Tournament Starts
The first official qualifier window opens.
Official alpha tournament
Race Hard.Win Harder.
Compete weekly. Earn Circuit Points. Secure your place in the Grand Prix.
- Weekly qualifiers
- 6 Weeks
- Player window
- 90 Minutes
- Tournament prizes
- MSI Gear
- Players advance
- Top 16
The race begins
MSI Grand Prix
Welcome to the next Ascent Rivals Grand Prix, proudly presented by MSI. Across six weeks of weekly qualifiers, competitors will race to earn Circuit Points, climb the standings, and secure their tournament qualifier spot.
Dates and access
Tournament Schedule
Grand Prix
The top 16 racers battle for the championship.
Qualifier Matchmaking
Every Thursday
– PST
Enter matchmaking during the weekly qualifier window.
Practice Matchmaking
Every Saturday
– PST
A recurring practice window for tournament racers.
Brought to you by Monolith Gaming.
How to Join
From the Ascent Rivals main menu, select the MSI Tournament Matchmaking queue during the qualifier window.
Shoutcaster
Mezzcast
Official live race commentary.
Competition format
How Qualifying Works
Minutes to compete each week
Players have 90 minutes to compete each week. Your qualifier points are determined by the combined score from your best three consecutive matches during the qualifier.
The qualifier spans six weeks, and only your best four weekly qualifier scores will count toward your final tournament placement.
At the end of the qualifiers, the top 16 players with the highest Circuit Point totals will advance to the Grand Prix.
Powered by MSI
Tournament Prizes
1st Place
- Ascent Rivals Champion Merch Box
- Customized Ascent Rivals Jersey
- Ascent Rivals Ship LEGO Set
- MSI FORGE GK600 TKL Wireless Keyboard
2nd Place
- Ascent Rivals Ship LEGO Set
- MSI FORGE GK600 TKL Wireless Keyboard
3rd Place
- MSI FORGE GK600 TKL Wireless Keyboard
One Random Racer
- MSI FORGE GK600 TKL Wireless Keyboard
Selection details will be defined in the official rules.
Common questions
FAQ
How do I download Ascent Rivals?
Ascent Rivals can be downloaded free on Steam. You just need to visit the Steam page and request playtest access. Playtest access is automatically granted upon request.
What controls can I use?
Ascent Rivals supports both keyboard and mouse and gamepad.
How do I queue for a match?
From the main menu, select Matchmaking to search for a game.
When can I play Ascent Rivals?
Check the Events tab in the main menu for active matchmaking windows. Time Trials and Scrimmage modes are available offline at any time.
How do you earn Circuit Points?
Each race consists of four heats with escalating point rewards.
Heat 1: 1st place earns 50 Circuit Points. Each subsequent placement earns 2 fewer Circuit Points (2nd = 48, 3rd = 46, and so on).
Heat 2: Circuit Points are doubled (2×).
Heat 3: Circuit Points are tripled (3×).
Heat 4: Circuit Points are quadrupled (4×).
Players also earn ARC by completing laps, shooting enemies and obelisks. Spend ARC in the next heat to upgrade ship parts and weapons.
Is voice chat required?
Although Discord participation is encouraged, voice chat is not required. Players can search for a match in the game's menu.
Can I stream or post footage?
Yes. Streaming and content creation are encouraged. Replays are available for all matches in Match History.
How do I report a bug?
Use the bug-report channel in the Ascent Rivals Discord and follow the prompt.
Where do I give feedback?
Share feedback with one of the hosts or moderators in the Ascent Rivals community.
PC specifications
System Requirements
Minimum
- OS
- Windows 7
- Processor
- Intel Core i5-3470 | AMD Ryzen 3 1200
- Memory
- 8 GB RAM
- Graphics
- GeForce GTX 1060 | Radeon RX 580
- DirectX
- Version 11
- Storage
- 16 GB available space
Recommended
- OS
- Windows 11
- Processor
- Intel Core i7-3770 | AMD Ryzen 5 1600
- Memory
- 16 GB RAM
- Graphics
- GeForce RTX 3060 | AMD Radeon RX 6700 XT
- DirectX
- Version 12
- Storage
- 16 GB available space
Input guide
Core Controls
Scroll horizontally to view every control scheme.
| Action | Keyboard / Mouse | Normal Gamepad | Dual-Stick Gamepad |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drive Forward | W | RT | LS ↑ + RS ↑ |
| Drive Backwards | S | LT | LS ↓ + RS ↓ |
| Steer Right | D | LS → | LS ↑ + RS ↓ |
| Steer Left | A | LS ← | LS ↓ + RS ↑ |
| Glide Right | Mouse → | RS → | LS → + RS → |
| Glide Left | Mouse ← | RS ← | LS ← + RS ← |
| Hard Steer Right | Mouse Right | LS → | RT |
| Hard Steer Left | Mouse Left | LS ← | LT |
| Strafe Right | E | RB | RB |
| Strafe Left | Q | LB | LB |
| Stall Engine | Space | B | B |
| Combat Mode | Left Shift | X | X |
| Boost | Shift > S > W | A | B > sticks |
Claim your qualifier spot
Ready to Race?
Download Ascent Rivals, join the qualifier window, and fight for a place in the Grand Prix.