Identity V Call of the Abyss IV Rule

ICompetition Schedule

1. Event Period

Japan: March 5-7, 12-14
NA-EU: February 27-28
South Korea: February 25-28
Southeast Asia: March 6-7
HK & MO & TW: March 13-14

2. Calendar

IICompetition Format

After the Wintry Harbor stage has concluded, Identity V will contact the Top 8 non-invited clubs in order of ranking and inquire about their willingness to participate in the Top Speed Online Qualifiers. If any club declines the invitation or does not meet the entry requirements, the availability will be extended to the next club.

1. Japan

● In the Japan Qualifiers, the top 8 clubs will compete in a double-elimination stage. 14 matches will be held over 6 days, March 5-7 and 12-14.
● The top 8 clubs are randomly drawn to match against each other, as shown in the figure below:

2 BO3 matches will be held every day on March 5, 6, and 12. 3 BO3 matches will be held every day on March 7 and 13. BO3 + BO5 matches will be held on March 14.
The specific schedule for each match is as follows:

Region	Date	Week	Start Time （Local Time)	End Time （Local Time)	Stage	Matchup	Stage
Japan	3/5	Friday	18:00:00	20:00:00	Quarter Finals Match 1		Online Matches
	3/5	Friday	20:00:00	22:00:00	Quarter Finals Match 2
	3/6	Saturday	18:00:00	20:00:00	Quarter Finals Match 3
	3/6	Saturday	20:00:00	22:00:00	Quarter Finals Match 4
	3/7	Sunday	16:00:00	18:00:00	Losers Group Round 1 Match 1
	3/7	Sunday	18:00:00	20:00:00	Losers Group Round 1 Match 2
	3/7	Sunday	20:00:00	22:00:00	Winners Group Semi-finals Match 1
	3/12	Friday	18:00:00	20:00:00	Winners Group Semi-finals Match 2
	3/12	Friday	20:00:00	22:00:00	Losers Group Round 2 Match 1
	3/13	Saturday	16:00:00	18:00:00	Losers Group Round 2 Match 2
	3/13	Saturday	18:00:00	20:00:00	Winners Group Final
	3/13	Saturday	20:00:00	22:00:00	Losers Group Round 3
	3/14	Sunday	18:00:00	20:00:00	Losers Group Final
	3/14	Sunday	20:00:00	22:00:00	Final

The winner of the final will be eligible to participate in the COAIV Offline Global Finals in Japan.

2. NA-EU, Southeast Asia, HK & MO & TW, South Korea

● In the qualifiers in the above regions, the top 8 clubs will compete in a single-elimination stage.
NA-EU: February 27-28
South Korea: February 25-28
Southeast Asia: March 6-7
HK & MO & TW: March 13-14
*The South Korean competition schedule released by the Korean operation team shall prevail.

● The top 8 clubs are randomly drawn to match against each other, as shown in the figure below:

A total of 7 BO3 matches will be held and live-streamed in each region over 2 days.
A total of 4 quarter-finals matches will be live-streamed on the first day.
A total of 3 semi-finals and finals matches will be live-streamed on the second day.
The specific schedule is as follows:

Region	Date	Week	Start Time （Local Time)	End Time （Local Time)	Stage	Matchup	Stage
NA-EU	2/27	Saturday	14:00:00	16:00:00	Quarter Finals Match 1		Online Matches
	2/27	Saturday	16:00:00	18:00:00	Quarter Finals Match 2
	2/27	Saturday	18:00:00	20:00:00	Quarter Finals Match 3
	2/27	Saturday	20:00:00	22:00:00	Quarter Finals Match 4
	2/28	Sunday	14:00:00	16:00:00	Semi-finals Match 1
	2/28	Sunday	16:00:00	18:00:00	Semi-finals Match 2
	2/28	Sunday	18:00:00	20:00:00	Final

Region	Date	Week	Start Time （Local Time)	End Time （Local Time)	Stage	Matchup	Stage
South East Asia	3/6	Saturday	14:00:00	16:00:00	Quarter Finals Match 1		Online Matches
	3/6	Saturday	16:00:00	18:00:00	Quarter Finals Match 2
	3/6	Saturday	18:00:00	20:00:00	Quarter Finals Match 3
	3/6	Saturday	20:00:00	22:00:00	Quarter Finals Match 4
	3/7	Sunday	14:00:00	16:00:00	Semi-finals Match 1
	3/7	Sunday	16:00:00	18:00:00	Semi-finals Match 2
	3/7	Sunday	18:00:00	20:00:00	Final

Region	Date	Week	Start Time （Local Time)	End Time （Local Time)	Stage	Matchup	Stage
HK & MO & TW	3/13	Saturday	14:00:00	16:00:00	Quarter Finals Match 1		Online Matches
	3/13	Saturday	16:00:00	18:00:00	Quarter Finals Match 2
	3/13	Saturday	18:00:00	20:00:00	Quarter Finals Match 3
	3/13	Saturday	20:00:00	22:00:00	Quarter Finals Match 4
	3/14	Sunday	14:00:00	16:00:00	Semi-finals Match 1
	3/14	Sunday	16:00:00	18:00:00	Semi-finals Match 2
	3/14	Sunday	18:00:00	20:00:00	Final

*The South Korean competition schedule released by the Korean operation team shall prevail.

IIIGame Rules

3.1 Competition Version and Client

The Group Stage and the Double-elimination Stage will be held on the Match Server provided by the Competition Organizing Committee.
The Competition Organizing Committee has the right to ban specific characters in any stage of the competition.

3.2 Tournament Mode

The Competition will be conducted in accordance with the Legendary Rules in Custom Mode, i.e. the characters cannot be repeated in the same match.

3.3 Format

Each round (i.e. 1 BO) is divided into the First Half and the Second Half. In the First Half, 4 Survivors from club A will play against a Hunter from club B. In the Second Half, 4 Survivors from club B will play against a Hunter from club A.

3.4 Map Selection

Available Maps: Arms Factory, Red Church, Sacred Heart Hospital, Lakeside Village, Moon River Park, Leo's Memory, and Eversleeping Town.
Selection Rules: Within the same match, clubs are not allowed to select a Map that has already been selected.

BO3 Selection Rules:

①Before each match begins, the club Captain from both sides will draw lots.
②For the first round, the winner of lots drawing will select the Map and the loser will select the order of the line-ups.
③For the second round, the loser of lots drawing will select the Map and the winner will select the order of the line-ups.
④For the third round, the winner of lots drawing may select from BP modes a. or b.
⑤ If there is an additional round, the loser of lots drawing may select from BP modes a. or b.
a. The other side may ban one of the Maps which they can select from; they then select the Map for this round and the other side selects the order of the line-ups.
b. They may ban one of the Maps which the other side can select from; the other side then selects the Map for this round and they select the order of the line-ups.

BO5 Selection Rules:

Rounds 1 and 3 will adopt the rule 2 of the BO3 Selection Rules.
Rounds 2 and 4 will adopt the rule 3 of the BO3 Selection Rules.
Round 5 will adopt the rule 4 of the BO3 Selection Rules.
Any additional round will adopt the rule 5 of the BO3 Selection Rules.

3.5 BP Rules

3.5.1 Character Ban Rules

BO3 Matches
Round 1: The Survivors will not ban any Hunter characters. The Hunters will ban 1 Survivor character.
Round 2: The Survivors will ban 1 Hunter character. The Hunters will ban 2 Survivor characters.
Round 3: The Survivors will ban 2 Hunter characters. The Hunters will ban 3 Survivor characters.

BO5 Matches
Round 1: The Survivors will not ban any Hunter characters. The Hunters will ban 1 Survivor character.
Round 2: The Survivors will ban 1 Hunter character. The Hunters will ban 2 Survivor characters.
Round 3: The Survivors will ban 2 Hunter characters. The Hunters will ban 3 Survivor characters.
Round 4: The Survivors will ban 3 Hunter characters. The Hunters will ban 4 Survivor characters.
Round 5: The Survivors will ban 3 Hunter characters. The Hunters will ban 4 Survivor characters.

The first half and second half of each round requires players to re-ban characters.
The BP rules for any additional round in a BO3 match will adopt the same rules as Round 3. The BP rules for any additional round in a BO5 match will adopt the same rules as Round 5.

3.5.2 Character BP Sequence

The BP Sequence of each round is fixed as follows: The Survivors to ban Hunter characters -> the Hunters to ban Survivor characters -> the Survivors select all of their characters -> the Hunters select their characters.

3.5.3 Character Limitations

The Competition Organizing Committee will decide whether there is a need to ban certain characters based on version progress. No clubs will be allowed to use the characters which the Competition Organizing Committee has banned.

3.6 Point Rules for Each Round

For each half-round, clubs will obtain points according to the following rules:
At the end of the game, if the number of escaped Survivors is 0, then Survivors will obtain 0 points and the Hunter will obtain 5 points.
At the end of the game, if the number of escaped Survivors is 1, then Survivors will obtain 1 point and the Hunter will obtain 3 points.
At the end of the game, if the number of escaped Survivors is 2, then Survivors will obtain 2 points and the Hunter will obtain 2 points.
At the end of the game, if the number of escaped Survivors is 3, then Survivors will obtain 3 points and the Hunter will obtain 1 point.
At the end of the game, if the number of escaped Survivors is 4, then Survivors will obtain 5 points and the Hunter will obtain 0 points.
The condition for determining the outcome of each round is the sum of points from the first half and second half. The club with the higher points (including both the first half and second half) will be the winner and vice versa.

3.7 Correlation of Rounds and Wins

In a BO3 match, if a club wins the first 2 rounds straight, then this club will win the match without having to play the third round. If a club ends up with 1 win and 1 draw, 1 win and 1 defeat, or 2 draws in the first 2 rounds, then it will have to play the third round.

In a BO5 match, if a club wins the first 3 rounds straight, or it ends up with 3 wins and 1 draw or 2 wins and 2 draws in the first 4 rounds, then this club will win the match. Otherwise, it will have to play the remaining rounds.

3.8 Rules for Determining the Winner in a Complete BO3 or BO5 Draw Match

When there is a draw in a match, the winner will be determined with the following rules in turn:
1) The club with the higher total points in the match (sum of the points in each round) will be the winner.
2) If the clubs have the same number of points, an overtime BO1 round will be conducted. The additional round will determine the winner according to the points of both sides.
3) If both clubs still have the same points in the additional round, the first deciding factor is to look at both clubs' escapes during their rounds as Survivors: If at least one of the Survivors escaped, the Survivor's match duration is used as the basis for deciding the winning club. The club with the fastest time wins. If neither club escaped as a Survivor, the Hunter's match duration is used as the basis for deciding the winning club. The club with the fastest time wins. If neither club escaped as a Survivor, the Hunter's match duration is used as the basis for deciding the winning club. The club with the fastest time wins. The BP rules for any additional round in the BO3 and BO5 Matches are the same as the previous round, i.e. the BP rules for any additional round in a BO3 match will adopt the same rules as Round 3; the BP rules for any additional round in a BO5 match will adopt the same rules as Round 5.

3.9 Replacements

During the tournament, clubs can replace their rosters for the next competition day before 22:00 on the previous day. If no replacement request has been made in time, it shall be deemed that there are no changes to the roster. Where it is necessary to request changes to the roster after the specified time due to an emergency situation, the club must notify the Competition Organizing Committee promptly and submit sufficient supporting evidence. The Committee will review the evidence to determine whether the situation qualifies as an emergency situation and has the right to verify the veracity of the evidence provided by the club. If the application is submitted too late, the Committee will be unable to make proper arrangements for new players to participate in the tournament. The ultimate decision will be made based on the supporting evidence provided and the actual situation.

3.10 Competition Account

Players have to use their own accounts to compete. Using another player's account to compete is strictly prohibited. To ensure the smooth operation of the competition, the Competition organizer has the right to request players to switch to an account provided by the organizer to compete as appropriate.

3.11 Competition Devices

Players must use their own devices during online competitions. These can be mobile phones, iPad, Android tablet, or other devices, but computers or emulators are strictly prohibited.

During the online competitions, players may communicate with each other verbally using the in-game audio chat or other communication software. To ensure the smooth operation of the competition, the referee has the right to request players to communicate with specific software.

IVParticipation Requirements

4.1 Club Members

Each club consists of 5 main players and up to 2 substitute players. Each club must have at least 5 players, including 4 main players and 1 substitute player. Clubs with less than 5 players will be disqualified.

Players are prohibited from registering with two clubs at the same time or they will be disqualified.

During the Elimination Stage, no player change is allowed. Throughout the tournament, player changes are only allowed before the Top 8 Qualifiers and each club may only make 1 player change (adding or replacing a player is regarded as 1 change). Before any player changes, an application must be submitted to the Competition Organizing Committee before the stipulated date. The application must be approved before the player change is made (and such new member cannot be on the roster of another club).

Information provided and changes made by the Captain shall prevail. All clubs must provide their starting line-up to the referee 1 day before each match.

In every BO3 match, each club has one opportunity to put a substitute player in play. In every BO5 match, each club has two opportunities to put a substitute player in play.

For each match, players who are already in play cannot swap their positions (i.e. a player cannot play as both a Hunter and a Survivor in the same match). Note: If a player usually competes as a Survivor, they can compete as a Hunter on a certain day. However, this player can then only compete as a Hunter on the same day.

4.2 Age and Nationality

For the Japan region, players aged 20 or above by the first competition day may register to compete at will. Players under the age of 20 but over the age of 16 may register with a signed and sealed Guardian Consent Letter. Players under the age of 16 cannot participate.
For the NA-EU, Southeast Asia, and HK & MO & TW regions, players aged 18 or above by the first competition day may register to compete at will. Players under the age of 18 but over the age of 16 may register with a signed and sealed Guardian Consent Letter. Players under the age of 16 cannot participate.
*For the South Korean region, rules released by the Korean operation team shall prevail.

If there is 1 player under the age of 16 in the club, the player must be replaced before the competition starts. If there are 2 or more players under the age of 16 in the club, the club will be disqualified and the availability will be extended to the next club.

At least half of the members in a club participating in the Japan COAIV Qualifiers must be nationals or permanent residents of Japan. At least half of the members in a club participating in the Southeast Asia COAIV Qualifiers must be nationals or permanent residents of countries in the Southeast Asian region. At least half of the members in a club participating in the NA-EU COAIV Qualifiers must be nationals or permanent residents of countries in the NA-EU region. At least half of the members in a club participating in the South Korea COAIV Qualifiers must be nationals or permanent residents of South Korea. At least half of the members in a club participating in the HK & MO & TW COAIV Qualifiers must have an identity card or a permanent residence permit of the HK & MO & TW region.
*For the South Korean region, rules released by the Korean operation team shall prevail.

4.3 Club ID

All clubs must have a name that complies with the competition regulations. Each club's name must be unique. The Competition Organizing Committee has the right to request clubs whose names are too similar to change their names. All club names must be within 16 characters and composed of English alphabets. Club names must not contain words of violence, abuse, pornography, or words that go against the competition rules. Club ID must not contain any sponsor information.

Players' nickname must be consistent with their club name. All player nicknames must adopt the format "Club Name + Personal Nickname." If the club name is too long, it can be shortened in the nickname. Players' nickname must not exceed 16 characters, and it must not contain words of violence, abuse, pornography, or words that go against the competition rules. (For Preliminary Stage, club names must be within 4-6 characters.)

4.4 Pauses and Rematch

During the online competitions, players are responsible for their own network connection and equipment. For each match, each club has 1 chance to pause for a maximum of 3 minutes. When the time is up, the referee has the right to resume the match. If further network connection and equipment issues occur after the clubs have used their pauses, the referee has the right to order the match to continue.

During the match, if any following condition occurs, the referee and the Competition Organizing Committee will determine whether there will be a rematch: ① During the first 60 seconds of the match, one of the players is disconnected and can't reconnect; ② After the first 60 seconds of the match, the Hunter player is disconnected and can't reconnect, and the Hunter is in a dominant position; ③ After the first 60 seconds of the match, a Survivor player is disconnected and can't reconnect, and the Survivor is in a dominant position; ④ The competition server is behaving abnormally or the game client has a bug, and there is an irreversible effect on the competition due to the situations above. Whether a player is in a dominant position will be subject to the Competition Organizing Committee's on-site judgment.

In the event of a rematch during the competition, all Characters, Maps, Abilities, Persona, and Talents must be selected exactly as they were before. The referee has the right to request players to adjust their selections should there be any discrepancies. Warning penalties will be given for malicious modification of Character Abilities and Talent Points.

4.5 Tournament Objections

In the event of a dispute during the matches, the club Captain and players must defer to the referee. If a participant disagrees with the referee's decision, they should appeal to the Competition Organizing Committee in accordance with the appeal procedure.

Players may appeal within three minutes after the end of each game to the referee on duty. The referee and the Competition Organizing Committee have the right to reject any appeal beyond the time limit.

4.6 Violations and Penalties

It is forbidden to use any third-party software to modify in-game contents, such as game interfaces, sound effects, character abilities, etc. If any player violates this rule, the club will be disqualified from the tournament and any prizes will be void. Individuals will also be banned from participating.

It is forbidden to use items and characters obtained from non-Identity V games during the competition, or items and characters that are not officially released. If any player violates this rule, the club will be disqualified from the tournament and any prizes will be void. Individuals will also be banned from participating.

4.7 Match-fixing

Participants (or clubs) should adhere to the spirit of sportsmanship during the tournament. Negative behavior and match-fixing are strictly prohibited. If discovered, participants (or clubs) will be disqualified with immediate effect, permanently banned from tournaments, and all prize money and reimbursements due to the club will be canceled. Match-fixing behaviors include but are not limited to the following:
a) Substitution: Throughout the competition, players are prohibited from asking someone else to compete on their behalf (including but not limited to giving their personal account or equipment to someone else to use in the competition), or competing on someone else's behalf. Once the above is violated, the player will be disqualified and the Competition Organizing Committee has the right to cancel their club's prize money and other rewards.
b) Collusion: Two or more players enter into an agreement to play negatively in order to give the opponent some advantage or benefit. Prior arrangement of split prize money and/or any other form of remuneration. Sending or receiving code words or other content to or from an accomplice. Intentionally losing a match for prize money or any other reason, or instigating another player to play negatively in a match.
c) Match-fixing: No club member may initiate, agree to, or plan a fix of a match. Match-fixing will be strictly penalized under any circumstances. Depending on the severity of the situation, players may be banned from the competition.

4.8 Forfeiture

In principle, the Identity V competition rules prohibit clubs from forfeiting. However, if the club insists on forfeiting, the Competition Organizing Committee will assume that the club has waived its rights to participate in Identity V competitions, and the club will no longer be allowed to participate in future Identity V-related competitions. Matches involving the club will be handled on a bye basis, and the Competition Organizing Committee reserves the right to penalize the forfeiting club.

4.9 Health Concerns

In the event that a player cannot compete normally due to personal reasons (e.g. physical condition), the Competition Organizing Committee will evaluate the situation and make arrangements accordingly.

4.10 Personal Behaviors of Players

Players must cooperate with the referee and the Competition Organizing Committee during the tournament in order for the event to run smoothly. If a player deliberately delays or even interferes with the live streaming for personal reasons (e.g. refusing to start the game, not using the official equipment, quitting the game for no reason, etc.), the referee has the right to warn the player and the team, or even determine that they have lost the round. For serious cases, the player (team) will be disqualified and their rewards canceled.

Taunting, including but not limited to provoking or abusing opponents, is prohibited during online competitions. If a player commits more than one of the above acts, they will be given a serious warning. If they commit two or more acts, the referee has the right to determine that they have lost the round. For serious cases, the player (team) will be disqualified.

During the tournament, players should pay attention to their personal behaviors on the Internet, and should not abuse or defame other players or staff on the social media or online platform, nor should they engage in the above-mentioned violations on their own live streams. Players engaging in any of the above violations will receive a severe warning or even be disqualified.

Cheating is prohibited. No player, club, or organization should make any changes to the Identity V game client. The use of any kind of cheating device/program or any similar cheating method is considered cheating.

Bugs exploitation. Deliberately using bugs in the game to gain an advantage. Bugs exploitation includes the use of any functions which are not intended for the game's normal operation and actions that violate the game's design, as determined by the Competition Organizing Committee.

Prohibited drugs. Players and coaches must not take any prohibited drugs, including but not limited to drugs used for euphoria, sedation, or depression. It is the duty of any person to report any individual or club violations to the Competition Organizing Committee.

Negative statements and acts. Club members must not engage or participate in any suspected public disputes, acts that are offensive to the public or public organizations, or other acts adverse to the reputation of NetEase, "Identity V," and their partners as determined by NetEase and "Identity V." Once the above rules have been violated, players shall delete the relevant contents, or publicly clarify and/or publicly apologize in a manner approved by Party A within 2 hours (or less, as determined by Party A according to the actual situation) upon the discovery of the violation or the player's receipt of such notice (including email, telephone, SMS, Discord, and other communication methods) from the Competition Organizing Committee. Players who refuse to apologize will be disqualified from all Identity V tournaments, and their prize money will be confiscated. Serious cases will be referred to the relevant law enforcement agencies.

Confidentiality. Clubs are not allowed to post any information related to the Identity V COAⅣ until they have been permitted by the Competition Organizing Committee. Club members have a duty to keep all information provided by the Competition Organizing Committee confidential.

Player Behavior Investigation. If a club member is contacted by the Competition Organizing Committee for an investigation, then that member has a duty to tell the truth. If a club member obstructs the investigation by withholding information or misleading the Competition Organizing Committee, the club member will be penalized.

No players or clubs may reject the decisions made by the Competition Organizing Committee.

The Competition Organizing Committee will enforce the rules of this tournament in accordance with these Tournament Rules. The Competition Organizing Committee shall have the right of final adjudication in situations not covered by these Tournament Rules, or where it would be unfair to make a decision in accordance with these Tournament Rules.

4.11 Player's Livestream

To ensure fairness in the competition, no live streaming by players is allowed during the competition.

4.12 Live Stream Copyrights

NetEase's Identity V project owns the right to use all live content, photos, videos, replays, and other resources generated by the players' participation in the COAIV. All players must accept the above rules before they can compete in the event.

4.13 Tournament Ownership

The Competition Organizing Committee reserves the right to update these terms and conditions as the competition progresses. NetEase has the right of final interpretation in the COAIV.

ISchedule and Definition of Terms

1.Definition of Terms

1.1.Game

"Game" refers to the Diary Deduction on a map in the Identity V mobile game, concluding when either of the following results is reached: 1) the Hunter wins, 2) the Survivors win, 3) a draw.

1.2.Match

A "match" refers to the process where players compete in a series of games: One game consists of two halves, and one match consists of several games, depending on it's a best of three match or a best of five match. For the Global Finals, the champion and the second place will be determined through a best of five match, while the other matches will be best of three matches.

1.3.Best of Three Match

A best of three match means the club that achieves better results over three games wins. Once a club achieves a conclusive victory, there is no need to play the remaining games.

1.4.Best of Five Match

A best of five match means the club that achieves better results over five games wins. Once a club achieves a conclusive victory, there is no need to play the remaining games.

2.Competition Schedule

2.1.Date:

May 1-4, 2021 (one week in total, 4 competition days)

2.2.Schedule

3.Prize

Total Prize Pool: 3,000,000 RMB

Ranking	Prizes (RMB)
Champion	￥1,320,000
Second Place	￥390,000
Third Place	￥270,000
Fourth Place	￥180,000
Fifth to Eighth Place	￥90,000
Ninth to Sixteenth Place	￥60,000

IIParticipation Requirements

4.Players

4.1.Age Requirements

Players aged 18 and above are free to participate at will. Players below the age of 18 will require a letter of consent from their guardians to participate.

4.2.Player Names

Player names must not contain elements pertaining to vulgarity, pornography, terrorism, violence, gambling, or other content that violates the laws, regulations, policies, public order, and morality of the People's Republic of China and/or content related to in-game elements of Identity V.

Players can choose a name consisting of 4-12 characters. The overall format will be "club name + personal name." The characters used must be English letters or numbers from 0 to 9. No other characters are allowed.

Example: ABC_reference

5.Clubs

5.1.Club Qualifications

A total of 16 clubs will participate in the Global Finals.

8 clubs from Mainland China, 1 club from HK & MO & TW, 3 clubs from Japan, 1 club from South Korea, 2 Clubs from Southeast Asia, and 1 Club from NA-EU.

5.2.Club Names

Club names must not contain elements pertaining to vulgarity, pornography, terrorism, violence, gambling, or other content that violates the laws, regulations, policies, public order, and morality of the People's Republic of China and/or content related to in-game elements of Identity V.

Clubs can choose a name consisting of 2-6 characters. The characters used must be English letters or numbers from 0 to 9. No other characters are allowed.

IIILineup

6.Participants

During the tournament, each club is required to have at least five players and up to seven players.

7.Roster

7.1.Personnel

The roster must consist of five starters and up to two substitutes. Starting lineup must consist of four Survivor players and one Hunter player. All members on the roster must indicate their factions. A player cannot switch factions between Hunter and Survivor within a single day's matches.

7.2.Roster Submission

Before the match begins, each club must submit its roster to the Competition Organizing Committee via official channels within the designated time (before 22:00 on the day before the match), with at least five starters and up to two substitutes on it. If more than one rosters are submitted, the roster sent closest to the deadline shall prevail. Rosters submitted after the deadline will be regarded as invalid. If no roster is submitted within the specified time, the Organizer will register the club's starting roster from the previous game.

8.Substitutions

Any change, submission, or substitution shall be subject to the roster submitted by the club captain.

8.1.Roster Replacement

During the tournament, clubs can replace their rosters for the next day's matches within the time specified in 7.2 hereof via official channels provided by the Competition Organizing Committee. If no replacement request has been made within the time limit, it shall be deemed that there are no changes to the roster.

8.2.Emergency Replacements

Where it is necessary to request changes to the roster after the specified time due to an emergency, the club must notify the Organizer promptly and submit sufficient supporting evidence. The Organizer will review the evidence to determine whether the situation qualifies as an emergency and has the right to verify the veracity of the evidence provided by the club. If the application is submitted too late, the Organizer will be unable to make proper arrangements for new players to participate in the tournament. The Competition Organizing Committee's ultimate decision will be made based on the supporting evidence provided and the actual situation.

8.3.Substitution During a Match

Clubs can substitute their players after the end of a game but must notify the referee within 3 minutes after the previous game ends and obtain permission. 2 chances for Hunter player substitution and 2 chances for Survivor player substitution are allowed in a single match.

The referee shall be properly informed of the substitution before the ban/pick stage.

IVCompetition Format

9.Global Finals

9.1.Time

May 1-4, 2021 (one week in total, 4 competition days)

9.2.Format

Single elimination. BO5 in the final, BO3 in all other matches.

10.Banning Rules

10.1.Map and Faction Selection Rules

1) The map for the first half and second half of a game must be the same.

2) Tournament Maps: Arms Factory, Red Church, Sacred Heart Hospital, Lakeside Village, Moon River Park, Leo's Memory, and Eversleeping Town.

3) Selection Sequence:
Before the start of each match, map selection and faction selection rights will be allocated.
The club with map selection right will select the map for the first game, and the other club will select the faction order.
The selection order will switch for each of the following games.

Note: From the third game onward, the club with map selection right must select either banning mode a. or b.:
a. The other club may ban one of the maps available for selection. Your club can then select the map for this game, and the other club selects the faction order.
b. Your club bans one of the maps available for selection. The other club can then select the map for this game, and your club selects the faction order.

4) Map Selection Rules:
When a club doesn't have any maps available to select, map selection right will be conferred to the other club.
Clubs are not allowed to select a map that has already been selected during the same match.
Banned maps cannot be selected nor banned again during the same match.

10.2.Character Bans

1) Ban Sequence:
The ban/pick sequence for each round is fixed—"Ban," then "Pick"; Survivor, then Hunter.
a) Survivors ban Hunter faction characters.
b) Hunter bans Survivor faction characters.
c) Survivors select characters.
d) Hunter selects character.

2) Number of Bans:

BO3/BO5
	Survivor Bans	Hunter Bans
Hunter Bans	0	1
Game 2	1	2
Game 3	2	3
Game 4	3	4
Game 5	3	4

Note:
The first and second half of each game requires players to re-ban characters.
The number of bans in a BO3 tiebreaker is the same as the number of bans in the third game, and the number of bans in a BO5 tiebreaker is the same as the number of bans in the fifth game.

3) Competition Bans:
The Organizer will announce pre-banned characters from time to time. Pre-banned characters will not be included in the list of banned characters.

11.Points Rules

In each game, clubs will obtain points according to the following rules:

Points Rules		Points
		Survivors	Hunter
Escapees	0	0	5
	1	1	3
	2	2	2
	3	3	1
	4	5	0

The condition for determining the outcome of each game is the sum of points from the first and second half. The club with the higher points will be the winner and vice versa. Clubs will be awarded a draw if their points are the same.

12.Victory & Defeat Rules

1) In BO3 matches, a match ends if a club wins the first 2 games, otherwise the match will continue.

2) In BO5 matches, a match ends if a club wins the first 3 games, or wins 3 games and draws 1 game/wins 2 games and draws 2 games in the first 4 games, otherwise the match will continue.

Note: In the final, if the champion has been decided after the first half of a game, the match will end immediately. For example, if a club wins 2 games and draws 1 in the first 3 games, and then scores 5 points in the first half of the fourth game, the outcome of the match will be decided and clubs don't need to play the second half of the fourth game.

12.1.Tiebreaker Rules

1) In the case of a tie (such as 1 Win, 1 Tie, 1 Loss), priority will be given to the club with the higher cumulative total points.

2) If the total points remain the same, an extra game will be played. The winner will be determined according to the points of both sides.

3) If the points of the clubs are still the same in the tiebreaker, the number of escapees of both clubs during the halves when they play as Survivors will be compared: 1) If one or more Survivors escaped, the match duration of both clubs will be used as the basis for deciding the winning club. The club with the fastest time wins. 2) If neither club escaped while playing as Survivors, the match duration when they played as Hunters will be used as the basis for deciding the winning club. The club with the fastest time wins.

Note: Screenshots of Hunter's records will be used as the basis of tiebreaker metrics.

VCompetition Rules

13.Game Version and Server

13.1.Account

The Organizer will provide players with accounts for the match server. Players need to set up their accounts according to their reported personal information and in-game preferences. Account names must be approved by the Organizer before they can be used in the official matches.

13.2.Match Server

All matches will take place on a special tournament server, and the version of the game used in the tournament will be specified by the Organizer.

13.3.Server Selection

During the tournament, the server node will be selected according to the region of the competing participants.

The following is the arrangements of the competing nodes for each region, which may be adjusted by the Organizer according to the actual situation:

14.Competition Devices

14.1.Provided Devices

Players shall use the devices provided by the Organizer throughout the tournament. Devices include:
(1) Mobile phones and cables;
(2) Headsets, earphones, or microphones;
(3) Desks and chairs.

14.2.Replacing Devices

Should a technical issue or any other issue arise, which may affect a player's ability to participate and compete in the tournament, the player or the Organizer has the right to request a technical inspection of such issue. The Organizer's technical personnel will check and judge any faults, and relay their inspection results and suggestions to the Organizer. The Organizer will assess any issues with the devices and has the right to make the final decision on whether to replace them. Devices for replacement will be provided by the Organizer.

14.3.Voice Chat　

Players can only chat through headsets provided by the Organizer and can only use the internal system to engage in voice chat. Unless the Organizer decides to change voice chat methods due to special circumstances, players are not allowed to use any third-party voice chat software. The Organizer may exercise the right to monitor club voice chat in all matches.

14.4.Audio Controls

The controls will clearly display the current volume setting of the player's headset. The Organizer requires players to keep the volume higher than the official minimum setting.

Players must wear headsets over their ears directly and keep them in the same position throughout the match. Players are in no way allowed to place anything between their headsets and their ears.

14.5.Special Circumstances

If a player is unable to participate in the competition in person due to COVID-19 prevention and control policies issued by governments, they can participate in the competition remotely, with the consent of the Organizer. During the competition, players must use their own touch-screen devices (computers/laptops or emulators are strictly prohibited) and are responsible for maintaining their own Internet connection during the competition.

To ensure the smooth operation of the competition, players must use the software designated by the Organizer for communication. Communication must be carried out under the supervision of the referee.

15.Competition Apparel

Players shall strictly abide by the officially notified dress code. On official occasions (including interviews before, during, and after the matches), players shall wear official uniforms approved by the Organizer in advance. If a player wears an outer garment or any clothing that does not conform to the official dress code during the tournament, the Organizer has the right to investigate the matter and administer any relevant punishments. The official has the final say on all club clothing.

16.Competition Procedure

16.1.Pre-competition Matters

16.1.1.Arriving at the Venue/Logging In

Club members on the roster must arrive at the venue within the officially stipulated timeframe, and clubs are obliged to cooperate with the Organizer on promotion events.

Players who participate in the tournament remotely must log in to the game within the officially stipulated timeframe.

16.1.2.Pre-competition Test

Players must complete the test 5 minutes before the start of the match and inform the referee when they are ready to compete. If the player's testing time exceeds the specified time allowance, the referee has the right to demand the player to conclude the test immediately and prepare to enter the game. Preparations include but are not limited to the following:
1)Confirming the quality of devices provided by the Organizer;
2)Connecting devices and testing;
3)Confirming that the voice chat system functions properly;
4)Configuring Talents and Traits;
5)Adjusting in-game settings;
6)Performing in-game warm-ups.

Players who participate in the tournament remotely are required to complete the test 5 minutes before the start of the match. The test includes but is not limited to device tests, network tests, communication device tests, and in-game warm-ups.

16.1.3.Technical Support　

The Organizer will assist with the testing process and resolve problems encountered during pre-competition testing.

16.1.4.Ready Status　

Once all of the players have confirmed with the Organizer that they are ready to compete, they will enter the ready state. Players will need to return to the main interface of the game and await the official invitation to join the game. At this point, players are forbidden from setting up their devices or undertaking any other actions that hinder the progress of the competition.

16.1.5.Game Start Time　

Once players are ready, the match will start according to the scheduled time. If any problem arises during the preparation period, the match may be delayed. Whether the circumstances of the situation are acceptable and whether the start time is delayed shall be decided by the Organizer. When deeming a delay to be unacceptable, the Organizer holds the right to punish the player who caused the delay.

16.1.6.Game Room Creation　

The Organizer will create a formal game room. After the test, players must follow the official guidelines and enter the game room immediately.

16.2.Game Proceedings

16.2.1.Ban/Pick Process　

Once all players enter the officially designated game room, the Organizer will confirm that both clubs are ready to enter the ban/pick phase. Once it has been confirmed that both clubs are ready, the Organizer will instruct the room owner to start the game.

16.2.2.Recording Bans/Picks　　

The ban/pick process will be completed through the Custom Mode function on the match server. If picks/bans are completed under the Organizer's guidance before the preparation stage, the Organizer will record the bans and picks, and players must compete according to the confirmed results of the picks/bans.

16.2.3.Incorrect Picks　

If a character pick error occurs, or a player uses the wrong character, the club with the wrong character must inform the Organizer before the opposing club locks in its next pick, and make sure the communication has been completed before the next effective lock is carried out. After official confirmation, this phase will restart to the time before the error occurred. If the next pick has been determined before the club with the erroneous pick informs the Organizer, the erroneous pick cannot be revoked and corrected. After reporting the error, the club must inform the referee of their correct pick within 3 seconds, otherwise the pick will not be revoked and corrected. The whole process must be completed under the instruction of the official staff, and the Organizer has the right to decide whether the ban/pick stage should be restarted or not.

16.2.4.Starting the Game After Ban/Pick

After the ban/pick process is completed, the game will start immediately, unless the Organizer states otherwise. After the ban/pick phase is completed and before the deduction phase begins, players will not be allowed to quit the game.

16.2.5.Controlled Start

If the game starts in an erroneous state, or the Organizer decides to separate the ban/pick phase from the game phase, the game can be started in Custom Mode, and all players must select characters according to the effective bans/picks prior to this.

16.2.6.Client Functionality Delay

If a game bug, disconnection, or any other fault interrupts the loading process, so that players cannot join the game after the game starts, the game must be suspended immediately until all the players are connected to the game.

16.2.7.Banned Game Settings

"Escape" and "Just Deserts" are not allowed to be actively used in the course of a match.

16.3.Post-game Proceedings

16.3.1.Results　

The Organizer must confirm and record the results of the game.

16.3.2.Technical Records　

Any technical issues will be confirmed with the Organizer.

16.3.3.Forfeits　

In each game won by forfeits, the winner will win the game according to the widest margin (BO1), (for example, Hunters will be deemed to have eliminated 4 players, and Survivors will be deemed to have had 4 escapees) and match points will be calculated accordingly. No other data will be recorded for forfeited games.

16.4.Post-match Proceedings

16.4.1.Results　

The Organizer shall confirm and record the results of the match and confirm the results with the players. Players need to submit written confirmation through official communication channels.

16.4.2.Next Match　

Players will be informed of their current ranking and the scheduled time of the next match.

16.4.3.Post-match Obligations　

Players will be informed of all post-competition obligations, including but not limited to participating in media events, interviews, and any in-depth discussions on competition-related matters.

16.4.4.Controversial Match Results

In the event that a dispute arises during the current match, the club captain and players must defer to the referee. If a participant disagrees with the referee's decision, they can appeal to the Competition Organizing Committee in accordance with appeal procedures. Players may appeal within 3 minutes after each game to the referee on duty. The referee and the Competition Organizing Committee have the right to reject any appeal made outside of the time limit.

The Organizer will conduct a fair, impartial, and transparent investigation. During the course of an official investigation, clubs and their players are forbidden from making public comments on the incident under investigation, and the club and its players are not allowed to publicly question other clubs or players, otherwise they may be punished.

Once the official results of an investigation are announced, the club and its players shall not have any objection to the results, and shall not publicly question any official decision.

17.Pausing Rules

17.1.Pausing the Game

If a player needs to pause the game during the match, they can raise their hand or signal for the referee to pause the game via their communication device. If a player intentionally disconnects without notifying the Organizer or while the game is not paused, the organizer is not obligated to forcibly suspend the game. During pause breaks or suspensions, players are not allowed to leave the competition area unless they have been approved by the Organizer.

17.2.Forced Pausing　

The Organizer can pause the game at any time, or request players to pause the game at its sole discretion.

17.3.Player Pauses

Players can pause the game in emergencies and must explain the reasons for doing so to the Organizer after the pause. Acceptable reasons include but are not limited to:
(1) Network failure;
(2) Hardware or software problems;
(3) Player health issues.

The Organizer will evaluate the pause to see if the player can continue the game within a period of time. If the Organizer does not approve the reasons put forward by the player, the Organizer has the right to punish the player and their club.

17.4.Unpausing

Once all players have been told that they can continue the game and are ready to continue the game, spectators on the match server can unpause the game.

18.Rematch Rules

18.1.Rematch Regulations

During the match, if an unexpected situation affects the fairness of the competition, or the game is unable to continue, the Organizer has the right to rule that the match should be restarted. The Organizer will make a decision according to the actual situation, and all clubs must obey it.

18.2.Limits After Restarting

After the restart, the factions, characters, and maps must be the same as those selected before the restart.

19.Rules for Directly Determining Victory & Defeat

If a game is not played to the end for any reason, and the remaining games cannot change the results of the match, the Organizer has the right to directly determine the winning club.

20.Forfeiture

If a club decides to forfeit any match during the tournament, the club captain must submit written confirmation to the Competition Organizing Committee on behalf of the club via official communication channels, and bear all consequences and responsibilities arising therefrom. For the consequences of forfeiture, see 16.3.2.

If a club forfeits all of its matches and decides to withdraw from the tournament, the club captain must submit written confirmation to the Competition Organizing Committee on behalf of the club via official communication channels and sign the Quitting Statement. The club must bear all consequences and responsibilities arising therefrom. Subsequent matches involving the club will be treated as byes, and the Organizer will have the right to revoke the club's competition results, including its previous and current rankings, qualifications, rewards, etc.

In principle, the clubs are not allowed to withdraw from the tournament. However, if the club insists, the Organizer will assume that the club has waived its rights to participate in Identity V tournaments. The club will no longer be allowed to participate in future Identity V-related tournaments, and the Organizer reserves the right to penalize the club and its members.

21.Referee

21.1.Referee Duties　

The referee is an official member of staff responsible for judging the match-related problems, questions, and situations before, during, and immediately after matches, including but not limited to:
（1）Checking the personal information, account information, and devices of players before the match;
（2）Announcing the start of games;
（3）Initiating pausing/unpausing of games;
（4）Punishing those who violate the rules of the game;
（5）Confirming the end of each match and match results.

21.2.Referee Behavior

Throughout the tournament, referees are expected to behave in a professional manner and should make fair judgments. Referees must not show favoritism or prejudice toward any player, club, owner, or other individuals.

If an emergency arises during the matches, players shall obey the referee's instructions to continue or stop competing.

21.3.Final Rulings

If a club doubts any ruling, it can appeal through methods stated in 16.4.4. The Organizer reserves the right of final decision upon all rulings during the tournament.

VICompetition Organizing Committee

22.Competition Organizing Committee Composition

The Committee is composed of the Organizer, NetEase Games, and Identity V project team members.

23.Amendments and Supplements

In order to ensure the fairness and integrity of the tournament, the Organizer has the right to amend, change, or supplement the Rules at any time, according to the actual situation. For any matters that have not been adequately specified or explained in the Rules, the explanation from the Organizer or the other rules and conducts formulated by the Organizer shall prevail. The Organizer has the right to publish and implement amendments, changes, or supplements to the Rules above, as well as the interpretation and formulation of new rules via mail, online announcements, printed announcements, or any other appropriate method.

Should any conflict arise between the contents of communications with the Organizer and officially published rules, the official rules shall prevail.

24.Force Majeure

In the event of force majeure (including but not limited to natural disasters, such as typhoons, earthquakes, floods, hail; government actions; abnormal social incidents, etc.) that prevent the match from continuing, the final results of the match will be determined by the Organizer.

25.Live Stream Copyrights

All documents, images, and audio-visual materials related to the current tournament are owned by the tournament organizer. Unauthorized use by any group or individual is strictly prohibited, and violators will be prosecuted.

26.Final Decision

The Organizer reserves the final right of interpretation for all of the terms and conditions in the Rules as well as the punishment adjudication for misconduct. In the event of discrepancies between the different language versions, the Chinese version shall take precedence.