Dylan 718
21 · Dynamite · From New York
Staff member
Moderator
SUMMIT Staff
Event Organizer
Media Staff
Site Supporter
Founding Member
Hello everyone! With the new year quickly approaching and development for the new MKCentral site is underway, we are slowly but surely entering a brand-new era for Mario Kart Central. Today, MKCentral Staff would like to announce some details regarding what 2024 entails for Mario Kart 8 Deluxe tournaments.
Communication and Information Relay
One of our many goals for this new era of Mario Kart Central is to increase the transparency between tournament staff and the community. Information pertaining to our tournaments deserves to be common knowledge amongst all members of the community; it should not be left ambiguous on when specific tournaments will be held, or whether specific tournaments will be held at all. On top of this, a lack of cooperation between tournament staff groups results in a competition between them to secure the most optimal time slots to run their tournaments; "losers" of this "competition" may be forced to run their tournaments during unorthodox times or be forced to run their tournament on top of other tournaments just so their tournaments can be run as efficiently as possible. Tournament overlap and the problems that arise from this have been a recurring issue for quite some time, and we aim to rectify this going forward.
2024 Tournament Schedule
MKCentral Staff and the MK8DX Staff team have been working hand in hand with the many tournament staff groups on MKCentral in creating a balanced, well-rounded, and above all, fun tournament schedule for 2024. The 2024 schedule offers a diverse set of tournaments; fan-favorite tournaments will return in 2024, alongside brand-new and ambitious tournament experiences. At a glance, we will be carrying on 2023's tradition of having three MKU seasons, three team tournaments, three major 200cc tournaments, and two squad tournaments throughout the year, with other special events and FFAs being ran on a case-by-case basis. Before sharing this information, it is important to note that this schedule is tentative and is subject change at any time for whatever reason.
Schedule: MKCentral 2024 Tournament Schedule
Note: MKCentral SUMMIT events, one-day FFA events, and affiliate tournaments such as Low Div Cup and Mid Div Cup are not listed above but are planned for 2024; the schedules for these tournaments are still in development and will be publicized at a later date.
Furthermore, a planned feature of the new MKCentral website is a public, interactive tournament calendar, where players can better illustrate when tournaments are being held. Currently, the 2024 tournament schedule Google Sheet acts as a predecessor to this proposed feature. More information will be detailed in future updates pertaining to the new site.
What's New in 2024
It wouldn't be a new year without new tournament experiences. Detailed below is a sneak peek on some of our general plans for 2024 as well as some details on the new tournaments we are running in 2024.
Player Feedback and Affiliate Tournaments
It goes without saying that player feedback is an important part of tournament drafting and scheduling. MK8DX Staff are always open to the community's feedback and ideas regarding future tournaments. Going forward for 2024, please continue in using #tournament-discussion in the MKCentral MK8DX Community Discord Server to suggest tournament ideas and to provide constructive feedback towards our tournaments. A large amount of the community's unique tournament ideas, constructive feedback and proposed changes went into consideration when creating the 2024 tournament schedule and when assessing certain tournament formats; we cannot thank you enough for contributing to a great cause. Let's continue that momentum into 2024.
Moreover, over the course of 2023, we have partnered with different tournament groups and motivated people to run an assortment of affiliate tournaments. If you are wanting to partner with MKCentral and host an affiliate tournament (either an FFA or a team tournament), please make a ticket in the MKCentral MK8DX Community Discord Server where you may talk to MK8DX Staff. Please keep in mind that not all requests to become a tournament affiliate with MKCentral will be approved and decisions will be made on a case-by-case basis (e.g. is the affiliate staff representative/team trustworthy, is there a cash prize involved, is there an audience for your affiliate event, etc.).
More FFA Tournaments
MK8DX Staff are proud to share that more one-day FFA tournaments will be scheduled in 2024. Players can expect an FFA tournament every so often on Friday EST afternoons (Friday CET evenings), Friday EST evenings (FFA Fridays/Pacific League time) or Saturday EST afternoons (Saturday CET evenings), depending on the tournament space available. Additionally, this change in philosophy goes beyond just wanting to run more traditional 150cc FFAs; some special gimmick FFAs will be ran during this time. 200cc or "3v3 Kongs Only" anyone?
New Squad Tournament in Development
MK8DX Staff are currently developing a brand-new squad tournament that is projected to be scheduled during the summer. The scope of this project is quite large, and greatly exceeds the likes of 100 Point Cup and Instant Team Cup; some may call it the Apex of MK8DX Staff's work throughout the last few months. Because of the increase in depth, the length of this squad tournament will be four weeks, in comparison to the standard two weeks for other squad tournaments. While details pertaining to this tournament will be shared at a later date, we will briefly share that fans of a certain Invitational will look forward to this event.
Return of Battle Mode
After a three-year hiatus, Battle Mode events will be returning in 2024. At this time, only Battle Mode FFAs are planned. The idea of running additional squad tournaments for Battle Mode (e.g. 6v6 Renegade Roundup) is not completely out of the question, but is very unlikely due to a limited amount of tournament space throughout the year. Nonetheless, Battle Mode FFAs are back and will be in the rotation for the "gimmick events" mentioned above. One thing to be considered is whether Battle Mode FFAs should be single-format (e.g. Shine Thief only) or should experiment with the MomoCon format (e.g. an organized mix of Balloon Battle, Coin Runners, Bob-Omb Blast and Shine Thief). Community feedback regarding this decision will be greatly appreciated.
World Cup 2024 and MKWorlds 2024
As a grand finale to today's news, both World Cup and MKWorlds will return in 2024. This may seem like an unorthodox time to announce these very special tournaments, but as detailed below, this is a necessary action.
Firstly, let's discuss World Cup 2024, which, for MKCentral, is returning from a three-year hiatus. World Cup 2024 is currently scheduled for the end of June/beginning of July. We are aware that this tournament is very important to the community and that people are extremely eager to learn more details about it, however, we unfortunately have no further details at this time. MKCentral Staff and MK8DX Staff are working tirelessly to get the 2024 iteration of World Cup just right for the community to enjoy (e.g. tournament format, ruleset, schedule, staff team, graphics, etc.) and we hope that the community relishes the fruits of our immense work. Tournament details will be shared in the coming weeks.
Now let's discuss MKWorlds 2024. MKWorlds 2024 is currently scheduled for the beginning of December. Very briefly, MKWorlds 2023, in a large variety of places, left a lot to be desired. While we won't be detailing the specifics on what occurred, MKCentral Staff and MK8DX Staff have taken Worlds 2023 as a learning experience and have been working closely on improving this tournament for future iterations. Similar to World Cup 2024, specific details pertaining to this tournament are unavailable at this time.
Closing Thoughts
We hope that the community is excited after hearing what MK8DX Staff have planned for 2024. 2024 will be a very action-packed and transitional year for MKCentral, and there are more surprises waiting in store for us all. As always, please continue in using #tournament-discussion in the MKCentral MK8DX Community Discord Server to suggest tournament ideas and to provide constructive feedback towards our tournaments. Happy Holidays and Happy New Year, everyone!
- MKCentral Staff