I wonder if there are less in Europe this year and more in the US because Star Wars Celebration this year is in Florida and not the UK?

Yay, who scheduled these things? The one in California is in the same day as a freaking regional that WAS ALREADY ANNOUNCED MONTHS AGO. I am beyond pissed right now. Glad they increased the amount, but seriously?

You're going to have a conflict with anything that they do during regional season. At least it doesn't conflict with the regional in that same city.

Yeah my immediate thought was that the attendance of some of the EU ones last time wouldn't offset the flights, hotels, venues etc that the staff would need for the Opens. And then the price of flights for the winners out to the US.

The Plano regional on the same day has had its date changed to TBA. Hopefully they can sort this out for everyone.

Hmm more US locations when Star Wars celebration is in Orlando. Makes sense financially, though it does suck for the rest of the world.

Well, I guess I'll be able to watch the Coruscant Invitational at Celebration next year. I was kind of hoping there'd be some kind of open event.

Yeah, not really a surprise though given the final was at Celebration for the last one too. Closest one for Florida, or much of the SE US I suppose, is Chicago. At least we don't have to deal with one overlapping Regionals like seems to be happening everywhere else...

Is it even still possible to get Celebration tickets at this point? I sort of didn't pay attention when they became available.

Hmm more US locations when Star Wars celebration is in Orlando. Makes sense financially, though it does suck for the rest of the world.

I think its probably better for most of the world than it was last year with all but one event clustered so tightly together in Europe.

Players from Asia and Australia are probably much better off traveling to the West Coast of the US than going to Europe (It takes 8 hours more to fly to London than it does San Diego from Sydney). South and Central American players aren't that far from San Diego or San Antonio (compared to Europe). Most of the Canadian population centers are close to either Syracuse, Chicago, or Seattle.

Seattle and Portland also have huge player communities.

I'm so excited to have one of these within an hour's drive!

The Seattle event requires purchase of an Emerald City Comicon badge...$110 USD (that's like a bazillion in CAD)...pretty ridiculous.

There's a big player base in the area- About 25 regular store game nights in Western Washington. Portland and Vancouver, BC have solid scenes too, not to mention Boise and Salt Lake City, which are a short direct flight away.

I'm very excited to see the potential of that group coming together!

Welp, so much for my plan to travel to the open in the UK this year, having missed it last year. Lands right on the weekend of regionals. Who schedules these things? Surely there had to be some communication about it?

I'm happy there's one in Syracuse, NY.

We're also getting a regional in Ottawa this year, just a month before the Syracuse Open. I'll have some convincing to do, including explaining to my not-yet-bilingual 7 year old that he wouldn't find those marathons of X-wing as fun as store tournaments.

And FFG continues to ignore Australia (not mention most of the world). X-Wing is massive here. They can't stump up one or two events here?

They can't stump up one or two events here?

As much as I'd like to see one there for the sake of all you down there... I'm fairly sure FFG would host one there if they could, I mean it would undoubtedly have a huge turn out and be great for the game.

Typically if a company doesn't do something seems to clearly in their best interest... There's normally a good reason for it.

It would be nice if the reason could be articulated. We were pretty disappointed to be left out of the 2016 series - and that disappointment was made known to FFG. So for them to repeat the exclusion kind of smarts a little.

If it's a good reason why they can't/won't, then tell us. We're reasonable people (most of the time) and will accept a sound argument.

They can't stump up one or two events here?

As much as I'd like to see one there for the sake of all you down there... I'm fairly sure FFG would host one there if they could, I mean it would undoubtedly have a huge turn out and be great for the game.

Typically if a company doesn't do something seems to clearly in their best interest... There's normally a good reason for it.

At least Australians that are considering travelling to one of the US events aren't getting stuck with a trip to Indiana or Minnesota like they do with Worlds and GenCon.

At least Australians that are considering travelling to one of the US events aren't getting stuck with a trip to Indiana or Minnesota like they do with Worlds and GenCon.

I think Worlds should be held in January in Minnesota... Let's see who's really dedicated to the game!

I think Worlds should be held in January in Minnesota... Let's see who's really dedicated to the game!

All the Western Canadians who laugh at that weather.

Come on FFG, Australia and Brazil with nothing and then you put 5 in USA??? Come on, you can do better than that, at least increase the number of planets. You can keep 5 in the US, but bring us some love as well. bring them to Australia and Brazil(So we can at least hold one for all SA).

They can't stump up one or two events here?

As much as I'd like to see one there for the sake of all you down there... I'm fairly sure FFG would host one there if they could, I mean it would undoubtedly have a huge turn out and be great for the game.

Typically if a company doesn't do something seems to clearly in their best interest... There's normally a good reason for it.

At least Australians that are considering travelling to one of the US events aren't getting stuck with a trip to Indiana or Minnesota like they do with Worlds and GenCon.

Sure... Aside from the cost and 15 hours on a plane... And the arriving before you took off; and the losing a whole day on the way home... It's a diddle.

15 hours?

Man, last time I flew Melbourne to Calgary, it was 21 on the long hop alone.....

... Then ended up being Melbourne-> SanFran -> Las Vegas -> Minneanapolis -> Calgary....

So add another 12 hours of flight and 8 hours of Stopovers.... >.>

Come on FFG, Australia and Brazil with nothing and then you put 5 in USA???

Why do people just not get that there is no correlation between the number of events in the US or Europe and where else they have them?

It's not like they were considering having a System Open event in Australia and decided instead to have it the US. I don't know for sure why they don't have events in some places although I assume cost is part of it.

And the arriving before you took off;

I did that once, had to catch a flight from Dallas to Phoenix and due and landed 5 minutes before I took off.

The Seattle event requires purchase of an Emerald City Comicon badge...$110 USD (that's like a bazillion in CAD)...pretty ridiculous.

$150 with the 40 entry fee for the tournament.

I agree there's probably more than are needed in the US, but I LOVE that htere's one in seattle.

Considering how many were in the US last year, I don't see how anyone can complain that there's more here this year. Especially if they alternate back and forth every other year.

I do think they really need to have one in the AU/NZ area though.

Ideally there should be probably 2-3 in the US, 2-3 in europe, 1 in australia, 1 in south america.

The Seattle event requires purchase of an Emerald City Comicon badge...$110 USD (that's like a bazillion in CAD)...pretty ridiculous.

$150 with the 40 entry fee for the tournament.

And thats not including any hanger bays or anything. $210 if you wanna go for the admiral's pass.