of this match will not be recorded; however, these matches are strongly recommended in order to test equipment and player-game connections properly.

For Preseason Matches, teams will join the Preseason Match Queue. Teams that successfully complete at least 1 Preseason match, and do not forfeit their last preseason match, will be eligible to be automatically scheduled via the PlayVS Smart Scheduling system for Week 1 of the Regular Season. Teams that do not complete a match during Preseason will not receive a forfeit but will need to use the PlayVS Regular Season Match Queue for their first Regular Season Match.

This phase consists of each team playing within a state or region in a season format against opponents within their league. Seasonal match formats between each team will be dependent on the esport title teams are participating in. Ranking in the league will be determined by each team's win-loss ratio. Wins and losses from each match will be added to each team’s regular season standings.

The ranking of the teams will be determined by the standings of Wins and Losses

In the event that multiple teams are tied in the standings in the conclusion of the Regular Season, the teams tied will be seeded by the following differentiation process:

More information about Tiebreakers and Standings can be found here.

On Match Day, coaches will be expected to have their team ready to play by their league’s regular match time regardless of their opponent’s status. If the team’s match page shows an opponent as ‘TBD,’ a new opponent will be found and assigned during match time in order to ensure a match is still played.

Failing to show up during the expected match time or within the thirty (30) minute grace period after will result in a forfeit. Coaches will be required to use the match page’s “Queue System” if their opponent is shown as ‘TBD’ in order to find their opponent for the day.

6.1.1 Match Reschedules The only time a match does not need to be completed at the posted match time is if a reschedule request has been made using the PlayVS platform. The reschedule request must have been accepted by both coaches before the original match day and time.

6.1.2 Match Forfeit In the event that a scheduled match opponent forfeits a match ahead of the scheduled match time, that team will receive a forfeit loss, and the team that has not forfeited will receive a new opponent via the PlayVS “Match Queue”.

In the event that the scheduled match opponent forfeits after match start time, that team will receive a loss, and the team that has not forfeited will receive an automatic win for that day.

6.1.2.1 Rescheduled Match Forfeit. In the event that a match is rescheduled to any date/time after the originally scheduled match and a team forfeits, that team will receive a forfeit loss, and the team that has not forfeited will receive an automatic win for that day.

6.1.3 Player Commitment. Participating players/teams are expected to be available for the full match length estimate of two (2) hours. A match may begin as late as thirty (30) minutes after the initial start time. If a player/team is unable to participate for the full estimated match time, League officials may rule against their team in any disputes during the match in which the situation stems from player/team availability.

6.1.4 Grace Period. All matches are expected to start within thirty (30) minutes of the originally scheduled match start time. Teams should try their best to start at the shown match start time, but we understand that things may come up that delay that start. If a team fails to show up and begin to play within thirty (30) minutes of the scheduled start time, they will be subject to possible penalties from league officials, such as an automatic loss for the match. If a team is using the “Match Queue” feature, the grace period begins at the original match schedule time, not at the time at which you are paired with the opposing team. Teams using “Match Queue” are expected to be ready to play as soon as an opponent is found.

Any official communication between coaches before match day must be done through the PlayVS Match Lobby Chat.

Coaches and Players are encouraged to join Match Lobby Chat using the PlayVS platform thirty (30) minutes before their scheduled match time. This will allow for teams to communicate their readiness or any delays to each other ahead of time. Additionally, Match Lobby Chat should be used for any communication needed between the team’s players as required by their individual esport title rules.

Coaches will be expected to have their team ready to play each match day during the season as per their league schedule. If an opponent has not been assigned due to any reason, the team must still show up at match time to play. The PlayVS platform will guide the Coach through the process to use Match Queue to get a new opponent assigned to play during the slotted match time.

Failure to show up at match time and use the queue system (if an opponent is TBD) will result in a forfeit for the team. Byes will be assigned if the match queue system does not find an opponent within thirty (30) minutes of the scheduled match start time. In order to receive a bye, a team must stay in queue throughout the entire time.

6.2.1 Opponent Shown as TBD. If your scheduled match shows your opponent as ‘TBD’, you will be expected to go through the Match Queue process at match time. Navigate to your scheduled match page at match time as normal and follow the instructions displayed for using match queue.

6.2.2 Equipment Setup. Restart all consoles/computers at least one hour before scheduled matches and test each game client by loading into a private game lobby.

6.2.3 Technical Failure of Equipment. If a player encounters any equipment problems during any phase of the setup process, the player must alert and notify a coach and a League Official immediately.

6.2.4 Technical Support. Coaches must be available to assist with the setup process and troubleshoot any problems encountered during the pre-match setup period.

6.2.5 Timeliness of Match Start. It is expected that players will resolve any issues with the setup process within the allotted time and that the match will begin at the scheduled time. Delays due to setup problems may be permitted at the sole discretion of League Officials. All players playing must be in the game lobby to be considered “present.” Teams that are over thirty (30) minutes tardy will forfeit their match.

6.2.6 No opponents. Teams may not start a match without opponents present and ready.

6.2.7 Connected Accounts. Players are encouraged to play on the game account linked to their PlayVS Account. Coaches should ensure that their team members are playing on verified game accounts on match days. If a player's account does not match, reach out to PlayVS Support for a PlayVS Admin to investigate further.

6.2.7.1 Titles That Require Connected Game Accounts

Match Lobby setup and Post-Game Process steps for each esport can be found in their respective rulebooks.

To ensure the accuracy of stat-tracking and to avoid confusion in-game, selections in-game must match selections made in the PlayVS Match Assistant. For incorrect selections, see Section 7.3 Stoppage of Play.

Many of our titles are live-service multiplayer games that may release new playable characters, maps, or competitive game modes while the season is occurring. More information on how in-game content updates impact PlayVS leagues can be found in their respective rulebooks.

Detailed Game Rules for each esport can be found in their respective rulebooks.

7.1.1 Unintentional Disconnection. A player losing connection to the game due to problems or issues with the game client, platform, network, or console.

7.1.2 Intentional Disconnection. A player losing connection to the game due to player’s actions (i.e. quitting the game). Any actions of a player which lead to a disconnection shall be deemed intentional, regardless of the actual intent of the player.

7.1.3 Server Crash. All players losing connection to a game due to an issue with a game server, PlayVS platform, or venue internet instability.

7.1.4 Unforeseen Uncontrollable Circumstance. As deemed by PlayVS, any unplanned or uncontrollable event that results in a player, coach, or team’s inability to attend a match.

A game of record (“GOR”) refers to a game where both teams have loaded in and which has progressed to a point of meaningful interaction between opposing teams. Once a game attains GOR status, the period ends in which incidental restarts may be permitted, and a game will be considered “official” from that point onward. After the establishment of GOR, game restarts will be allowed only under limited conditions as defined in Section 7.4 Game Restart. Game of Record definitions, explanations, and applicability vary by title and can be found in their respective rulebooks.

If a player intentionally disconnects without notifying a coach or league official or pausing, a league official is not required to enforce a stoppage. During any pause or stoppage, players may not leave the match area unless authorized by their head coach. Coaches should communicate any disconnections in PlayVS Match Lobby Chat.

7.3.1 Directed Pause. League Officials may order the pause of a match or execute a pause command on any player station at the sole discretion of the League Officials at any time.

7.3.2 Unauthorized Pause. If a player pauses or unpauses a game without permission from the coaches, it will be considered unfair play, and penalties will be applied at the discretion of League Officials.

7.3.3 Disputes During a Match.

In-game violations must be submitted immediately by the team’s Coach by opening a PlayVS Support ticket and sharing a message in Match Lobby Chat to notify their opponent that a dispute is being submitted to a League Official. The match must be paused until the in-game violation has been addressed by a PlayVS Admin in Match Lobby Chat. In-game violations must be addressed before the match is completed unless otherwise stated in Section 7.6.2 Post-Match Disputes.

Note: As mentioned in 13.1 Finality of Decisions, PlayVS makes all final decisions regarding penalties. By completing a match, both teams confirm that the rulebooks and protocols were properly followed. Decisions cannot be appealed, but feedback can always be shared in any verified PlayVS Support channel.

7.3.4 Title-Specific Stoppage Rulings.

Please refer to your title's rulebook for specific rules for handling or executing pauses.

The decision of which condition(s) shall justify a game restart is solely at the discretion of League Officials.

7.4.1 Restarts After GOR. The following are examples of situations in which a game may be restarted after GOR has been established.

7.4.1.1 Critical Bugs If a game experiences a critical bug at any point during the match which significantly alters game stats or gameplay mechanics.

7.4.1.2 Unfair or Unsafe Conditions If a league official determines that there are environmental conditions that are unfair (e.g. excessive noise, hostile weather, unacceptable safety risks).

7.4.2 Controlled Environment. Certain conditions may be preserved in the event of a restart of a game that has not reached GOR. If, however, a match has reached GOR, then League Officials shall not retain any settings.

7.4.3 Player Confirmation of Settings. Each team captain shall verify that every player on his/her team has finalized their intended game settings before GOR is established. Any error in verification is not grounds for a game restart after GOR is established.

7.5.1 Break Duration. Teams may take quick breaks between games as needed. Breaks between games should not exceed more than five (5) minutes to ensure a timely finish. If a team needs more time, coaches may communicate with one another using the PlayVS Lobby chat and agree to a longer break. If a team attempts to stall the start of the next game, they may be penalized by league officials after official review.

7.5.2 Tech Notes. After each game, players will identify any tech issues with their coach that may require fixing before the next game begins. This will allow their coach to communicate with the other team on any delays.

7.6.1 Results. After both teams agree to the final game's result using the PlayVS Match Assistant, the match will be complete, and results will be recorded. If the Match Assistant is skipped, coaches are responsible for verifying that results have been reported manually.

7.6.2 Post-Match Disputes. In the event that any member of a team violates the competitive Code of Conduct or that match results are submitted incorrectly, the reporting coach may submit an official Match Dispute on the Match Lobby page of the match in question on any completed match.

Matches are able to be disputed up until one (1) week from the original scheduled match time. Exceptions to the rule are as follows:

7.6.2.1. Disputing Rescheduled Matches. Matches rescheduled outside the originally scheduled date must be submitted/disputed immediately upon match completion.

7.6.2.2. Disputing Matches in the Final Week of the Regular Season. During the last week of the regular season, Disputes must be submitted within 24 hours of the time of the completion.

7.6.3 Next Match. Players will be informed of their current standing in the competition, including their next scheduled match, through the PlayVS platform.

7.6.4 Results of Forfeiture. Matches won by forfeit will be reported by the minimum score it would take for one team to win the match (e.g. 2-0 for best-of-two and best-of-three matches). No other statistics will be recorded for forfeited matches.

7.6.5 Results of Byes. Matches won by a bye will be reported by the minimum score it would take for one team to win the match (e.g. 2-0 for best-of-two and best-of-three matches). No other statistics will be recorded for bye matches.

During a match, a team’s coach may request permission from the opposing team’s coach to use a game’s in-game spectating feature for the purpose of a stream, broadcast, or VOD review. In order to request permission the coach must do the following:

The opposing coach may then accept the request by clearly stating in the PlayVS Match Lobby Chat that they understand the request and are allowing a spectator(s) to join their match lobby.

7.7.1 Spectating Disaccord. If at any point between games of a match, a coach or team does not feel comfortable with the opposing team having spectators, they may state clearly in the PlayVS Match Lobby chat that they wish for the spectators to be removed and the reason for their ask for removal. At that time, the request must be honored and the spectators removed before the start of the next game.

Any team or school impacted by a situation entirely out of their control (e.g., inclement weather, real-life threats) must contact PlayVS as soon as it is safe to do so. A player or coach should submit a ticket to the Customer Experience team and notify League Officials.

PlayVS will request proof of the uncontrollable circumstance to verify the situation, from which League Officials will review all of the information to provide a fair ruling to those impacted.

All rescheduled matches must be completed within the allowed reschedule time frame shown in the PlayVS product. The date availability will be shown when using the reschedule feature for a scheduled match. Failure to play a match within this timeframe may result in a forfeit for both teams. Exceptions can be made by League Officials in unforeseen or uncontrollable circumstances.

Reschedules are optional for both coaches in a match. A coach with a missing player or malfunctioning console may request a reschedule, choose to play at a disadvantage, or forfeit. Coaches with an opponent requesting a reschedule may choose to accept or decline the reschedule at their sole discretion. Exceptions will be made by League Officials in unforeseen uncontrollable circumstances. Some examples include but are not limited to natural disasters, emergencies, or game outages.

Once a match has been rescheduled, it is the responsibility of both teams to be present and ready to play. Any team that is unable to play in the rescheduled match will receive a forfeit, regardless of the initial reschedule request.

Preseason matches may not be rescheduled to another day. Slight delays for technical difficulties will be allowed as determined by League Officials.

All forfeits are final. Matches that are forfeited at a coach’s request or matches that receive an automatic forfeit cannot be re-played or overturned.

Forfeits will be applied in the following cases:

9.1.1 No-shows. Teams that are not present within 30 minutes of the match start time will receive a forfeit.

9.1.2 Inability to play. Teams that are unable to play due to a lack of players or equipment malfunctions must reschedule or receive a forfeit. Teams can play team-based title matches missing a player, such as playing a 2v3 in Rocket League rather than outright taking a forfeit loss without playing.

9.1.3 Competitive ruling. Teams that engage in any behavior outlined in Section 12 may forfeit a match or matches.

9.1.4 Incorrect or ineligible players. Players found to be in violation of Section 2 or Section 3 will result in forfeits for any matches in which they participate.

9.1.5 Lack of Match Results

Matches that do not have results submitted within the allotted time to complete the match will be subject to forfeiture, resulting in a loss for both teams.

9.1.6 Lack of coach communication. Teams that do not communicate in a timely manner, as described in Section 10, with League Officials will be subject to forfeiture of any and all of their teams with open matches.

9.1.7 No coach available. Teams that do not have a coach or appointed coach available during a match will receive a forfeit for that match.

9.1.8 Playing from home. Teams are allowed to play remotely from home or another location unless otherwise specified by their state association/school or athletic director.

Communicate issues with PlayVS League Officials and opponent coach including player’s change of information, tech issues, reschedule requests, or forfeits. Respond to PlayVS League Officials and/or opponent coaches immediately and within 24 hours to avoid a forfeit.

Coaches must provide a team point of contact with their current phone number and email. All lines of communication must remain open during matches and 30 minutes after match completion. This may include answering calls from PlayVS League Officials and/or opponents during match time and 30 minutes after match completion. The matchday point of contact must be at least 18 years of age and cannot be a student enrolled in middle school.

A coach from each team must be present and available in Match Lobby Chat on the PlayVS platform throughout the entire match for any communication needed during the match itself. Failure to do this may result in a loss for the coach’s team.

10.3.1 Established Communication. A coach from each team must establish communication in the match lobby chat at the beginning of a match. This will allow participants and league officials to establish that a coach is present for the match as required by PlayVS rules. Failure to do this may result in a loss for the coach’s team.

10.3.1.1 No Response. Coaches should reach out to PlayVS Support if an attempt to establish communication has been made and there is no response from the opposing coach. This will allow us to resolve the issue with a League official.

All teams enrolled by the registration deadline will be scheduled matches for the season. Enrolled teams will receive a match schedule and will be expected to play in each match.

The enrollment deadline for teams is outlined in the season schedule. This deadline may vary by league. Teams that are not enrolled on or before the deadline will not be eligible to play in the current season. League officials reserve the right to make any changes necessary after this deadline has closed.

Team unenrollment is defined as the removal of a team from the current season. Team unenrollment is not reversible and should be carefully considered before a team is unenrolled. Once a team has been enrolled, the team will forfeit all open and future matches.

11.3.1 Reasons for unenrollment. Teams that unenroll will be required to describe the reason for unenrollment at the time of unenrolling.

11.3.1.1 Teams may unenroll at any point in the season for reasons including, but not limited to:

11.3.1.2 League Officials may use team unenrollment as an official ruling for reasons including, but not limited to:

During the enrollment process of a team into an esport league, coaches are required to choose a break week for their team during the season. This is done to help accommodate different break weeks in different schools.

All teams must choose a break week before the scheduling of the chosen week not to have matches scheduled.

All Team Members are expected to adhere to and abide by the PlayVS Code of Conduct. Any person(s) found to have engaged in or attempted to engage in any act that PlayVS believes constitutes unfair play, exhibits unsportsmanlike behavior, or otherwise, 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.

These Rules may be amended, modified, or supplemented by PlayVS, from time to time, in order to ensure fair play and the integrity of the league. Major changes to this document will be communicated, however, these rules may be updated at any time without formal notification. All current and most up-to-date rulebooks will be distributed on the PlayVS website and will have version numbers displayed at the bottom of each page. Reviewing updated rulebooks comes at the responsibility of all coaches and players in the league.

League Officials at all times may act with the necessary authority to preserve the best interests of the league. This power is not constrained by the lack of any specific language in this document. League Officials may use any form of punitive actions at their disposal against any entity whose conduct is not within the confines of the best interests of the league.