Hearthstone: Heroes of WarCraft Invitational

OFFICIAL RULES

• Sponsor: Twitch Interactive, Inc., ("Sponsor"), 225 Bush St. Floor 6, San Francisco, CA 94104.

• Administrator: Turtle Entertainment America, Inc. (“Administrator”), 1212 Chestnut Street, Burbank, CA 91506.

• Presenter: Comcast Corporation (“Presenter”), 1 Comcast Center, Philadelphia, PA 19103.

• Tournament Description: The “Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft Invitational” (the “Tournament”) is a skill-based video game competition in which sixteen (16) Players (defined below) will compete against each other using PC hardware and software by playing the video game Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft in a bracket-style elimination challenge until only one (1) Player remains undefeated, as detailed below.

  By participating in the Tournament, each Player unconditionally accepts and agrees to comply with and abide by these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor and Administrator, which shall be final and binding in all respects.

• Tournament Play Period: The Tournament will commence at approximately 12:00 pm Pacific Daylight Time (“PDT”) on Saturday, April 4, 2015, and again on Sunday, April 5, 2015 at approximately 12:00 pm PDT. Tournament play is anticipated to run approximately six (6) to eight (8) consecutive hours each day (the “Tournament Play Period”.)

• Tournament Play Description: Prior to the Tournament Play Period, representatives of the Administrator will identify sixteen (16) players (“Players”) based on their previous performance playing the video game Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft and will invite them to participate in the Tournament. Participation in the Tournament is by invitation only. The Players will be randomly seeded into brackets and given instructions by the Administrator regarding Tournament play mechanics and log in procedures. Bracket standings, the Tournament leaderboard, and Tournament information will be available at www.Xfinityhearthstone.com (the “Website”) throughout the Tournament Period.

  In the event that one (1) or more Player is not present for scheduled Tournament play as directed by the Sponsor for any reason, then after a waiting period of approximately fifteen (15) minutes, the Administrator may take action by altering the broadcast order of “matches” (as defined below) for that round based on the availability of the other Players but only if it is possible to do so without altering the existing organization of the seeded Players within the brackets. If the absent Player fails to respond to the Administrator’s contact attempts or to connect as directed for the rescheduled attempt to compete for the missed match, then the match will be considered a forfeit and the absent Player will be eliminated from the Tournament. If the match in question is the last one for that round, then after the approximate fifteen (15) minutes, the Player will be eliminated from the Tournament, and the Tournament will move into the next match in the bracket. The Administrator will pursue every means reasonably available to receive communication from a Player who has failed to appear for their scheduled match within the fifteen (15) minutes previously described. Sponsor and Administrator are not responsible for any Player’s inability or failure, for any reason, to participate in any round within the time frame determined by the Administrator. In the event of Tournament play disruption, whether by technical problem or any other means, reasonable effort should be made to recover the game already in progress and continue Tournament play. In the event that the game cannot be recovered or resolved, the Administrator reserves the right to declare a winner, restart the game, or disqualify a Player in their sole discretion. If any Player intentionally disrupts Tournament play, he or she will be automatically disqualified and thus be eliminated. All decisions of Sponsor and Administrator with regard to proper Tournament play are final and binding.

  Proper language, behavior, and etiquette are mandatory at all times. Failure to comply may result in removal from the Tournament. In no event is vulgarity, profanity or lewd or offensive language or behavior allowed. Sponsor, Administrator, Presenter, and all Players are to be respected at all times.

  Sponsor and Administrator reserve the right to adjust the Tournament schedule/format or to proceed with fewer Players, if applicable. If the Administrator believes that a Player has violated these Official Rules, engages in inappropriate, disruptive, or abusive conduct or behavior, or otherwise is not appropriate for the Tournament, then the Sponsor and Administrator, in their sole and unfettered discretion, may reject or disqualify any such Player at any time (whether before or after game play has commenced or any winners have been determined).

• Bracket Matches: Each bracket match will consist of the two (2) players in the bracket competing in a series of five games of Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft. Each player must follow the Administrator’s instructions to submit his or her “decklist”, as defined by the rules of Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft, including decks from three (3) unique classes to the Administrator two (2) days prior to each stage of the Tournament. A player must win one game with each of his or her three (3) decks to win the match. When a player wins a game, the deck used by the winning player cannot be used for the remainder of the match. The losing player may keep the same deck used or switch to a different deck of their choice from those remaining in their decklist. Players will be told what classes their opponent has available prior to each match, but they won’t know which class is picked until both players have made their selections. The results of each bracket match and the determination of the Tournament winner will be at the sole discretion of the Sponsor and Administrator, whose decisions are final.

• Selection of Winners: All bracket matches will be played in a best-of-five format; the first player in each bracket match to win three (3) games within the match is considered the winner of the match and will advance to the next round of the Tournament. The winner of each game will be determined according to the standard manufacturer’s rules governing Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft. At the end of the fourth round bracket match, the player who is declared the winner will be named the potential First Prize winner, pending eligibility verification. The Player who is defeated in the fourth round bracket match will be named the potential Second Prize winner, pending eligibility verification. The potential Third and Fourth Prize winners will be the two (2) Players who were defeated in the third round of bracket play.

  If a Player is found to be ineligible, if an email seeking a postal address is returned as undeliverable or is not responded to within 72 hours, or the prize is sent back as undeliverable, or if the selected winner cannot accept or receive the prize for any reason, the potential prize winner will forfeit the applicable prize. In the event of such forfeiture then an alternate winner will be selected based on the results of bracket play. If no clear alternate winner can be selected due to the organization of the brackets, then the prize in question may go unawarded. The decisions of the Sponsor and Administrator are final and binding for each game play, bracket match, winner selection and the overall Tournament.

• Prizes: There are four (4) prizes available in the Tournament:

  Prize Level	Prize Description
  First Place	$7,000 US
  Second Place	$2,000 US
  Third Place	$500 US
  Fourth Place	$500 US

  No substitutions are permitted, except in the sole discretion of the Sponsor. Prize is non-transferrable. Winners are responsible for all local, state and federal taxes on prize awarded, if any. Acceptance of prize constitutes permission (except where prohibited by law) to use each winner's name, prize won, hometown and likeness for promotional purposes or on a winner’s list without further compensation.

• Winner Notification. The potential winners will be notified via email and/or telephone within two (2) business days of the end of the Tournament. Potential winners will be required to verify their identities and complete additional prize claim and tax liability paperwork, if applicable, as directed by the Administrator before any prizes will be awarded.

• Leader Board/Streaming/Player Profiles/Licensed Rights: Tournament play will be streamed online at www.twitch.tv/ESL_hearthstone. All scores, standings, and tournament performance statistics will be recorded and placed on a leader board posted on the Website. Player profiles including name, photo, likeness, hometown, biography details, links to social media profiles and links to sponsor social media, if applicable, will be posted at http://xfinityhearthstone.com/players. Player profiles, with the exception of photos, will be solely comprised of player-submitted information, and are posted on the website as such. Alterations to a Player profile can only be requested by the Player themselves. Participants allow Sponsor and any organizations affiliated with Sponsor, the perpetual, fully-paid, irrevocable, exclusive license to reproduce, prepare derivate works of, distribute, display, exhibit, transmit, broadcast, digitize, otherwise use, and permit others to use and disseminate throughout the world all such profiles and play recordings, including your performance incorporated therein in any manner, form, or format now or hereinafter created and for any purpose, including, but not limited to, advertising or promotion of Sponsor, all without further consent from or payment to you or any other entity or individual (“License”). All posting of your Tournament Play performance will be in Sponsor’s sole discretion. Participation in the Tournament constitutes understanding of and agreement to Sponsor’s Terms of Service.

• Conditions: Participants agree to these Official Rules and the Rules of Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft and the decisions of the Sponsor, and on their behalf, and on behalf of their respective heirs, executors, administrators, legal representatives, successors and assigns (“Releasing Parties”), release, defend and hold harmless the Sponsor, Administrator, and Presenter, as well as their employees, officers, directors and agents (collectively, the “Released Parties”) from any and all actions, causes of action, suits, indirect or direct damages, consequential damages, incidental damages, punitive or exemplary damages, judgments, claims and demands whatsoever, against Released Parties in any way arising out of or resulting from participation in the Tournament or acceptance and use or misuse of any prize. Sponsor is not responsible in the event the Tournament, as contemplated herein, is terminated or is disrupted by any event beyond its control or if Sponsor terminates the Tournament due to any unfair acts of participants, as determined in its sole discretion. Sponsor is not responsible for error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operations or transmission, technical, network, telephone equipment, electronic, computer, hardware or software malfunctions of any kind, or inaccurate transmission of or failure to receive Tournament information on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any web site or any combination thereof or the failure of any third party to comply with the instructions and proper administration of this Tournament. Sponsor reserves the right to permanently disqualify from the Tournament any person it believes has intentionally violated these Official Rules or acts in a disruptive or unsportsmanlike manner and/or terminate the Tournament if it becomes technically corrupted (including if a computer virus or system malfunction inalterably impairs its ability to conduct the Tournament), or to select the winners from among all eligible bracket matches concluded prior to termination or matches that were not corrupted, as determined in its sole discretion. Any and all legal actions or claims arising in connection with the Tournament must be brought in a court of competent jurisdiction within the state of California and the terms, or any dispute, will be governed by the laws of the state of California without giving effect to any choice of law or conflict of law rules, which could cause the application of the laws of any jurisdiction other than the State of California. Any and all disputes, claims, and causes of action arising out of or in connection with the Tournament, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action. Sponsor's failure to enforce any term of these Official Rules shall not constitute a waiver of that provision. ANY CLAIMS, JUDGMENTS AND/OR AWARDS SHALL BE LIMITED TO ACTUAL OUT-OF-POCKET COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH ENTERING THE TOURNAMENT. BY PARTICIPATING, PARTICIPANTS HEREBY WAIVE ANY RIGHTS OR CLAIMS TO ATTORNEY’S FEES, INDIRECT, SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OF PARTICIPANT, WHETHER FORESEEABLE OR NOT AND WHETHER BASED ON NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE.

• WINNERS LIST. For the list of winners, mail a self-addressed stamped envelope to “Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft Invitational ATT: Winner’s List”, 1212 Chestnut Street, Burbank, CA 91506 (VT Residents may omit return postage). Requests must be received by May 15, 2015.