OFFICIAL RULES FOR "OPERATION: WINTER INVASION" TOURNAMENT (the "Tournament")

Sponsored by: GameSpot, a division of CNET Networks, Inc. (referred to herein as "CNET" or "Sponsor")

The Tournament is open to all registered subscribers of GameSpot. NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Your entry constitutes your full and unconditional agreement to and acceptance of these Official Rules and Regulations.

OFFICIAL RULES:

To enter, go to http://www.gamespot.com/tournaments/cod2jan06/timeslots.php and click to join an open time slot. It's necessary to first log into the GameSpot Web site. Registration will begin on Friday, January 27, 2006, 3:00 p.m. PT and end on Tuesday, January 31, 2006, 12:00 p.m. PT. The first eighty (80) registrants will be accepted as contestants in the Tournament. The next eighty (80) registrants will be accepted on a waiting list. Wait-listed contestants will be chosen to participate in the Tournament, based on the order in which they registered, if a contestant is not available to participate at the time of their Tournament match. Contestants will be notified via e-mail about the Tournament schedule and their allotted time slot for the qualifying round. Contestants must follow the instructions provided in the notification e-mail to participate.

The Tournament is open to legal residents of the United States and Canada who are at least 13 years of age on January 27, 2006, except employees and their immediate families of sponsor, its affiliates, subsidiaries, and its advertising and promotion agencies. All federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply.

No purchase or payment necessary to enter. The Tournament begins January 31, 2006 at 4:30 p.m. PT.

To participate:

• The Tournament is open to US and Canadian residents only.
• You must have Call of Duty 2 with latest patch installed.
• Every contestant has a chance to sign up for the tournament and to create his or her own team. It is not required for the contestant to know everyone on the team.
• While GameSpot's high-speed, US-based servers generally provide great performance to North American residents, it is advised that all contestants check their ping before the day of the Tournament to confirm they can compete comfortably on GameSpot West Coast servers.
• Voice communication and team text chat is allowed during matches. Global text chat will only be used by Tournament staff. Any team member participating in the tournament who chooses to ignore this rule may be disqualified at the discretion of the tournament staff.
• Any disorderly behavior disqualifies contestants from participation, finals, or prizes. This determination can be made by Tournament staff at any time.
• Contestants must arrive in the GameSpot chat channel at least 15 minutes before their assigned time slot. An administrator will be taking roll call starting 20 minutes before the assigned time. Late arrivals and no-shows for the qualifying round will give up their slots to those on the waiting list.
• Contestants will start a match by joining the Tournament server from their in-game server list. The servers will be named "GameSpot Operation: Winter Invasion 1" or "GameSpot Operation: Winter Invasion Tournament 2."
• Contestants must wait for an announcement from a Tournament administrator before joining the Tournament server.
• Contestants must assemble with their team on the appropriate side after the pistolbash period has determined which side they will play first. Those on the incorrect team after that time will be warned and may be disqualified. This also applies to switching sides after the first period.

Restrictions:

• Any disorderly behavior disqualifies contestants from participation, finals, or prizes. Tournament staff are the final arbiters in all situations, and they have the final say in every situation; this includes tournament chat. Please refrain from using harassing, negative, or profane language in either the tournament chat or the game server.
• No cheats or hacks of any kind are to be used. Players who use jumptricks on which they can get to without any help of teammates, bugs, or grenades or players found in locations on the map that require boosts from teammates or nadejumps will be removed from the tournament.
• Taking advantage of known exploits in the game is also considered cheating. Exploits in the game could be a variety of things, such as bugs that allow you to pass through or shoot through walls, doors, and windows. If a tournament staff member finds that you are cheating, you will be disqualified from the tournament immediately with no recourse for yourself.
• Spectator mode is reserved for tournament staff only; no player should ever be in spectator mode.
• Default models and skins will be used.
• No binds that alter the map: No fog, no foliage will be accepted. No more than two binds are allowed at any time. Bindings that are accepted include changes to the single-key gameplay configuration, or two keys bound for motion.
• These rules are subject to change at any time. If any changes to the rules occur, you will be notified through the Tournament news page and a Tournament forum post; a time stamp will be on any Web pages that have been revised.

Match Format:

• All matches will be played on GameSpot West Coast servers.
• The following maps will be used: Burgundy for the qualifying round, Toujane for the quarterfinals, with the Trainstation for the semifinals and Matmata for the final matches.
• Each Match will utilize a "first to 11 points" scenario.
• There will be a three-minute setup period that will take place when you arrive for your time slot. Both teams have five minutes to ready up from the time their match starts.
• Each match will start with a pistolbashing round, and the winner gets to choose which side their team plays first (Axis or Allies).
• The match will consist of two periods, each with 10 rounds. Both 10-round sets will utilize the same map as described (listed in item #9 below). After the first 10 rounds, the teams will switch sides.
• The first team to achieve 11 points wins the match and moves on in the brackets to the quarterfinals, semifinals, and so forth.
• If there is a tie, overtime will occur with a pistolbash period to determine who will play which side. Teams will play six rounds; the one with the most rounds wins the match. Each team will play three rounds Allies, three rounds Axis, with a "half-time" in between to switch sides. If another tie occurs, another set of six rounds must be played in the same way to determine the winner.

Server Settings:

Search & Destroy gametype
Friendly Fire ON
Spectator Mode OFF
Sniper limit 1
Trench gun limit 1
Smoke limit 1 (Trench gun carrier)

Prizes:

1st Place: Each member of the 1st-place team will receive a $300 gift certificate for Best Buy.

2nd Place: Each member of the 2nd-place team will receive a $100 gift certificate for Best Buy.

3rd Place: Each member of the two 3rd-place teams will receive a $50 gift certificate for Best Buy.

All federal, state, and local taxes are the sole responsibility of the winner. 1099 tax statements will be filed with the IRS for winners of prizes having a value of more than $600, or as otherwise required by the Internal Revenue Code. Sponsor will arrange for delivery of all prizes.

Entrants agree to abide by the terms of these official rules and by the decisions of Sponsor, which are final and binding on all matters pertaining to this Tournament.

All winners will be notified by e-mail. Any prize notification or prize returned to Sponsor as undeliverable will be forfeited. Except where prohibited by law, the winner consents to the use of their name and entry in any manner by Sponsor and its advertising and promotion agencies without further compensation. Neither Sponsor nor its affiliates, subsidiaries, divisions, or related companies are responsible for any damages, taxes, or expenses that the winners might incur as a result of this Tournament or receipt of prizes. Winners accepting prizes agree that all prizes are awarded on the condition that Sponsor and its agents, representatives, affiliates, and employees will have no liability whatsoever for any injuries, losses, or damages of any kind resulting from acceptance, possession, or use of the prizes. Winner further acknowledges that Sponsor is not responsible or liable for any warranty, representation, or guarantee express or implied, in fact or in law, relative to any prize, including, but not limited to, its quality, mechanical condition, or fitness. Winner may make no substitutions or transfer of prizes. Sponsor reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value.

If for any reason the online portion of the program is not capable of running as planned, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes beyond the control of Sponsor that corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this Tournament, Sponsor reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to postpone the Tournament until a later date. Sponsor assumes no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, or other failure of or related to the software platform on which the Tournament is played. Sponsor is not responsible for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone network or lines, computer online systems, servers, or providers, computer equipment, software, failure of any e-mail or entry to be received by Sponsor on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any Web site, or any combination thereof, including any injury or damage to participant's or any other person's computer related to or resulting from participation or downloading any materials in this Tournament.

CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY AN ENTRANT TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE ANY WEB SITE OR APPLICATION OR TO UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE TOURNAMENT IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, SPONSOR RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES FROM ANY SUCH ENTRANT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

By entering this Tournament, you agree and consent that any information you provide upon entering may be used by Sponsor in accordance with its privacy policy, available at http://www.cnet.com/html/aboutcnet/editorial/privacy.html?tag=ft. If you do not want your information used in this manner, do not enter this Tournament.