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Altador Cup VIII

Are you ready to yooyu?
The classic game of Yooyuball is back in this year's Altador Cup. Pick a team to represent, play games to rack up points, and help your team get a chance to win the annual Altador tournament. Stick with JN for all of your AC updates along the way!

Altador Cup News and Updates

  • July 1, 2013, 3:20 pm NST - You can now claim your trophy and prizes at the Altador Cup Prize Shop! Our prize guide has been updated, and you can view every trophy awarded this year!





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    Reminder: We're collecting feedback on this year's Altador Cup in the comments of this newspost. Why not stop by and tell us what you thought of it all?
  • July 1, 2013, 1:02 am NST - The Altador Cup is once more drawing to a close, with the prize shop due later today. What better time to reflect on the ups and downs of this year?

    Our Altador Cup Coverage team this year has consisted of Herdy, Link, and Ummy. They've put together their thoughts about the Cup, and it's future.

    Parting Thoughts about the Cup





    But it's not just us! We'd like to hear your feedback on the Cup as well - feel free to post your own observations and reviews of the Cup in the comments to this newspost (though please, try and keep things constructive and polite).

    Also, if you're planning on posting anything near the essay Ummy did, remember that our comments have word limits :P
  • June 29, 2013, 4:58 am NST - And that's a wrap for Altador Cup VIII! It was a year of plenty of ups and downs, triumphs and tears, but finally the final results are upon us!

    Alabriss Bracket:
    Krawk Island ended on a good note after sweeping Mystery Island, but it is Roo Island who has won the bracket, despite losing to Kreludor today in Make Some Noise. Towards the end of the fourth bracket it looked as if Krawk Island could stand in Roo Island's way, but that was not so. It's worth noting about Kreludor that even with the threat of the winner's curse looming over them, that didn't stop them from performing pretty well overall. Virtupets gave their all into Yooyuball and defeated Maraqua, but not without sacrificing the side games to their opponents. While they have been stellar at Yooyuball, that proved to not help Virtupets in the standings enough to save them.

    Minitheus Bracket:

    Meridell was one of those teams that were up and down throughout the cup. They had reached as high as third place, and for the first half of the cup, they were a sure threat. In the end, unfortunately, along with their rival Darigan Citadell, they were just outperformed by the dominating top teams. The knights finish off the year with ultimately defeating Skenkuu, but losing Slushie Slinger. The ninjas have shown some skill at nabbing side games from other teams, despite lacking the power to sweep and surprise. The Haunted Woods have had a decent run, made slightly sweeter with a Yooyuball win over Darigan Citadell today. Of course, Tyrannia swept Moltara for sweep number 25 out of 26 days, and they will officially take the Cup. It is certain that Tyrannia's historic record will be nearly impossible to top. Their mark left on the Altador Cup will be remembered for years to come.

    Vaeolus Bracket:

    Two sweeps here today. The Lost Desert swept Faerieland, while Altador was not willing to lose a game against Brightvale again and swept them. At the start of the cup, who would have expected that Altador would rise so high? Applause goes to them for defending their impressive track record through to the very end. The ultimate showdown between side game powerhouses Kiko Lake and Terror Mountain ended with Kiko Lake winning Slushie Slinger and Make Some Noise and Terror Mountain winning Yooyuball and Shootout Showdown. Terror Mountain emerged from the middle of the cup as a Yooyuball powerhouse, and it'd be interesting to see next year if they'll become the next Altador or Roo Island.

    Meepit Bracket:
    Meepits think trophies are tasty.

    Stay tuned for our parting thoughts of Altador Cup VIII!
  • June 28, 2013, 5:10 pm NST - We've found a bit of information ekeing out about prizes for the Altador Cup, and we thought we'd share them with you!

    Here are some images of prizes due to come out!




    In addition to this, we've also discovered some names of possible prizes as well.

    Box of Yooyuball Chocolates
    Yooyuball Burgers
    Bounce Like a Yooyu Trampoline
    Exploding Clockwork Yooyu Replica
    Robot Yooyu
    Bounce Like a Yooyu Pogo Stick
    Altador Cup VIII Commemorative Stamp
    Altador Cup Chess Set
    Zo Junior Action Figure
    Stone Foam Finger

    If you find any other names or discover any images, please let us know in the comments or post about it on the forums!
  • June 28, 2013, 2:40 pm NST - ANNOUNCEMENT: Point totals should now be correct! There is currently an issue with the amount of prize points some users have to spend in the Staff prize shop. We advise you don't purchase anything until TNT fixes it!

    The Altador Cup Staff Tournament is now over, and the final scores revealed! Head on over to the Staff Tourney page to collect your prizes, and be sure to visit our guide to see who came out on top this year!



    General AC Note: This is the final day for ranking up - although there will be ties over the weekend, as they are not podium positions, they will not be played.
  • June 28, 2013, 6:37 am NST - I wonder what the trophies will look like this year.

    Alabriss Bracket
    Nothing but sweeps to report in this bracket. Krawk Island swept Virtupets; who usually wins in at least yooyuball. Roo Island decided that it wanted to be top island and defeated Mystery Island in every game. Kreludor lost in every game against Maraqua, but if you take a look at their scores you'll notice that it was a very close match up. Each game came down to a difference of 1 point.

    Minitheus Bracket
    Tyrannia seemed to bounce back after a few days of lack luster scores coming from them, and swept Meridell. In the next match up, we have an end to the sweeping streak going on in the results. Darigan Citadel WAS on its way to defeating Shenkuu in every game, but Shenkuu managed to stop them at Slushie Slinger! In the last match up of the bracket, Moltara was able to stop Haunted Woods from obtaining a sweep by taking the victory in Shootout Showdown.

    Vaeolus Bracket
    Terror Mountain and Altador faced off against one another and Altador came out the victor, but not the complete victor. Looking at the scores it seemed that Terror Mountain wasn't going to let Altador win the match up easily. Terror Mountain won in Slushie Slinger and Shootout Showdown, while Altador won in Yooyuball and Make Some Noise. The Lost Desert avoided a near sweep from Brightvale by taking their only victory in Yooyuball. The game results can be seen in the match up between Faerieland and Kiko Lake. Faerieland was able to stop Kiko Lake from sweeping by taking the victory in Yooyuball.

    Meepit Bracket
    It seems that Meepits have gone off to do something else.
  • June 27, 2013, 1:59 am NST - So close to the end, and yet so far.

    Alabriss Bracket
    A mixed bag of results today in this bracket. Virtupets managed a single win against Roo Island in Yooyuball, an impressive upset for the team considering some of their past scores this year. Roo Island, of course, took all side games though by convincing margins. A similar story played out in the other two matches of the bracket. Krawk Island managed three wins against Maraqua, with Maraqua managing to take the Make Some Noise win. In almost identical play, Kreludor took three wins against Mystery Island. Again, Mystery Island took Make Some Noise.

    Minitheus Bracket
    A couple of sweeps dominated the results here yesterday. No surprises that Tyrannia swept the Haunted Woods, but the main news was an impressive sweep by Meridell - over Darigan Citadel, of all people. It was a narrow victory in all games, but still something that the Meridell team can be proud of. The remaining match of the bracket between Shenkuu and Moltara tipped in favor of Shenkuu, managing to win all games except for Shootout Showdown.

    Vaeolus Bracket
    The final bracket contained two sweeps. Of course, Altador managed to sweep Faerieland. The second sweep came from Kiko Lake against the Lost Desert, by large margins - the scores here are starting to look suspicious if you ask me. Seems there may be truth to the rumors that the cheaters on Terror Mountain came from Kiko Lake, and then went back to their home team. Speaking of Terror Mountain, they managed an overall win against Brightvale, taking three of the games. Brightvale managed a single win in Slushie Slinger.

    Meepit Bracket
    This plan didn't appear in the 'Stache.
  • June 26, 2013, 3:40 am NST - Here we are so close to the end! Let's see how the teams fare now!

    Alabriss Bracket:

    The only battle that could've shaken up the top three was not won. Roo Island made sure to sweep Krawk Island in yesterday's match. They will indeed claim first in the bracket and take third place in the cup. The next match between Virtupets and Kreludor was out of this world. Virtupets rose to the occasion and defeated the powerhouse Kreludor in Yooyuball and Make Some Noise. Maraqua also ended with a nice sweep over Mystery Island.

    Minitheus Bracket

    Meridell bounced back with a sweep over Moltara. Yet again, Tyrannia smashed Darigan Citadell to the ground. It looks like Tyrannia will breeze through the bracket unscathed and win the Cup, as they are clearly unmatched here. The Haunted Woods refuses to back down even in such an intimidating bracket, winning Yooyuball and Shootout Showdown over Shenkuu.

    Vaeolus Bracket
    Altador adds another sweep to their best year on record after their match against the Lost Desert. While Altador sits comfortably in second place, three teams in their bracket could cause them to lose a few minigames, but there's no force left to stop them from winning the bracket. Kiko Lake emerged victorious over Brightvale, the latter scoring a win in Slushie Slinger. Finally, Faerieland won Make Some Noise against Terror Mountain.

    Meepit Bracket
    Never get into a fight with a Meepit.
  • June 25, 2013, 6:37 am NST - Last round! Let's go! Woo!

    Alabriss Bracket:

    The first match up in the Alabriss bracket is Krawk Island versus Kreludor! Krawk Island almost managed a sweep over Kreludor, but the team from the moon was able to secure Make Some Noise and gain one victory in this match up. Next, Virtupets fought against Mystery Island. The only victory Virtupets walked away with was a victory in Yooyuball, which seems to be their saving grace. The leader of the bracket, Roo Island, was able to completely sweep their opponent, Maraqua.

    Minitheus Bracket:
    Two sweeps occurred in this bracket. First, Darigan Citadel bested Moltara in every game. The other sweep came from Tyrannia against Shenkuu. Meridell seems to have bounced back a bit in this round. While they did not sweep their opponent, Haunted Woods, they were able to win three games! Meridell took the wins in Slushie Slinger, Make Some Noise, and Shootout Showdown. The Haunted Woods was able to obtain victory in Yooyuball!

    Vaeolus Bracket:

    Seems that Altador is a little upset over their failure against Tyrannia. They swept Kiko Lake yesterday and did not hold anything back. Terror Mountain, the mysterious force that came out of no where to gain 6th place in the cup, did NOT sweep their opponents, the Lost Desert. The Lost Desert team was about to gain a win in Make Some Noise against Terror Mountain! Similar results can be seen in the next match, Brightvale against Faerieland. Faerieland put up a good fight but alas all the could win was in Make Some Noise. That is still a win though! Woo!

    Meepit Bracket:
    The Meepits are not thirsty.
  • June 24, 2013, 12:59 am NST - Round 5 (the final round) has begun, and new brackets have been released. The standings page hasn't updated with the new brackets though, so you may be a little confused as to who is playing who. Here's the run down.

    Bracket 1: Krawk Island, Kreludor, Maraqua, Mystery Island, Roo Island, Virtupets.

    Bracket 2: Darigan Citadel, Haunted Woods, Meridell, Moltara, Shenkuu, Tyrannia.

    Bracket 3: Altador, Brightvale, Faerieland, Kiko Lake, Lost Desert, Terror Mountain.

    This means that it is likely, due to the way the Cup is working this year, that Altador, Tyrannia, and Roo Island will take first place in each bracket. Meaning, effectively, that the podium is now decided. Note, however, that the live standings on the main AC page are not updating, so they are misleading.

    Reminder: There is a bonus on Shootout Showdown today.

    UPDATE: The pages are now working correctly.
  • June 23, 2013, 5:47 am NST - Two full brackets of sweeps today. We're 2/3rds in, but it's not over yet!

    Alabriss Bracket:

    Team Kreludor kicks us off with a confident sweep over Faerieland. For the most part, it seems that Kreludor overcame the winner's curse, but they need to rise from their current standing to truly escape that long-running trend. Second, Maraqua pummeled Darigan Citadell for a surprise sweep. In past Altador Cup years, Maraqua has had the power to turn tides in their favor. Perhaps this is a late return to the rough team that excelled in Altador Cup 6, or perhaps Darigan just underestimated them. Finally, even Magma can freeze over, as Terror Mountain proved today with their sweep over Moltara.

    Minitheus Bracket:
    This late in the game, the Minitheus bracket teams are battling for final placements, but nothing is set in stone. The absence of sweeps here suggests that anything can happen. Virtupets claimed Yooyuball and Make Some Noise from Mystery Island, while the Haunted Woods won everything but Make Some Noise over the Lost Desert. Brightvale once again won two games, today Yooyuball and Slushie Slinger, while Shenkuu took Shootout Showdown and Make Some Noise.

    Vaeolus Bracket:

    Krawk Island continues to be battered in this powerhouse bracket, and a sweep from Altador today was no exception. Unfortunately for Altador, even sweeping isn't enough if they want to overtake the nearly-perfect record of their rival Tyrannia. Roo Island refused to let go of their chance for a bronze and swept Meridell. And finally, to no one's surprise, Tyrannia swept Kiko Lake. Yet these Kikos deserve some credit. For an underdog of such a brutal bracket, they still put up a good fight. Even as Kiko Lake poured their all into Slushie Slinger, Tyrannia responded with the highest Slushie Slinger score of the tournament thus far.

    Meepit Bracket:
    If Meepit Juice Break is any indication, Slushie Slinger games must be to die for.

    Reminder: Today is a bye day!
  • June 22, 2013, 4:38 am NST - These are the final standings. Calling it.

    Alabriss Bracket
    Terror Mountain continued it's late and futile strike for the top winning in Yooyuball and Slushie slinger against Kreludor. They are currently the leader of the Alabriss Bracket. Darigan Citadel and Maraqua were able to sweep their respective opponents, Faerieland and Moltara.

    Minitheus Bracket
    Brightvale was able to copy what Terror Mountain did in the previous bracket. They defeated Mystery Island in both Yooyuball and Slushie Slinger, with Make Some Noise and Shootout Showdown going to Mystery Island. Virtupets almost managed a sweep against the Lost Desert team, who held on by winning in only Shootout Showdown. The Haunted Woods faced off against Shenkuu in the last match up of this bracket. The Haunted Woods was able to win in Yooyuball and Shootout Showdown, but Shenkuu took the victories in Slushie Slinger and Make Some Noise.

    Vaeolus Bracket
    One of the most highly anticipated match ups this cup came and went yesterday. Tyrannia and Altador finally met on the playing field. Each team put up scores that were higher than other team that played that day, but in the end Tyrannia swept Altador. In other news in this bracket, it seems as though the Knights of Meridell have given up. Krawk Island nearly swept them, until Shootout Showdown, which appears to be Meridell's saving grace. Roo Island, the only team to win any games against Tyrannia, nearly swept Kiko Lake. Kiko Lake was able to avoid that sweep by winning Slushie Slinger.

    Meepit Bracket
    The Meepits are NOT amused.

    Reminder: There is a bonus on Yooyuball today.
  • June 21, 2013, 12:53 am NST - We are now into the final week of the Cup - it's the home stretch, people!

    Alabriss Bracket
    The results began with a sweep for Kreludor, managing convincing wins against the Darigan Citadel. Terror Mountain managed to win Yooyuball, Slushie Slinger, and Make Some Noise in their match against Maraqua, whilst Maraqua took the Shootout Showdown win. Incidentally, it seems like Terror Mountain's highly inflated Yooyuball scores have finally settled down. In the bracket's last match, it was a closely fought battle between Faerieland and Moltara. Faerieland took Yooyuball and Make Some Noise, while Moltara took Slushie Slinger and Shootout Showdown.

    Minitheus Bracket
    Virtupets managed three wins against Shenkuu, but once again Virtupets failed to score more than 1 in Shootout Showdown, practically handing the win to Shenkuu in that game. A more closely fought set of matches came from the Haunted Woods and Brightvale. The Haunted Woods took Yooyuball and Make Some Noise, with Brightvale taking Slushie Slinger and Shootout Showdown. Finally, the Lost Desert came out on top in their match against Mystery Island, taking wins in three of the games. Slushie Slinger proved too difficult though, with Mystery Island taking the win there.

    Vaeolus Bracket
    After yesterday's strong result against Tyrannia, Roo Island failed to impress as much in their match against Altador. It was a convincing sweep for the home team. Tyrannia, again, managed a sweep, this time against Krawk Island. In the final match of the day, Kiko Lake managed a trio of wins against Meridell, only losing the Shootout Showdown match.

    Meepit Bracket
    A difficult match against the practice team here.
  • June 20, 2013, 3:20 am NST - It's the shocker of the year, folks! If you thought you knew how this cup was going to end...well, today's results proves it's not over yet!

    Alabriss Bracket:

    Finally, a bracket of only sweeps! Kreludor took out Moltara and Maraqua swept Faerieland, while Darigan Citadel was no match for Terror Mountain. While Darigan Citadel slipped in the standings, they still have plenty of days left to rebound and reclaim third place in the tournament.

    Minitheus Bracket:
    The ninjas of Shenkuu took Yooyuball, Slushie Slinger, and Shoutout Showdown from Mystery Island, but fell short on Make some Noise. The next four teams earned two wins each. Brightvale won Yooyuball and Slushie Slinger over the Lost Desert, while Virupets won Yooyuball and Slushie Slinger and the Haunted Woods defeated them in the remaining side games.

    Vaeolus Bracket:

    There couldn't be a more exciting bracket than this one, and already we are seeing exciting results! This is the shake-up that the tournament desperately needed. The once-invincible Tyrannia was beaten down by Roo Island in Slushie Slinger and Shootout Showdown! They will not be the first team to end with a perfect record, after all. Meanwhile, Altador swept Meridell with incredible strength. After sweeping through the third set of brackets, the pirates are now facing a very different reality. Krawk Island ended the match with yet another disappointing loss in the bracket, this time losing all but Shootout Showdown to Kiko Lake. It seems like these Kikos are the underdogs of this bracket, and they've got some fight left in them!

    Meepit Bracket:
    In the Meepit Bracket, Brackets sweep YOU!
  • June 19, 2013, 4:38 am NST - Unless something drastic and entertaining happens, I'm calling the tournament right now...at least for 1st and 2nd place.

    Alabriss Bracket:

    First matches of the 4th round has yielded...well not surprising results sadly. There are two sweeps to report in the Alabriss Bracket. Terror Mountain was able to take down Team Faerieland, who gave it their best shot but couldn't match those icy terrors. Darigan Citadel won every game against Moltara who seems to be having a rough season right now. Kreludor almost swept Maraqua, who is also having a rough season, but they were stopped in Shootout Showdown where Maraqua won but just one point! Watching the standings in this bracket today. Terror Mountain and Darigan Citadel are heading toe-to-toe and so far it seems as though (at the time of writing this of course) that Terror Mountain is winning!

    Minitheus Bracket:

    The current leaders of the Minitheus bracket, Team Haunted Woods, obtained the only sweep yesterday against Team Mystery Island. In the next match up, Shenkuu was so close to sweep the Lost Desert team! Looking at the scores it was an intense match up all around, with Lost Desert taking their only victory in Yooyuball! The final match up of the bracket is Brightvale versus Virtupets. Ultimately the victory went to Virtupets, who were able to snatch themselves a win in both Yoouyuball and Make Some Noise. Brightvale never gave up though; they obtained victories in both Slushie Slinger and Shootout Showdown!


    Vaelous Bracket:
    Trying to describe the battles raging in this last bracket is like trying to describe why the sky is blue to a blind person. Tyrannia and Altador finally met in the same bracket and unsurprisingly Tyrannia has taken the lead in this bracket. Altador CAN win against them in a match up; if there is one team that can defeat those prehistoric rulers, it is Altador. However, taking first place in this bracket will be an uphill battle everyday....oh! Wait! Match ups! In the first match up we have Altador against Kiko Lake. Kiko Lake, the ever so surprising team of upsets, lost in every game against Altador except in Slushie Slinger. By the look of their scores, it seems as though they focuses heavily on Slushie Slinger to gain a win! Tyrannia decimated their latest victim, the victim being Meridell. The last match up, Krawk Island versus Roo Island, Roo Island showed that it is still a force to be reckoned with! Both team have unfortunately been unable to shine as much as their should due to the fact that their are partnered with the two power houses of the cup, but even still Roo Island has shown strength in this cup, and is now the current holder of 3rd place in the overall standings (at the time of writing this at least!)

    Meepit Bracket:
    The Meepits are not happy. RUN FOR YOUR LIVESSSSSS
  • June 17, 2013, 1:11 am NST - Brace yourselves, here comes the final match results for the third bracket!

    Alabriss Bracket:

    In an upset, Terror Mountain swept Meridell! In this third bracket Terror Mountain has shown tremendous improvement. In the upcoming brackets, this mountain will stand in every team's way. About Meridell, since this set of brackets wasn't great for the knights, they'll have to work relentlessly in the next bracket if they want to remain in third place. We saw a typical match against Virtupets and Kiko Lake. Virupets, of course, won Yooyuball as Kiko Lake dominated the side games. Unfortunately for Maraqua, they lost out on the Slushie Slinger bonus by losing to Shenkuu.

    Minitheus Bracket:

    Two sweeps in this bracket today. Altador's sunlight was more than the Haunted Woods could handle, while Darigan Citadell took out Brightvale. Kreludor was louder than Roo Island in Make Some Noise, preventing them from another sweep.

    Vaeolus Bracket:
    Tyrannia makes sweeping look easy as their destruction of Faerieland is enough to make Xandra cringe. Krawk Island is still going strong with a sweep over the Lost Desert, proving they're still in it to win. Finally, it was no mystery who would come out on top in the Mystery Island vs. Moltara match, but Mystery Island managed to squeak in a Make Some Noise win.

    Meepit Bracket:
    The Feepits never stood a chance.

    NOTICE: Today is a bye day!
  • June 16, 2013, 6:55 am NST - Knee deep in the Negg Hunt! I am so close! QUICK RECAP GO!!!

    Alabriss Bracket
    Terror Mountain? Yeah they dominated Virtupets, sweeping them all across the playing field and back. Kiko Lake also decided that it wanted to sweep again, and took down Shenkuu. Meridell could not stand up against Maraqua and lost in Yooyuball and Make Some Noise. HOWEVER! They were able to claim victory in Slushie Slinger and Shootout Showdown. Can they hold their 3rd place positions?!

    Minitheus Bracket
    OH GOSH THE MINITHEUS BRACKET!
    Altador regained the sweeping prowess against Kreludor! Can they hold it together enough to be a challenge for team Tyrannia? Roo Island wasn't having no sass from Brightvale and decided that a sweep was in order! Haunted Woods and Darigan Citadel fought bravely against each other yesterday, but the ultimate victory when to Darigan Citadel, who won in Yooyuball and Shootout Showdown, while the Haunted Woods team won in Slushie Slinger and Make Some Noise

    Vaeolus Bracket
    Krawk Island deserves some credit really. They once against swept a team, this time that team was Moltara. Faerieland was close to being swept by the former power house Mystery Island, but was able to secure their only win for the day in Yooyuball. Tyrannia faced the Lost Desert team yesterday. Tyrannia won. ZE END!

    Meepit Bracket
    Meepits give no hints.

    Reminder: There is a bonus on Slushie Slinger today.
  • June 15, 2013, 12:55 am NST - We should rename this the Maraqua Cup - there's certainly something fishy going on. :(

    Alabriss Bracket
    We start the day with a near sweep for Terror Mountain against Virtupets. Virtupets managed to take Make Some Noise, but Terror Mountain secured all other games. With a massive score of 13 in Yooyuball, it now seems overwhelmingly likely that Terror Mountain is receiving the kind of outside help that has dogged Tyrannia for the majority of the Cup. Outside of this match, Kiko Lake managed a good showing against Meridell, taking all games bar Shootout Showdown. Maraqua managed a similar near sweep against Shenkuu, taking all games except Slushie Slinger.

    Minitheus Bracket
    Following on from Brightvale yesterday, Roo Island managed to claw back one game from Altador - Shootout Showdown this time. The difference with this match was that Roo Island, unlike Brightvale, did not sacrifice scores in the other games to achieve this. Even so, Altador took the other three wins, making them still the stronger on the day. Elsewhere, a sweep for Kreludor against Haunted Woods was a nice bonus for the team, despite surprisingly low scores in Make Some Noise and Slushie Slinger for both teams. Finally, a mixed bag of results came from the Darigan Citadel-Brightvale match. Brightvale took Yooyuball and Make Some Noise, whilst Darigan took Slushie Slinger and Shootout Showdown. Darigan can be said to have claimed the overall win on points difference though.

    Vaeolus Bracket
    A trio of sweeps happened in the final bracket. First, Krawk Island took Moltara. Then, the Lost Desert triumphed over Mystery Island. Finally, and no surprises here, Tyrannia swept Faerieland. It's a sad statement that the only hopes of Tyrannia's streak being broken now rest with Terror Mountain, a team that appears to have similarly shady backing.

    Meepit Bracket
    Meepits consistently score 30 in all games.
  • June 14, 2013, 3:04 pm NST - The results of the Altador Cup Staff Tournament's first round have now been released! Check out our guide, as it lists the full scores for each player (handy when picking your team for round two!).



    Head back to the colosseum to select your team. You'll need to confirm your team choices for round two, regardless of whether or not you stick with the same players!
  • June 14, 2013, 4:52 am NST - We finally have a team who could stand up to Team Altador! Here we go!

    Alabriss Bracket:
    Meridell took a blow from Virtupets today. Unfortunately for them, Virtupets strength has always been Yooyuball, and yesterdays match was no different. In the end, Virtupets took both Yooyuball and Slushie Slinger from the currently third place team. Terror Mountain is emerging as this year's dark horse, folks. While they failed to defeat Shenkuu at Shootout Showdown, their scores are enough to make Tyrannia shiver. The last match finished off with Kiko Lake taking Yooyuball and Slushie Slinger while Maraqua won the other side games.

    Minitheus Bracket:

    In a shocking turn of events, Altador loses Slushie Slinger to Brightvale! Their undefeated streak of 11 sweeps has finally been broken! As there has never been an undefeated team by the end of the tournament, Brightvale might have changed the course of Altador Cup history. Roo Island may have the spirits of jesters, but on the field they're nothing to laugh at, seeing as they bested Darigan Citadell in every game but Slushie Slinger. Finally, the formidable Haunted Woods grounded Kreludor and only allowed them to score Slushie Slinger and Make Some Noise.

    Vaeolus Bracket:

    Mystery Island crumbles against Tyrannia, the latter who is now the only undefeated team in the tournament. Krawk Island swept Faerieland by solid margins. And finally, applause should be given to Moltara for defeating the Lost Desert in Yooyuball and Make Some Noise.

    Meepit Bracket:
    Puts all other brackets to shame.

    Update: Results from Round 1 of the Staff Tournament have been released.
  • June 13, 2013, 7:59 am NST - I have neggs to find! Lets get started!

    Alabriss Bracket

    Only one sweep to talk about today in this bracket and that is in the match up between Terror Mountain and Kiko Lake. Kiko Lake seems to have lost it's mojo that it had at the beginning of the cup and could not withstand the awesome power of Terror Mountain. Thus, they lost in everything. Virtupets continues to display that they still hold power in yooyuball. The former champions were able to avoid a sweep against Maraqua by winning in only yooyuball! Team Meridell, the current 3rd place team and lead of this bracket, almost swept Shenkuu out of the stadium. However, Shenkuu wouldn't go down that easily without a fight and grasped a victory in Slushie Slinger!

    Minitheus Bracket
    The former 3rd place team, now 6th place team, Darigan Citadel could not stand up against the power that is Altador. Altador continued its conquest and swept Darigan Citadel. Roo Island was in for a treat when they faced Team Haunted Woods. Roo Island ended up the victor in the end by winning Yooyuball and Make Some Noise, but alas the Haunted Woods team was able to claim victory in Slushie Slinger and Shootout Showdown. Brightvale is showing that it is a contender as they went up against former champions, Kreludor. Brightvale took the wins in both Yooyuball and Slushie Slinger, and left Kreludor with wins in Make Some Noise and Shootout Showdown.

    Vaeolus Bracket

    The bracket of sweeps! Lets talk about the one match that didn't end in a sweep. The Lost Desert team went up against Faerieland in what seemed an easy sweep. If there is one thing to know about Faerieland is that they honestly do give up easily. They were able to avoid being swept but winning in Slushie Slinger! Yay! Moltara and Mystery Island, however, were not so lucky. Tyrannia, continuing it's onslaught that might even have the warriors from Altador shaking, destroyed Moltara. Krawk Island put their island neighbors down when they faced Team Mystery Island, gaining victory in every game.

    Meepit Bracket
    The meepits are wondering how many tie breakers we will have this year....and also where Neggs are at.
  • June 11, 2013, 4:17 am NST - Some exciting results here today.

    Alabriss Bracket

    In the showdown between powerhouses, Darigan Citadell holds on to their third place standing by defeating Krawk Island in everything but Shootout Showdown. This also means they've secured the bonus points with their Yooyuball win. As Darigan's results have been shaky in this bracket, this was a much needed victory. Shenkuu prevented Shootout Showdown from flying off to the moon of Kreludor, while Virtupets becomes Tyrannia's 10th consecutive sweep.

    Minitheus Bracket
    The first sweep of the bracket is none other than Altador, defeating Mystery Island without problem. Maraqua rebounded from the day before and swept the Lost Desert. Finally, Roo Island met a formidable foe against Terror Mountain and lost Yooyuball and Slushie Slinger. Impressively, Terror Mountain has seen some of the strongest Yooyuball scores of the entire cup this year. If anyone can dent Altador or Tyrannia, it's Terror Mountain.

    Vaeolus Bracket

    Meridell remains in good standing with a sweep against Faerieland, while the Kiko Lake destroyed the Haunted Woods at Slushie Slinger and proceeded to snag Shootout Showdown from the ghoulish athletes. Brightvale is prevented from sweeping by a Shootout Showdown win by Moltara.

    Meepit Bracket
    *BITES YOUR FACE*

    NOTICE: Today is a bye day, so no matches until tomorrow! Remember, you can still use this time to rank up (but don't be afraid to get some fresh air now and then. You deserve it!)
  • June 10, 2013, 7:30 am NST - Quick and easy recap, here we go!

    Alabriss Bracket
    Sweeps! Sweeps all across the Alabriss Bracket! For started Tyrannia is on the fast track in claiming the gold. Sweep Kreludor with mind-blowing number; if Tyrannia and Altador ever get the chance to meet up, Altador is in for a treat! Darigan Citadel proved why they are seated as third in the tournament, taking down Shenkuu in every game. Virtupets is known for their tiny upsets, but Krawk Island wouldn't allow them this go around and block them from gaining a single win!

    Minitheus Bracket
    Altador was once again able to sweep their opponents, the team from the Lost Desert. Altador has come a long way from their past years. Even if they win or not, here is hoping that they do not return to those positions. Mystery Island avoided a sweep when it faced Terror Mountain, by taking only one win in Slushie Slinger. Roo Island has been showing its force in this tournament as they once again sweep a team, this time the team being Maraqua.

    Vaeolus Bracket
    Last but not least is the Vaelous Bracket. The only sweep to report here is in the match up of Haunted Woods against Moltara, with Haunted Woods taking complete victory. Meridell may have fallen since last year, but it was not fallen completely flat. They were able to win in all game against Brightvale, except for Yooyuball. Seems as though the scholars were able to outwit the knights in that match up. Last match up to report is between Kiko Lake and Faerie Land. In a weird and interesting turn of events, Faerie Land nearly swept Kiko Lake! Kiko Lake was doing well at the beginning of the tournament, but it seems that their momentum is slipping, and the team from Faerie Land took full advantage of that! Kiko Lake was only able to scrap up a win in Slushie Slinger to avoid a full sweep.

    Meepit Bracket
    Bee boo bop

    NOTICE: The Bonus game for today's match ups is YOOYUBALL! Go! Go! Go! Play! Woo!
  • June 9, 2013, 1:53 am NST - Another day of results await!

    Alabriss Bracket
    No surprises that this bracket kicked off with another sweep for Tyrannia against Krawk Island. It's now looking as if Tyrannia will not be beaten, as they are now posting scores higher than Altador, meaning if the two met in a tie-breaker at the end of the Cup, Tyrannia may walk away with gold. Outside of that match, Kreludor managed a good showing against the Darigan Citadel, taking wins in Yooyuball, Make Some Noise, and Shootout Showdown. Darigan claimed Slushie Slinger though. In the remaining match of the bracket, Virtupets claimed Yooyuball, whilst Shenkuu took all of the side games.

    Minitheus Bracket
    Again, hardly surprising Altador swept yet again, this time against Mystery Island. Roo Island also managed a sweep against the Lost Desert though. Finally, Terror Mountain managed a really impressive Yooyuball score of 9 yesterday (so far the highest score any team has posted in Yooyuball), demolishing their opponents, Maraqua, and also taking a win in Shootout Showdown as well. Maraqua fought back with wins in Make Some Noise and Shootout Showdown though.

    Vaeolus Bracket
    In the final bracket there were no sweeps to be had, but a selection of close run matches. The Haunted Woods managed wins over Brightvale in Yooyuball, Slushie Slinger, and Shootout Showdown, whilst Brightvale took Make Some Noise. The Meridell-Kiko Lake match ended in favor of Meridell, with wins in Yooyuball, Make Some Noise, and Shootout Showdown. Kiko Lake fought back with a win in Slushie Slinger, but it was not enough. The Moltara-Faerieland match mirrored this exactly, with Moltara taking wins in Yooyuball, Make Some Noise, and Shootout Showdown, and Faerieland taking the Slushie Slinger win.

    Meepit Bracket
    Meepits like sweeping.
  • June 8, 2013, 2:20 pm NST - Whether or not you're a fan of Darigan Citadell, today brings us some shocking results.

    Alabriss Bracket:


    Today's match between Darigan Citadell and Tyrannia is sure to be remembered for years to come. Continuing their barrage, Tyrannia crushed Darigan in every game and remains an unstoppable powerhouse. Now that a podium contender was defeated, can any team below them stand in Tyrannia's way? Krawk Island celebrated victory over Skenkuu, but the ninjas managed to sneak in a win in Slushie Slinger. Virtupets defeated Kreludor in Yooyuball, proving that Virtupets is not a team to underestimate.

    Minitheus Bracket:

    Roo island continues an impressive year with a strong sweep over Mystery island. The Lost Desert refused to be swept two days in a row by winning all but Make Some Noise over Terror Mountain. Saving the best for last, Altador's suns dried out poor Maraqua as the team failed to make a splash over this year's second unstoppable team.

    Vaeolus Bracket:
    Sweeps ahoy! Recovering from yesterday's disappointing losses, Meridell bounced back with a vengeance and stomped Moltara for a sweep. While Kiko Lake has been able to take side games from powerhouses like Darigan, their efforts today went toward Yooyuball, enough to take the win from Brightvale. Finally, the Haunted Woods took Faerieland for a scare as they dominated every game.

    Meepit Bracket:
    *eats negg*
  • June 7, 2013, 2:15 pm NST - TNT's Staff Tournament is now open! Head on over to the colosseum to start selecting your teams! You'll need to select a goalie, and two forwards and defenders, and have until 11:59:59PM NST on Thursday to make your choices for the first round. Our guide has now been updated!



    Check out our AC7 and AC6 Staff Tournament coverage, as it might help with your team choices!
  • June 7, 2013, 7:24 am NST - Alright! Alright! Alright! Let's get down to it! A lot of sweeps and surprises coming from yesterdays results.

    Alabriss Bracket:
    Let's start off with the obvious one. Tyrannia continued it's dominance and obliterated Shenkuu, taking every single win. Virtupets was able to subdue Darigan Citadel in one game and one game only, which happened to be Yooyuball. However, after that Darigan Citadel did not relinquish them another victory. Lastly, Krawk Island and Kreludor faced off, with the ultimate victory going to Krawk Island with its wins in Yooyuball and Shootout Showdown! Kreludor didn't go down with out a fight, however, and won in Slushie Slinger and Make Some Noise!

    Minitheus Bracket:

    Nothing but sweeps in this bracket. Altador continued its new found dominance against Terror Mountain, sweeping them completely and with a nice set of scores as well. Mystery Island continues their downward spiral as the lost everything to Maraqua, who seems to be doing slightly better in the standings. Roo Island and Lost Desert faced off, just like the good ol' times, and this time Roo Island came out the complete victor.

    Vaelous Bracket:

    this bracket held a surprise. Haunted Woods came out of nowhere to thrash Meridell and claim victory in everything but Shootout Showdown. Could this have been a minor slip up from the Knights, who are the current leaders of this bracket, or is Haunted Woods making a claim for the top spot soon? Moltara achieved some wins under its belt yesterday when it faced off against Kiko Lake. Taking wins in both Yooyuball and Make Some Noise, the Steam punks were shining! The last match up of the day is Brightvale versus Faerieland. Ultimately, Faerieland wasn't able to do a thing except watch as Brightvale won every game.

    Reminder: Make Some Noise has a bonus on it today.
  • June 5, 2013, 2:34 pm NST - So, after this morning you may have noticed that the Altador Cup is currently having a bye day. This means it is a practice round but your scores will count towards your rank (a glitch from this morning where they didn't is now fixed).



    However, you also may now notice that the rules page has suddenly changed. Originally, it stated that bye days could only happen on days that were not at the start or end of a bracket (like today's would be). This has been removed, so bye days can now happen on any day. Also, the page originally claimed teams would play each other once per bracket. This has now been removed as well - confirming that you may now face teams in your brackets twice as has happened over the weekend. This will also result in some teams not facing others at all within the same bracket. This effectively means we have returned to last year's system that we all remember so fondly.

    Welcome to the Altador Cup, folks :P
  • June 5, 2013, 1:38 am NST - This concludes the final set of matches in these first brackets, folks! After six days of brutal play, some are battered, some are bruised, and some have yet to lose! Don't get too out of shape during the Bye Day, as things are about to get interesting.

    Alabriss Bracket:

    Sweeps ahoy! Well, not quite. Today, underdog Kiko Lake bested Kreludor in Yooyuball. Darigan Citadell swept Mystery Island, but while Darigan is great at winning, scores suggest that Darigan needs to fight even harder if they want to dominate other brackets and become the first repeat Cup winner. Meridell achieved a powerful victory over the Lost Desert in all games. Darigan and Meridell's victories conclude an impressive run against most of last year's top teams, but unfortunately for them, this year's top teams were in the other two brackets, and they will be tough to beat.

    Minitheus Bracket:

    Krawk Island beat Brightvale overall but their chance at a sweep was thwarted by Brightvale's Slushie Slinging skills. These pirates need to up their game if they want to handle teams like Darigan and Meridell as they have done in the past. With their track record of lukewarm Make Some Noise scores and with a handful of sweeps across all brackets, this time around Krawk Island should be the one fearing other teams. The Haunted Woods proved too terrifying for even a place called Terror Mountain and forced their opponents to suffer a sweep for a second day in a row. Saving the best for last, Tyrannia decided that sweeping Maraqua wasn't enough and took their Make Some Noise attempt out in a landslide. Tyrannia now holds the record for the highest score against a team this season. Their performance could be one for the Altador Cup record books at this rate. In the coming days, all eyes will move toward Tyrannia in hopes they'll face Altador.

    Vaeolus Bracket:
    While so much attention is given to the Alabriss bracket and juggernauts Tyrannia and Altador, Roo Island can argue they deserve a lot more credit. Roo Island only sustained a Make Some Noise loss yesterday, after four rounds of being undefeated. Perhaps this marks a pivotal step in their return to glory. Virtupets and Faerieland divided their winnings as Virtupets took Yooyuball and Make Some Noise, while Faerieland floated away with the other side games. In the final match, Moltara ran out of steam against Altador, accomplishing yet another sweep and will go into the next bracket with a perfect record.

    Meepit Bracket:
    Ooh�shiny.

    Note: You may have noticed that your personal scores are not increasing today, despite TNT's rules page saying they should be. It's unknown at present if this is a glitch or intentional. Also, given that the bye day is not meant to happen on either the 1st or 6th day of a bracket, it is safe to say that TNT's own rules page is being completely ignored - which is nice.

    UPDATE: Games are now counting.
  • June 4, 2013, 6:50 am NST - I wonder who supplies all these teams with brooms, because there was a lot of sweeping yesterday!
    I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.
    *clears throat*

    Alabriss Bracket:

    Yesterdays match ups in the Alabriss Bracket gave us 2 sweeps and a near miss! In the first match, Lost Desert versus Kreludor, Kreludor never gave the ancient sand dwellers a chance to win and proving their spot as 2nd in this bracket. Slushie Slinger was Kiko Lake's saving grace, which kept them from being becoming victims of a full sweep against Darigan Citadel. Mystery Island cannot seem to catch a break and at this point in time will not be repeating the glory of last year, at least in my opinion. Yesterday Meridell, their old rival of the podium last year, won every match up against them. Unless Mystery Island picks up the pace, we won't see the islanders medal.

    Minitheus Bracket:

    Krawk Island and Tyrannia dominated continue to dominate this bracket with power. Krawk Island in its match up against Terror Mountain yesterday would not give the icy players a chance to catch their breath. A complete sweep against Terror Mountain. Tyrannia continued its power house reign and Brightvale was its next victim. The match up of the year is going to be between Altador and Tyrannia. Both have flawless victories and both are this years power houses. Lets hope we get to see it! Maraqua yesterday came back from the dead in a sense after winning overall due to the side games. They faced the Haunted Woods team, who took the win in Yooyuball, but ultimately lost all the side games in that effort.

    Vaelous Bracket
    Shenkuu was able to gain some ground yesterday after defeating Faerieland in everything but Make Some Noise. The former power house has fallen hard from grace, but there is still a chance to make it back up closer to the podium! Roo Island asserted their dominance over Moltara in a full sweep against them. I wouldn't count Moltara out yet though. Last year they were known for pulling some spectacular upsets! Last, but certainly not least, Altador faced off against Virtupets again and the outcome was the same as the last, with Altador achieving a flawless sweeping victory over Virtupets. I bet the players over at Altador are having a happy season so far!

    Meepit Bracket:
    poke poke poke

    NOTICE Slushie Slinging is a bonus game today! Play your heart out!
  • June 3, 2013, 1:21 am NST - Yesterday resulted in a day of sweeps or near-sweeps across all teams, and some relief for teams that were trailing behind with no victories.

    Alabriss Bracket:

    There were no shake-ups today, as the top teams were able to hold their own against their opponents. The Meridell vs. Kreludor results mirrored Day 2's with Meridell overtaking last year's champion in Yooyuball and two side games. Darigan Citadel's determination shines through as they only lost Slushie Slinger to Kiko Lake. Finally, Mystery Island secured their first win in this season's cup from Shootout Showdown, but that's no reason to celebrate. This team needs to start scoring major victories to turn their team around, or they risk losing their former glory just like the Team Shenkuu of years past.

    Minitheus Bracket:
    Krawk Island saw improvement over yesterday's match with Haunted Woods with a sweep, while Tyrannia joins Altador in being undefeated thus far. And just like Altador, Tyrannia remains strong in all side games. Perhaps the biggest upset of the day was Terror Mountain besting Maraqua in Yooyuball. If Terror Mountain could continue to perform at this level, they could cause an upset against popular Yooyuball performers like Maraqua and Krawk Island in matches to come.

    Vaeolus Bracket

    Yet again, yesterday's match left Altador unscathed against Virtupets. Even at day three, it's apparent that Altador is bent on continuing their winning streak. Last but not least, Faerieland clenched their first victory this year against Moltara in Yooyuball, while Roo Island swept Shenkuu.

    Meepit Bracket:
    Don't blink!
  • June 2, 2013, 2:10 am NST - Good news, everyone! The Altador Cup's NC portion -- Fanatic's Museum -- has been released, bringing with it a rather large set of prizes! Once you've joined a team in the main AC and activated the weekly NC Pass (week one is for Scholar's Retreat) you'll be awarded with three team-themed items! Our guide for the event is now available!

    It took us an entire year to model last year's Team items, so I'm hoping it'll be a little better this time around, now that we have trophies and a high scores table! Please head on over to our Modeling department to lend a hand with previewing these items! While you're there, be sure to check out our list of every item we need modeling and see if you can help!












  • June 2, 2013, 1:04 am NST - Day 2 ends, and the results are juicy!

    Alabriss Bracket
    Okay! Okay! Let's get started! We have two sweeps in this bracket. First, Darigan Citadel blew away the Lost Desert team, followed by the Islanders being tossed around by the Lakers! Can Mystery Island live up to it's potential seen from last year, or will they retake their normal standings? Team Meridell was close to taking all victories over Team Kreludor, but the Moonies were able to pull out the win in Slushie Slinger! I would keep a close watch on this bracket if I were you. The standings have been fluctuating between Meridell, Kiko Lake, and Darigan Citadel. You never know who is going to be on top until the very end!

    Minitheus Bracket
    Only one sweep to account for in the Minitheus Bracket, and that is in the match up between Team Tyrannia and Team Terror Mountain. Team Tyannia continued their dominance over the Minitheus Bracket and swept Terror Mountain off the field. Krawk Island was close to achieving total dominance of the Haunted Woods, but ghouls and monsters stopped them in their tracks in Make Some Noise. The last match up we see some interesting results, particularly from Team Maraqua. Team Brightvale defeated them over all, taking the wins in both Yooyuball and Make Some Noise, while the team from under-da-sea was able to hold their own in Slushie Slinger and Shootout Showdown. Is this just a tiny slip up in Maraqua, or is the team starting to fade? Am I just making rash judgments over Day 2 results? Yes I am!

    Vaeolus Bracket
    Last but not least the Vaelous Bracket. Today we see Altador continue it's seemingly odd winning streak, this time again Team Shenkuu. The numbers don't lie, Altador dominated in every aspect. Keep an eye on Altador, ladies and gentle-monsters. Team Roo Island also came back with a victory sweep against Faerieland, whose numbers couldn't keep up with King Roo's favorite Altador Cup team. Lastly, Virtupets took the overall victory against Moltara, however, the steam punks were not going to let them off that easy. Moltara gained victories in Slushie Slinger and Shootout Showdown, while Virtupets won in Yooyuball and Make Some Noise.

    Meepit Bracket
    Hiss, and also boo

  • June 1, 2013, 11:06 am NST - A brand new mystery capsule has popped up in Future Fashions! Be on the lookout for it in the regular mall come Tuesday.




    As usual, we're going to need the help of you, our users, to get all the needed models for these items! If you have these and are willing to help, please head over to our Modeling Center and submit your pet for modeling! For helping out, you can earn a nifty trophy for your cabinet!
  • June 1, 2013, 3:45 am NST - The first day's results are in!

    Alabriss Bracket
    Play kicked off in the top bracket with a surprising sweep from last year's champions, Kreludor, against Mystery Island. From the looks of the scores though, it was a close run thing. Narrow wins seemed to be the order of the day, with a mixed bag of results between Meridell and the Darigan Citadel. Yooyuball and Shootout Showdown went to Meridell while Darigan took the remaining two. Kiko Lake, currently sitting at the top of the bracket, managed a near sweep against the Lost Desert, losing only the Make Some Noise match.

    Minitheus Bracket
    Again in the mid range bracket there was one sweep, this time Tyrannia over the Haunted Woods. The Maraqua-Krawk Island match went narrowly to Maraqua, with wins in Yooyuball and Make Some Noise, while Krawk Island took Slushie Slinger and Shootout Showdown. It was an identical story in the bracket's other match between Brightvale and Terror Mountain. This time Brightvale took Yooyuball and Make Some Noise while Terror Mountain took the other two.

    Vaeolus Bracket
    A trio of sweeps dominate the results from the final bracket. Roo Island took the win from Virtupets and Shenkuu triumphed over Moltara. The most significant story of the day though was Altador's win over Faerieland. Whilst most teams won with scores of 5 or 6, Altador won with 7, 8, 9, and a whopping 13! It's hard to see how any team could stand up to that and it seems that with Stealth on Altador's side, they may have created an unstoppable team. Only time will tell though.

    Meepit Bracket
    This year the Meepit Bracket returns! Boo, and also hiss.

    Reminder: Today there is a bonus on Shootout Showdown, making the game worth more to your team.
  • May 31, 2013, 10:52 pm NST - Heard mention of the Fanatic's Museum in the news? Well, the FAQ is up, so you can read all about what you're going to be in for if you participate.

    • What is Fanatic's Museum and how does it work?
      The Techo fanatic has collected so much Altador Cup memorabilia over the years that he's decided to share some of it with you. Sure, it's just to make room for more stuff, but it's still a nice gesture.
      To participate, you'll need one of four museum access passes or a special fifth "Flashback" pass. A new pass goes on sale every Sunday throughout the Altador Cup starting on June 2nd. Visit the NC Mall to get your pass, activate it, and then visit a special area inside the fanatic's mansion every day that week to find a new NC item waiting for you.
      And don't forget to join a team in the Altador Cup! That's the only way to get three team-themed bonus items when activating your pass. ;)

    • When can I start collecting Fanatic Museum prizes?
      Prizes for each area can begin to be collected each Sunday. You will be able to claim one prize per day. If you missed collecting any days you can always return to the access area and claim those prizes.

    • Where do I purchase Fanatic Museum Passes?
      Each week a new access pass will be put on sale in the NC Mall Altador Cup Shop. You can purchase passes there.

    • Why isn't the pass I want available in the NC Mall?
      Check back at the NC Mall each Sunday for a new museum pass. The only exception to this is the Collector's Corner Flashback Pass which is available starting Tuesday, June 4th. Already released passes will remain for sale until the end of the event.

    • It's not allowing me to activate my museum pass. What should I do?
      In order to activate your first pass, you must be signed up with a team for the Altador Cup. In terms of activating other passes, you may only activate one of each pass type per account. Please keep in mind you can purchase and activate your passes until June 30th.

    • Is there a time limit for accepting my daily Fanatic's Museum prize?
      No, there is no time limit for claiming your daily prizes.

    • Is there a bonus prize for participating in Fanatic's Museum?
      Yes. For activating your first pass (no matter the order), you will receive 3 bonus items corresponding to the Altador Cup team you have signed up for. In order to receive your team bonus items you must sign up for a team by June 28th. If you have not joined a team by then, you will no longer be able to receive your bonus items.

    • I activated a museum pass, why didn't I get my bonus items?
      In order to receive your 3 team specific bonus items you must sign up for a team. Altador Cup Team sign-ups end on June 28th. If you have not joined a team by June 28th, you will no longer be able to receive your team bonus items.

    • How long will the Fanatic's Museum run?
      The first museum pass allowing access to the Scholars Retreat will go on sale June 2nd. A new access pass will go on sale each Sunday except for the Collector's Corner Flashback Pass which will be available starting Tuesday, June 4th. You can purchase and activate your passes until June 30th. You may claim your prizes on already purchased and activated passes anytime you visit an access area.

    • How do I activate my museum pass?
      You can activate your museum passes from your inventory by clicking, "Activate Pass" from the drop-down menu. If your pass is in your inventory, you can also activate from the main access page by clicking on the area you want to access.

    • Can I activate multiple passes for the same museum area?
      No. You will only be able to activate and collect prizes once for each museum area per account.

    • Can I access the Fanatic's Museum on side accounts?
      Yes you can, but there's a catch! In order to do this, you will need to join an Altador Cup team, and joining an Altador Cup team will automatically give you NP items on your side, which is against the rules. We are aware of this! We are willing to make an exception if you discard the NP items you receive and do not participate in any of the Altador Cup games. (Similar to if you accidently did a daily on a side. Delete the earnings and no harm done.) If you do this, then Fanatic's Museum participation on sides is fine.
      And, we promise to fix this next year so it's not an issue. Sorry about that!

    • What is the Fanatics Museum Collector's Corner Flashback Pass?
      Every Tuesday and Thursday in June, the Collector's Corner Flashback Pass gives guests the opportunity to receive an item from previous Altador Cup NC events!
  • May 31, 2013, 12:19 am NST - So, live play has begun in the 8th Altador Cup! Get to the games and start playing for your team!



    Feeling a bit confused about who is playing who though? Never fear, here are the current brackets:

    Bracket 1
    Kreludor, Mystery Island, Meridell, Darigan Citadel, Lost Desert, Kiko Lake.

    Bracket 2
    Krawk Island, Maraqua, Haunted Woods, Tyrannia, Brightvale, Terror Mountain.

    Bracket 3
    Virtupets, Roo Island, Moltara, Shenkuu, Altador, Faerieland.

    Notice something familiar about these brackets? They are arranged in order of last year's final standings. In other words, these haven't been randomly selected. Fair? Unfair? Let us know what you think in comments!

    We'll have 5 days of play and a randomly placed bye day to come before the next recalculation of brackets - let's see what happens then.
  • May 24, 2013, 11:32 am NST - The staff tournament will be returning this year! Here are some spoilers of the competitors:


    El Picklesaur | Lawyerbot | Comastar



    DJ Skellington | Marketing Maggie | Undutchable



    Viola | Mr. Insane | Kid Hawk



    Breik | Senor Malo | Socktastic



    Bancha Ninja | Dragona | Blitzkrieg



    Snarkie | Jimmy James | Subordinate Prime
  • May 24, 2013, 11:09 am NST - Signups for the Altador Cup have been moved forward by 30 minutes, and plan to open in just 20 minutes! We've also uncovered some images about this year's NC portion of the cup!



  • May 24, 2013, 1:48 am NST - The FAQ for this year's Altador Cup has been found! Signups will be open later on today for a week, and the cup will begin next Friday, the 31st. Play will continue for up to a month, with the prize shop opening on July 1st!

    • Should I still submit my scores when I lose?Definitely! Every score counts, and can earn you Neopoints (if you haven't maxed out for the day) as well as Prize Shop credits. Additionally, you'll be supporting your team's overall performance.

    • How does the Rank System work? What is the Rank Badge?The Rank System is a way to acknowledge the incredible efforts of each player. Beginning on Friday, May 31st, your rank will increase depending on the number of games you've played and points you've scored across each of the Altador Cup games. There are 21 levels to reach, from Beginner all the way up to All-Star. Each time you level up, your Rank Badge will change to notify you that you have advanced in your rank. If you've joined a team, you'll find your Rank Badge in the Altador Cup Games Room. Every player starts with a Rank Badge labelled "Beginner". Score enough points, and you could be an All-Star!

    • Do I have to play all four games (Yooyuball, Make Some Noise, Slushie Slinger, and Shootout Showdown)?It isn't required, but it's important for your team to win the match-ups across all four games, as all four games contribute to your team's standing in the tournament. If you only choose to play one or two games, you can still earn Prize Shop points and show off your personal stats.

    • Will I get a prize for all of my efforts?If you participate in the Altador Cup in any way, then you will receive points that you can exchange for prizes in the Prize Shop. Of course, the more you participate, the more points you'll earn.

    • Can I change teams after I join?Once you've joined a team, you will play for that team through the rest of the tourney. You will not be able to switch to another team, so choose carefully.

    • How can I tell how my team is performing?We will post daily results for the Yooyuball, Make Some Noise, Slushie Slinger, and Shootout Showdown match-ups, including the number of wins, losses, and draws.

    • How many scores can I submit?You can play and submit your score as many times as you'd like. All of the scores you send will count toward your team's point total, but make sure you take some time out to eat and sleep!

    • Am I able to earn Altador Cup Prize Shop points and Neopoints while contributing to my team's scores at the same time?Yes. By playing any of the four games (Yooyuball, Make Some Noise, Slushie Slinger, or Shootout Showdown), you'll be able to earn Neopoints while simultaneously helping your team and storing Prize Shop points for later. The only exception is during the tournament's four off days; on these days, you'll continue to earn Neopoints and Prize Shop points. Your performance on these days will not count toward your team's performance, however.

    • What are practice rounds? Do practice scores count?Practice rounds are held in the days leading up to the tournament, when you can practice playing all of the Altador Cup games. Since these are practice rounds, the scores will not support your team, and you won't start earning any credits to use in the Altador Cup Prize Shop. You can, however, earn Neopoints for playing during the practice rounds.

    • When will I get my prizes?The Prize Shop will go up after the final team standings and individual participation has been tallied. This will be on July 1st.

    • How do I join a team?It's easy. Visit the team page and simply click on any team icon on the map to see details for that team. Once you see a team you like, click "Join Team" and start playing games to support your team's chances at Altador Cup gold.

    • Can I earn Neopoints from playing the games in the Altador Cup?Yes, you will be awarded Neopoints for the first three scores you send per game each day. After you've maxed out Neopoints in each game for the day during the tournament, you should still continue to submit your scores, because all the scores you send will count toward your Prize Shop points and (except on off days) your team's total!

    • I don't understand how the scores are displayed on the Schedules & Results page. Can you explain this?When viewing a single team: When looking at just the results of one team for a day (or all days), the format is as follows: the team icon in the first column is always the opposing team, regardless of whether they were the home or away team. The scores are preceded by a W, L, or D (for win, loss, or draw). Regardless of who won, the team whose results are being viewed are listed first. For example, if you are looking at Shenkuu's page and the result for their Yooyuball match is W (6 - 5), that means they won by a score of 6 to 5. If they'd lost 8 to 2, the result would be shown as L (2 - 8).
      When viewing multiple teams: If you view the results for multiple teams on one day (or all days), the format is as follows: the team icon in the first column is always the home team, and the icon in the 2nd column is always the away team. The scores are presented in the same format, with the home team given first regardless of whether they won or lost, and the road team listed second. For example, if the home team won 10-4, it will be shown as home team icon (10 - 4). However, if the home team lost, it'll be shown as road team icon (4 - 10).
  • May 23, 2013, 11:48 am NST - Finally, we come to the last team to be spotlighted - Roo Island.



    Much like Shenkuu, Roo Island have been caught in a downwards spiral these past few seasons. RI won the third Cup, but managed a small comeback the year after the winner's curse. Since then though, it's been a downhill trip, all the way to last year's 14th.

    It's true that RI faced difficult teams in all of the brackets, but something deeper is going on. Facing 1 or 2 difficult teams per bracket is certainly enough to drop you out of the top two tiers - but 14th? Besting Brightvale in the final bracket might have been enough to draw in the final standings with Virtupets, but RI seemed unable to do this when it came to the crunch. Teams like Brightvale and the Haunted Woods should be easy targets for RI, but they aren't. Much like Shenkuu, RI has crumbled from within.

    Unless RI starts to rebuild, the bottom tiers will welcome them for some years to come.

    As the sign ups begin tomorrow - good luck to all teams!

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  • May 23, 2013, 6:46 am NST - Today we'll discuss the final two teams. First up, it's Virtupets.



    It was hardly surprising that Virtupets suffered a fall in the standings last year. They were under the effect of the winner's curse, after all. Their final standing of 13th equals that of the Lost Desert the year after they won the Cup. So far, those are the two teams to fall the lowest from the curse.

    Which is surely something VP can take heart from. LD's bounce back, as we've already talked about, was sudden and largely unexpected. Does this mean we can expect to see VP back up there so soon as well?

    Potentially, yes. There's no doubt that Stealth were a major asset to VP in the year they took the gold, but last year, despite suffering the curse, VP were sort of still holding their own. They got a mid-difficulty draw, and that should have decimated a team suffering the winner's curse. 13th was actually a decent rank, all things considered.

    I think winning another Cup so soon is a little far, but there's no reason VP can't strive to get back into the top 2 tiers - aside from one. Unfortunately, so many strong teams are now on fighting form, that there simply isn't enough room in the 1-8 slots for them all. Something's got to give, and it seems like, as with so many things in the new system, this will be down to chance. Whoever gets the most difficult draw in the coming days will, without a doubt, be relegated to the third tier.

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  • May 22, 2013, 11:55 am NST - Team Shenkuu have truly seen the highs and lows of the Cup. But which will this year hold?



    Shenkuu's history in the Cup is a sad downwards curve that the team just don't seem to be able to shake. After placing 2nd in the AC4, it's generally considered that in influx of bad players hoping to bandwagon towards 1st resulted in a form of the winner's curse that altered their fortunes.

    Although many of those players are now without a doubt elsewhere, their effect on the team remains. SK has continued to chart a downwards course ever since. Clearly, the team has become disheartened and other players have left for pastures new. This is a process that can be reversed, but it is gradual and can only really start once a team has stopped free-falling down the standings.

    Which, in a sad way, is a good thing. SK can hardly fall any further than last year's 16th. Perhaps now they can take stock and start to build again. They did get a reasonably difficult draw last year, which is good news for this year as it's unlikely that'll happen twice in a row. The chances of the team winning the Cup this year are very slim. But the priority for the team shouldn't be that - a single upwards place in standings is an achievable goal, and would do so much for team morale going forwards.

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  • May 22, 2013, 11:44 am NST - Team Tyrannia was a favored team by many going into last season, but a poor Cup saw them fall in the standings.



    A final placing of 10th was hugely disappointing for a team that could have topped the 2nd tier, if not higher. So what went wrong?

    Well, its the old familiar story of a bad draw, so it would seem. Horrible 1st and 4th brackets did nothing for the team's scores. A good showing in the 3rd bracket simply wasn't enough to cancel them out, and Tyrannia was doomed to fall.

    What does it mean for the team this year? Well, with so many strong teams now vying for the top spots a podium finish is highly unlikely for Tyrannia. As a relatively small team, All-Star group support may make an impact, but it seems as if there are more obvious contenders for their efforts. A better draw may end with Tyrannia at least returning to the second tier in some form.

    Tyrannians may count their blessings in at least one way. Events themed towards a specific land in the previous year have the capacity to attract bad players, and as such make teams fall in the standings. Although the War for the Obelisk technically took place in Tyrannia, it didn't really feature the land, so is unlikely to produce that effect.

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  • May 21, 2013, 8:45 am NST - Years of fading fortunes have caused the Haunted Woods to fall into obscurity - but could this be on the change?



    HW reached a low point in 2012 with their placing of 12th. Whilst 1st certainly won't be on the cards again any time soon, the team is on the rise. Last year they placed 9th. Nothing to shout about, perhaps, but with so many teams being messed up by the new system, it is hardly anything to complain about either.

    It's interesting to note that HW was one of the key teams that illustrated just how different the bracket system is. During the third round, HW faced Roo Island in the first match. Now, we know that Daily Matches are no longer the sole factor for points, but the results were still interesting. HW was placed above RI for the entire day in the bracket standings. Yet, when midnight came, it transpired that HW had been swept by RI. Because it was the first day, there were no previous matches to influence the result.

    This shows us something more about the bracket system. There's not just a change in the draw of teams and days of play. It would appear that the scoring formula has been altered somehow so that teams that would previously have lost can now win. HW is one of the teams that is benefiting from this change, and if it remains this year, then the woods team might well see another rise.

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  • May 21, 2013, 8:36 am NST - The Lost Desert were once one of the biggest teams in the Cup. Are they returning to form?



    Last year's finishing position of 5th was a solid showing by all accounts. Yet, in the off season, there has been comparatively little chatter about them. Considering that most of the teams around them got a boost in standings from an All Star Group when LD did not in any major way, why is this?

    It was certainly a dramatic rise. The previous year they finished in 13th - the team's worst ever showing. No surprises really, as they were under the influence of the winner's curse. To bounce back in dramatic form is relatively rare though. Haunted Woods, of course, have fallen since, along with Roo Island. Darigan Citadel have managed a comeback, but it took time. Only Krawk Island, the Cup's strongest team, have managed such a good showing so soon after winning.

    And that alone speaks volumes about the potential for LD this year. Many people discuss 'dark horse' teams in terms of lower ranking teams like Terror Mountain or Brightvale. But the true dark horse teams are ones that can manage a high ranking without, relatively speaking, getting that much attention. If they manage to catch the competition off guard and get a good draw, LD might just have a serious shot at becoming the first repeat winner this year.

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  • May 16, 2013, 9:56 am NST - The opposite side of the draw for 11th position last year is Brightvale's story.



    Unlike Terror Mountain, Brightvale's result last year was a boost in the standings, part of an overall trend for the team that began in the AC3 at their lowest point. It has been perhaps the most shallow upwards trend of any team in the Cup, but it's an upwards trend nevertheless. They now sit only a few places away from8th, the team's current best ever showing.

    So how were Brightvale able to do this? Well, they've been a very quiet dark horse for the last few years. Last season, without a doubt, the draw they got in bracket 3 helped them upwards, facing teams like Altador and Moltara. It would be tempting to claim that the 3rd bracket alone was the difference between 11th and 12th for BV. However, that's ignoring the fact that BV and Virtupets (12th place) were in the same bracket.

    BV may have benefited from a good draw, but they are also on the rise regardless. Will they repeat the feat this year? Well, it's possible that they might get 1 or 2 extra positions, but after that the teams get significantly harder, and it doesn't seem like BV are yet up to the task of taking the whole Cup.

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  • May 16, 2013, 5:13 am NST - There were three ties last year. We've already covered two, so today let's focus on the third and talk about Terror Mountain.



    A final placing of 11th was a drop for TM, having placed 8th the year before. We'll never know if they were stronger than the team they tied with, Brightvale, as non-top three teams were not given tie breaker rounds last year.

    It was a drop, yes, but not a significant one. A fall of three places is a relatively minor set back, especially when you consider last year's system and how that changed things. TM has a difficult draw, facing top teams in every single bracket. It's possible that in terms of team strength, they were relatively equal to their AC6 performance when they were on the rise.

    Again, as with so many teams, TM's fortunes depend on the draw they get this coming year. It's possible they may receive All-Star support this year, but TM is an average size team, so it's unknown if that would give them a significant advantage as it would a smaller team.

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  • May 15, 2013, 12:23 pm NST - Today let's focus on one of the Cup's most long-standing mid-range teams - Maraqua.



    Maraqua finished 8th last year, not a bad result, really. However, it was far from the result MQ wanted when they had been predicted by many to take the Cup in last year's pre-season.

    So what happened to Maraqua? Well, certainly it was a case of the new system punishing the team. MQ faced difficult teams in all 4 of their brackets, pushing them down the standings in comparison to other teams. However, there's more to that story. Although it was proven daily results were irrelevant in terms of scoring last year, they still provide an insight into team strength.

    MQ was demolished by higher ranking teams - hardly surprising there. However, in some brackets the team also faced some difficulty against Roo Island, Tyrannia, and even a minor concession against Shenkuu in the 3rd bracket. Something deeper was going on in MQ compared to previous years.

    Perhaps it was the new system itself causing players to give up - MQ has historically been one of the most analytical teams, and this system frankly leaves a lot to chance. If that's the case, then MQ's chances this year might not be so good. The system is likely to still be in place, giving no incentive for those players to return.

    Hopefully MQ will be able to adapt, though. With so many previous winners now creeping back up, MQ is one of the few higher ranking teams than could provide a new winner.

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  • May 14, 2013, 1:55 pm NST - Last year saw several surprises, but none moreso than Moltara finally getting out of last position.



    It's only been three years since Moltara joined the Cup, but in the first two years Moltara placed dead last. Easily taking home the title of worst team in both standings and win percentages. Last year's rise to 15th might not seem that much, but you have to remember that it was a similar rise that saw Virtupets start from the bottom to climb all the way to 1st in subsequent years.

    Of course, that was a somewhat gradual climb. It'll be unlikely Moltara will jump all the way to 1st, or even the historical top bracket this year. But can they keep up the momentum? And what was the cause of their sudden boost?

    Well, it's not easy to explain it away as an easy draw. Moltara faced difficult teams in 3 of the brackets, and a reasonable selection in the remaining bracket. Of course, Moltara didn't hold their own against those higher placed teams. The key thing was that Moltara was placed in brackets with other similarly ranked teams like Faerieland and Altador every single time. This allowed the team to gain at least some extra points.

    And that's the key point here. They were able to beat those two teams reliably. In previous years, whilst Moltara has scored wins against them, the majority of the time they have lost. Not any more. In 3/4 games, Moltara gained % points last year. Although it is easy to explain away many things on the new system, without a doubt Moltara did genuinely improve last year.

    Now they have to consolidate that win. If they manage to maintain or increase their standing this year, Moltara could be a future contender. Quite the goal for the team that is still, technically, the lowest ranked in the Cup.

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  • May 13, 2013, 8:15 pm NST - As seen in the news, some new locker room backgrounds were released to the mall earlier today. We've found a few more that should be out in the coming days.



  • May 13, 2013, 10:42 am NST - Today we're going to look at one of the Cup's main powerhouse teams - Krawk Island



    For many years now, KI have held the highest win percentages in the Cup. However, since they won in the AC4, they have had, at best, a rocky old time. Of course, the winner's curse fall in the AC5 was expected. No one's been immune and it was silly to suggest KI would prove otherwise. However, the big surprise was the massive comeback to 2nd in the AC6.

    Last year, however, saw KI fall again, all the way down to 7th. KI still hold on to the highest Yooyuball win percentage by a single point, but they have long since fallen in all the side games. Another bad year could well see them lose the title of highest average ranked team. Are KI's glory days over?

    Well, let's look into why they fell last year. Since AC4 onwards, all 2nd place finishers have fallen in the standings the following year. Many now attribute this to a form of the winner's curse, with low ranking players joining 2nd in the hopes of gaining 1st. No doubt KI got some of these last year. Whilst the draw of teams cannot be entirely blamed for KI's fall as with other teams (KI faced a pretty even mix of opponents), another element of last year's system can perhaps explain a little of it.

    KI had, by all accounts, a more difficult final bracket than some, facing both Darigan Citadel and the eventual winners, Kreludor. So what? Well, last year, each bracket awarded more points than the last. The final bracket ended up awarding 10 points for last place. When you compare it with the first bracket, where the winners were only awarded 13 points. Obviously, teams drawing a more difficult set of opponents in the last round were at a disadvantage. As an example, if KI's first and fourth brackets were swapped, KI would have actually ended with 58 points rather than 55. This might not sound like much, but it would have been enough to push KI from 7th to 6th.

    Last year, KI were victims of circumstance. Perhaps this year they can punch through to the top again - but if they fail, the crown of the best all round team will doubtless fall.

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  • May 12, 2013, 2:32 pm NST - Last year saw one of the most dramatic rises in fortunes in Altador Cup history. The team behind it? None other than Kiko Lake.



    Kiko Lake have long been a mid to low ranking team, hovering around the top of the bottom bracket for most of their career. Last year however, they saw a meteoric rise, climbing all the way to 6th position, above the notorious powerhouse team, Krawk Island.

    It's certainly not a new story - Virtupets having lifted themselves from last position all the way to 1st in the past, but this is in one single season. It mirrors the progress of Mystery Island, but to a lesser degree. So how did Kiko Lake manage the rise?

    Well, although Kiko Lake didn't get the official support of an All-Star group, a troll 'leaking' information about who the Stealth AC Group would be joining mistakenly pointed to Kiko Lake instead of Mystery Island. Although Stealth ultimately went elsewhere, perhaps other players were duped into joining KL. The team historically has a low number of loyal players, so a number of new skilled players would make a dramatic impact. Then again, perhaps KL's own longstanding players finally kicked it up a notch.

    Certainly, the easy draw excuse doesn't stack up for KL - they faced many strong teams like Kreludor, Meridell, and Mystery Island. Even the likes of Maraqua and Tyrannia would have been able to beat KL in previous years.

    So what will happen this year? Well, we'll find out just where KL's performance came from. Non-loyal members joining would presumably go elsewhere in the new season, and we'd expect a fall from the team. Otherwise, it is possible KL may be able to cement their new reputation as a mid-range team.

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  • May 11, 2013, 9:25 am NST - Following on from yesterday when we discussed Faerieland, today let's talk about the team they tied with - Altador.



    A steady downwards trend has dogged Team Altador for the last few years. They long ago became one of the usual suspects in the bottom bracket of the old system, and last year, even with the changes announced specifically in reference to giving teams like Altador a chance, they failed to capitalise.

    Certainly, it seems like Faerieland, Altador were victims of the draw system, facing difficult teams including Kreludor in 3 out of 4 brackets. Facing such teams, there was no hope for Altador to gain high numbers of points. The sudden boost of Team Moltara pushed Altador down, and the rest is history.

    This year, the stories of Altador and Faerieland are just as similar as their final standing. It all hinges on the draw. If they are placed in brackets with other low ranked teams like Faerieland or Moltara, Altador can be back on form. Winning the Cup is a distant dream, but getting out of the bottom two is an achievable goal.

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  • May 10, 2013, 3:43 pm NST - Another change coming this year involves Team Meridell! Looks like Gregorio Maille will be switched out for a new player, and the team's second Ixi!


    Be sure to check out all of the Team Freebies for this year's tournament!
  • May 10, 2013, 1:35 pm NST - Now that we've covered the top 4, let's talk about some of last year's less highly ranked teams.



    Team Faerieland without a doubt suffered from last year's system. They've never been a highly ranked team, and before Team Moltara turned up some people made them the butt of jokes surrounding being the Cup's lowest ranking team.

    Since their debut though, Faerieland have always hovered in either 16th or 15th position though. Historically, that's the top of the lowest bracket. Not much of an accolade, perhaps, but that made them the highest-lowest ranked team, in a way.

    Last year changed things though - they finished in 17th, the team's lowest ever ranking. Even worse, because that finish was a tie with Altador, 17th was last year's worst possible finishing position. Given that Faerieland is usually a stronger team than the likes of Altador and Moltara, it suggests that the new system had something to do with it.

    Certainly FL had a difficult draw. In various brackets they faced pretty much all the powerhouse teams, with a few exceptions. Faerieland is living proof that just as the new system can give fortune's favor to some teams, it can also punish others.

    What are Faerieland's chances at winning during the coming year? Well, frankly, slim to none. But realistically they can hope to return to the rankings of previous years, as having bad drawings two years in a row would be very unlucky.

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  • May 9, 2013, 3:41 pm NST - Last week we broke the news that Harlis Neyhbol was set to leave Team Tyrannia. We now believe that he and Moltara's Mor Gollog will simply be swapping places!



    Discuss the switch in the comments, and keep an eye on our Altador Cup 8 coverage for daily recaps of the participating teams!
  • May 9, 2013, 11:32 am NST - Rounding off the top 4 from last year, today let's talk about the Darigan Citadel.



    The Darigan Citadel finished 4th last year, the bottom of the traditional top bracket. They had 69 points, putting them 6 points below the tie-break for 2nd. This, in terms of points, is a reasonable gap. It wasn't as if DC narrowly missed out at the top position.

    But was this because DC were the victims of circumstance? They faced Kreludor three times, all in the flagging rounds of the Cup. Something Mystery Island didn't do and a team that Meridell only faced once. This potentially cost DC points that the top teams above them gained. Given that DC faced neither MI nor MD, we have no comparison of team strength so can't say whether that outcome is fair or not.

    Which is academic, of course. DC did face KD, the champions, and lost all 4 of the daily matches. DC simply wasn't strong enough to win outright last year, regardless of system. But then, DC are the most consistently high ranking previous winner, beating teams like Krawk Island that are, on paper, slightly stronger. If Krawk Island fail to recover from last year's flop, it's certain that DC have the best chance at being the first repeat winner this year.

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  • May 8, 2013, 1:41 pm NST - Having looked at Mystery Island, it's only fair to turn the spotlight on last year's 3rd ranked team - Meridell



    The fact that Meridell finished 3rd rather than 2nd should largely be ignored - they gained the position by losing a tie-breaker to Mystery Islands. The two teams finished live play with exactly 75 points. Effectively, Meridell did finish 2nd.

    Meridell have charted a steady rise in the standings since their low in the AC4, and even in 3rd they obtained their highest ever ranking. They have been a fairly solid mid-range team since their debut - just the sort of team to benefit so much from the new system. Assuming it stays, Meridell might have a real shot at the Cup this year.

    But there is a slightly dark cloud on the horizon for the team, and not in the form of a typical All-Star group. Last year, Meridell gained the support of a group of cheaters calling themselves Team Codex. The actual impact they had on a team that was on the rise anyway is debatable, but without a doubt they hurt Meridell's image. If Meridell receive continued support from them, it may actually turn out to hurt the team rather than help them as other, legitimate, players, turn away. Thankfully it seems that continued support is unlikely - this year, Meridell can make their own wins and be proud of them.

    So what does this year hold for Meridell? Well, under the new system, pretty much any year of MD's performance would be enough to gain a high tier slot. Meridell have a serious chance this year, and shouldn't be counted out.

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  • May 7, 2013, 10:23 am NST - Yesterday we took a look at Kreludor, last year's winners. Today, we'll take a look at one of the two teams that finished narrowly behind - Mystery Island.



    A rocky history for MI has seen them drop from a solid mid-range team to lower brackets in the past few years. Last year, however, Mystery Island returned to form in stunning style, finishing with an overall score of 75, tying for 2nd place with Meridell. A last minute play-off saw Mystery Island triumph, giving the team their best result in Altador Cup history.

    So what did Mystery Island do differently last year? And, more importantly, can they repeat it? Well, it seems like a mixture of factors came together to produce Mystery Island's performance, in all honesty.

    Firstly, let's not underestimate the amount of effort MI players put in last year. Without a doubt, they consolidated their efforts and fixed problems that had dogged them for the previous few years. But, without a doubt, MI received help from outside last year. Although the effect of All-Star groups has somewhat fractured over the past few years, they are still an important force in the game. Last year, it appears the All-Star group known as Stealth voted in the majority to join Mystery Island. This, without question, helped Mystery Island gain rankings.

    And the third factor looms on the horizon for all teams - the new bracket system. Mystery Island certainly came up against a few challenges, but there were certain key teams missing from their lineup. MI never faced Kreludor directly, or the Darigan Citadel for that matter. If they had been forced up against them multiple times, things might have been very different.

    This isn't to say that Mystery Island was a weak team last year - certainly not. But it illustrates how easily in last year's system mid-range teams can push up to the big leagues. What are Mystery Island's chances this year? Well, with their All-Star group potentially leaving, the team may be weaker, but ultimately it comes down to the teams they face. Another good draw, and MI may well take the Cup.

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  • May 6, 2013, 1:28 pm NST - Another season of the Altador Cup looms on the horizon - with sign ups slated to begin on May the 24th, later this month. So what better time than a little recap of the various teams taking part in the Cup?

    Today we'll start off with a look at last year's champions, Kreludor.



    Kreludor have long been a contender for the top places in the Cup, finishing in the top 4 in two thirds of the years they have participated for. It has long been known that finals situations were the team's downfall though, losing out narrowly year after year. Last year though, amidst the changes to the Cup, the finals system was removed. Kreludor saw their chance at last, and took it.

    The winner's curse now looms perilously on the horizon for KD. In 7 years of play, no team in history has managed to hold on to a top 4 finish the year after winning. When powerhouse teams like Darigan Citadel and Krawk Island prove unable to resist, it seems unlikely that Kreludor will fare any better. In fact, given Kreludor's normal team size, under the old system their fall might have been the most painful of all.

    But, in all likelihood, we will not be facing the old system when the Altador Cup returns later this month. The bracket system introduced last year produced some interesting quirks - most notably amongst historically mid-range teams. No one can forget Kiko Lake's sudden rise up the standings, or the upsets by Moltara not finishing last for the first time since their arrival in the Cup.

    Kreludor's fortunes now seem to rest entirely on the luck of the draw. If the random nature of bracket selection places them in difficult brackets for all weeks of play, Kreludor will most likely face difficulties. But if they get lucky, and draw easier teams, they might just have a shot of staying up top.

    Of course, no one expects Kreludor to repeat win so soon. But if they avoid a dramatic fall, they can begin to build up again and may have a solid shot at gold next year. Certainly, with win percentages in all games above 60%, and improving year on year, Kreludor is unlikely to have any problems in the long term.

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  • May 2, 2013, 12:36 pm NST - It seems like another player may be swapping teams in the Altador Cup coming up later this month:



    Harlis Neyhbol, current Team Tyrannia goalkeeper, may soon be sporting Team Moltara colours.

    However, his position in Team Tyrannia does not yet seem to have been filled. So what does this mean for Mor Gollog, Moltara's goalie?

    Thanks to cherry_icee12 for pointing this out!