As the PCPI drew closer …
All the major esports media outlets had started their promotions. The official Weibo and live streaming platforms were also warming up. Countless viewers were eagerly anticipating the PCPI.
However, before that, Liu Zilang's champion skins were released. They had officially logged into all the game stores in all the major servers around the world.
One of them was the Golden Destroyer Gloves skin and the other was the MK14 (MK14) weapon skin.
There was also a combo pack for both skins. Those who bought them together would enjoy a discount of 9.9%.
Yup, it was very much like Teng Xun's game.
However, with the promotion of the skins' release date, according to Tencent's PUBG division, the sales of the gloves had exceeded forty thousand within an hour of the skins' release, while the MK14 weapon skin's sales were close to a hundred thousand.
The combo pack for both skins had also sold over seventy thousand sets within an hour.
It could be said that out of all the skins that had been released in PUBG, none of them had sold as well as Liu Zilang's two skins. This was the charm of a top-tier player.
At the same time, an Easter egg appeared in the game after the version update. 4AM, the team champion of the four-man team tournament in California, had appeared in the game.
On the map of the island in all the major servers around the world, a huge billboard had appeared on Duga in Sosnovka Military Base. On it was the logo of the 4AM club and the player's picture.
The officials did not announce the Easter egg at first. Hence, after players from all over the world discovered it and posted it on the forum.
Sosnovka Military Base had once again become a popular landing spot in the game.
In today's game, more than half of the players would go to Sosnovka Military Base to see the champion team 4AM on Duga. This had also increased 4AM's popularity among the PUBG players around the world.
Teams from all over the world were even more motivated. After all, as professional players who were chasing after their dreams, who would not want to have such an honor?
With that, Liu Zilang's champion skin and 4AM's Easter egg had instantly pushed the popularity of PUBG's first international PGI league to a new high.
.....
Amidst all the discussions and heated discussions, on the third day before the tournament, PGI's PCPI league in Hua Xia had begun.
According to the official competition system, the 40 teams in this competition would be divided into four groups: A, B, C, and D. Each group would have 10 teams, and they would face off against each other in pairs. Every day, three matches would be held in four-player mode, and the teams would be ranked according to their accumulated points.
In the end, they would use the double elimination rule, meaning that the top 10 would be considered the winner, and the bottom 10 would be considered the loser.
Half of the teams would be eliminated, and the remaining 20 teams would be selected to compete in the Huaxia region's PCPI finals.
The top three teams in the PCPI finals would advance to the next round and receive seeded spots to participate in the PGI World Championship.
Based on the principle of fairness and impartiality, the drawing of lots would be broadcasted live on all major platforms.
As expected, Misaka Mikoto was the person that Se7en2 sent to draw the lot.
After the results came out,
Se7en was placed in Group B.
It was worth mentioning that IFTY, 17, 4AM, and Se7en were also in Group B.
Liu Zilang patted the anxious Misaka Mikoto's head and announced that her title of "Koi" was officially revoked.
Even if they weren't in the same group, according to the rules of the competition, all the major teams would definitely meet at the end.
However, Misaka Mikoto's draw.
This meant that Liu Zilang's team would have to meet strong teams like IFTY and 17 every day.
When the members of Se7en heard the news, they almost cried on the spot …
.....
After the drawing of lots, Liu Zilang was so busy that his head hurt in the last two days before the start of the tournament.
It was not because of the mock competition or the tournament, but because it was nearing the end of the semester. Other than preparing for the tournament, Liu Zilang also had to prepare for the University of Jianghai's final exam.
Even though with his talent, cramming at the last minute would definitely work, cramming was not an easy task. Liu Zilang, who was almost naked for the exam, was even more exhausted.
Fortunately, his three roommates were more helpful as they helped him prepare a lot of information and notes.
His senior, Qin Xuanxuan, also came over once to comfort him and gave him a secret manual from previous years.
Liu Zilang was instantly moved to tears. He even wanted to marry her, but his senior politely declined.
Just like that, three days passed in the blink of an eye.
After looking at PCPI's schedule, Liu Zilang would have been too busy to attend to the tournament if not for the timing of the two tournaments being staggered.
On the day of the tournament, Liu Zilang woke up early and rushed to Se7en's base with Misaka Mikoto.
When they arrived at the base, Team One and Team Two met up and took the bus to the tournament venue in Jianghai Stadium.
According to the tournament schedule, the three matches on the day would be between the twenty teams from Division A and Division B.
They would decide on the winner's bracket of the top ten and meet up with the winner's bracket of Division C and Division D for the next round of the tournament.
Compared to the past, the tournament system this time was undoubtedly more comprehensive and fair.
It greatly reduced the element of luck and reflected the true standard of each team.
.....
When they arrived at Jianghai Stadium, the atmosphere was indeed very lively.
After Liu Zilang and the others entered through the players' tunnel, they looked around the stage. The huge stadium was almost full, and no matter where they looked, it was a sea of people.
As a newly established league, the reason why PCPI was able to achieve this was largely due to the many superhuman streamers and celebrity players who participated in the tournament. Their presence had led to a strong wave of spectators.
Boss Su did not commentate for the tournament that day. In fact, as Se7en's leader and coach, he would not have the time to be a guest commentator in the future unless Se7en did not have a match.
When almost all the spectators had entered the stadium, three commentators appeared on the commentary platform. They were wearing shirts and vests, and they looked very energetic and passionate.
From left to right, they were Yoshi-Jun, Ms-Joy, and PDD.
Among the two of them, other than Yoshi-Jun and Ms-Joy who were more professional commentators, PDD was invited as a guest commentator for the opening match of PCPI, just like Ruo Feng who commentated for the California tournament.
Ms-Joy who was sitting in the middle coughed and cleared his throat. Then, he smiled at the camera and said,
"Hello, everyone in the venue and in the live streaming channel. Welcome to our PUBG PCPI league. I'm your host, Ms-Joy."
"Hello everyone, I'm your commentator, Yoshi-Jun," Yoshi-Jun said from the side.
"Hehe, hello everyone. When I was greeting everyone, I pulled the bow tie on my neck and could not help but mutter," Ya Er, this bow tie is a little tight, and this vest … "
Upon hearing PDD, Ms-Joy could not help but laugh. "Teacher Piao, this is the biggest shirt that our production crew has specially made for you. It really can't be any bigger."
"Be reasonable, I think your show must've cut corners."
PDD joked, then looked at the big screen. "Oh, our contestants for today's match are up?"
In the middle of the stadium, under the stage lights.
Twenty teams and eighty contestants walked up from both sides of the stage.