Questions about Season 4
If something here is not answered, the Rules page covers the competition in detail.
Frequently asked
What is the Vertex Ladder?
An independent competitive circuit for Cairnfall. Each season runs an open ladder, and the eight teams holding the most ladder points at the close of the season are invited to the Summit Finals. Season 4 is the current season and its Finals are played at Coldspur Hall.
What is Cairnfall?
Cairnfall is the original five on five team objective game the circuit is built around. Two teams contest a set of fixed points on the map, holding them to build score rather than racing to a kill total. Rosters name five roles, Vanguard, Breaker, Warden, Courier and Anchor, which describe how a team divides the map between contesting, holding and rotating.
How much does it cost to watch?
Nothing. Every match is called live from the Summit Desk and a replay is posted after each playoff day. There is no ticket, no subscription and no paid tier, and there is nothing to purchase anywhere on this website.
How were the eight teams chosen?
By ladder points alone. Season 4 ran an open ladder, and the eight highest placed teams at the close of the season received invitations. There is no application, no selection committee and no entry fee. A team that stopped competing before the ladder closed forfeits its standing.
What is the format at the Finals?
Two groups of four play a single round robin in best of three, which is now complete. Group placement seeds all eight teams into a single elimination bracket. Quarterfinals are best of three, and both semifinals and the grand final are best of five. The full schedule and the bracket are on the Schedule page.
How big is the prize pool, and is there a buy-in?
The Season 4 pool is 240,000, split by final placement: 110,000 to the champion, 55,000 to the runner up, 22,500 to each semifinalist and 7,500 to each quarterfinalist. There is no buy-in. It is a prize for placing in a competition of skill, not a wager, and nothing is staked by the teams or by anyone watching.
Is there an age requirement to follow the circuit?
No. This is an information site about a competitive gaming tournament. There is nothing to purchase, nothing to wager and no account to open, so the site is open to anyone who wants to read the schedule or watch a match.
Where are the finals played?
At Coldspur Hall in Europe, across three playoff days on August 14 to 16, 2026. The hall seats a small studio audience made up of the competing teams' travelling parties; general admission is not sold.
Are the game, teams and players real?
They are original works of the Vertex Ladder team. Cairnfall, the circuit, the eight organisations and every player handle shown are our own creations, and the site is not affiliated with any real game publisher or esports organization. Nothing here uses another company's game, logos or artwork.