BLAST R6 Major Osaka: Play-in bracket revealed – eight teams fight for four spots

Ubisoft has revealed the play-in bracket for BLAST R6 Major Osaka, and the structure is now clear: eight teams compete over two days for four spots in the Swiss Stage.

The play-in phase runs from November 6 to 7, with both match days starting at 9:30 JST. The first round features four matches in BO1 format:

• Weibo Gaming vs. Dplus KIA
• Virtus.pro vs. KINGZERO eSports
• DarkZero Esports vs. TYLOO
• LOS vs. All Gamers

Winning your opening match advances you in the bracket, while losers are not yet eliminated – elimination and advancement matches are played in BO3 format, giving teams a chance to fight their way through.

DarkZero Esports are highlighted as heavy favourites on one side of the bracket and are expected to reach the Upper Bracket Final, where they will face either LOS or All Gamers. On the other side of the bracket, Virtus.pro are tipped as favourites against KINGZERO eSports, and the winner of that match will likely face the winner of the clash between Weibo Gaming and Dplus KIA.

For the teams, it is about more than just prestige: only the four best teams from the play-in phase advance to the Swiss Stage, which is the next step toward the finals. Teams eliminated in the play-in are done in the tournament.

The 9:30 JST start time makes it difficult for European and North American fans to follow the matches live, posing a logistical challenge for the organisers.