Cygames (CEO Koichi Watanabe) announced the opening of player registration for its official esports tournament based on Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond, setting the stage for fierce competition over a total prize pool of 20 million won.
Cygames (CEO Koichi Watanabe) announced that registration is now open for its official Shadowverse: Worlds Beyond esports tournament, Shadowverse Korea Open 2026 Season 2 (hereinafter SKO 2026 Season 2). Any South Korean resident who is at least 16 years old as of the qualifier date can apply through the dedicated app, 'Shadowverse WB Tournament Navigator (SVNavi WB)', until October 1. All players who complete registration will receive a special in-game reward: the 'Shadowverse Korea Open Season 2 Original Emblem'.
The total prize pool for the tournament is set at 20 million won. The winner will receive 10 million won, while the runner-up will take home 5 million won. Third and fourth place will receive 1.4 million won each, and players placing fifth through eighth will each receive 550,000 won. Above all, the winner earns the right to represent South Korea at the Shadowverse World Grand Prix 2026 in Japan, a global event boasting a grand prize of 100 million yen. Additionally, top-performing players will earn qualification spots for various international online tournaments, including the Shadowverse International Wildcard Qualifier 2026.
The overall tournament schedule kicks off with the online qualifiers and playoffs on October 10, leading to the spectator-free offline main stage on October 18. Every match from the qualifiers to the final main stage will follow a best-of-three (BO3) format utilizing two decks. During the qualifier stage, a "drop" system will be applied within a Swiss-system format of up to seven rounds, where players who accumulate two losses are immediately eliminated, and only those maintaining one loss or fewer advance directly to the same-day playoffs.
The playoffs will feature a single-elimination tournament structure spanning up to two rounds. The top eight surviving competitors will advance to the main stage to clash for the title of Korea's best player. Key matches from the main stage will be broadcast live via the official Shadowverse YouTube channel and the official Cygames Chzzk channel. Detailed information regarding SKO 2026 Season 2 can be found on the dedicated tournament website and the official Naver Lounge.
