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Close to 14 years after it began, ETF2L has announced their 40th season of 6v6, and an accompanying preseason cup. With Season 39’s champions 4Toast not returning to defend their title, the field is wide open for teams to take a shot at their share of €2100, the highest prize offered in recent seasons and raised thanks to community donors and ETF2L’s partner mannco.store. Season 40 also sees the return of hardware prizes with VAXEE awarding a gaming mouse to every member of the Premiership-winning team.
With prizes like this, it is no surprise that several teams are already in hot pursuit. Most notably, Witness Gaming have announced their new EU team, formed from the core of previous title contenders FAINT, but other familiar names have also been scrimming furiously in preparation for the season and cup.
Season 40 will begin October 24th, and with playoffs will run through to the end of December. The map pool so far is confirmed to include cp_snakewater_final1, cp_sunshine, cp_reckoner_rc6, cp_process_f9 and cp_gullywash_f4a, with the last two maps to be decided after the preseason cup from a shortlist of cp_granary_pro_rc8, koth_product_rcx and the maps tested in the cup. The whitelist is currently the same as for S39, though this again could be subject to change.
The preseason cup will feature a group stage on October 16th, before playoffs the next day, and will test koth_bagel_rc5, koth_clearcut_b15d and a reworking of Badlands in cp_prolands_b2. Controversially, the Market Gardener will also be banned for the cup, with its long-term fate to be decided afterwards, while despite debate the Iron Bomber’s pipe hitbox will not be changed.
Signups for the preseason cup close on October 14th, with signups for the regular season closing a week later on the 21st. Premiership signups will close on the 15th, with any qualifiers held after the cup and covered here on teamfortress.tv!