Ladder seasons/StarCraft II

Battle.net seasons organize division tournaments.

Seasons are periodically locked before a new season begins. Players can still move up and down within a division but cannot jump from one league to another, and bonus points will no longer accumulate. However, their "hidden" rating will still be able to change (which affects the AMM and can result in a league jump in the new season). Season milestone rewards will be locked in at this time, and bonus pools will start over. Hidden skill ratings used for matchmaking and league placement will carry over from the previous season. Players will need to play a single placement match in the new season.

A player's career page lists their placement in previous seasons.

As of season 7, Blizzard has "relaxed" the AMM requirements, causing players to face opponents of somewhat higher and somewhat lower skill levels.

As of September 2012, seasons are named with a year as well as a number. For instance, season 8 is referred to as 2012 season 3.

Timeline
Season 1 was locked on March 22, 2011 and season 2 began March 29 of that year.

Season 2 was locked on July 5th, 2011. Season 3 started Tuesday, July 26, 2011.

Season 3 was locked on October 10th, and season 4 started October 25th.

Season 4 was locked on December 13, 2011 and season 5 started December 20, 2011.

Season 5 was locked on February 7, 2012 and season 6 began February 14, 2012.

Season 7 began on April 10, 2012 and locked Tuesday, June 5, 2012.

Season 8 started on June 12th. The grandmaster league would start one week later. As of October 2011, each season will now last for approximately two months, and Grandmaster league placement time will be reduced to one week (from two weeks) to account for the reduced season length.

Season 8, now referred to as 2012 season 3, closed September 6, 2012. On September 11, 2012 season 4 starts, and a week later, the grandmaster league will open for it.

2012 Season 4 closed Wednesday, October 24 and the next season opened Thursday, November 1st.

2012 Season 5 was locked December 26, 2012. 2013 Season 1 opened January 3, 2013.

2013 Season 1 was locked March 5th and 2013 Season 2 opened March 11th.

2013 Season 2 was locked April 23rd and Season 3 opened May 1st.

2013 Season 3 was locked June 4th and Season 4 opened June 10th.

2013 Season 4 was locked August 19 and Season 5 opened August 26.

2013 Season 5 was locked on November 4th and Season 6 opened November 11th.

2013 Season 6 was locked on December 26th and 2014 Season 1 opened January 3rd, 2014.

2014 Season 1 was locked on April 7th, 2014 and Season 2 opened April 14th.

2014 Season 2 was locked on June 23, 2014, and Season 3 opened July 7, 2014.

2014 Season 3 was locked late in 2014, and Season 4 opened November 10, 2014.

2016 Season 1 was locked early March 21st, 2016, and Season 2 opened March 28th, 2017.

2016 Season 2 was locked early June 2016, and Season 3 opened June 20th, 2017.

2016 Season 3 was locked July 2016, and Season 4 opened July 12th, 2017.

2016 Season 4 was locked October 11th, 2016, and Season 5 opened October 14th, 2017.

2016 Season 5 was locked November, 8th 2016, and Season 6 opened November 22th, 2016.

2016 Season 6 was locked late 2016, and 2017 Season 1 opened January 24th, 2017.

2017 Season 1 was locked spring 2017, and Season 2 opened March 2nd, 2017.

2017 Season 2 was locked June 2017.

Map Pools
Two of the winners of Teamliquid's 2015 map contest will be included in this season's map pool.

2017
New maps are in bold.
 * Season 3 Pool
 * 1v1
 * Frost
 * Odyssey
 * Ascension to Aiur
 * Acolyte LE
 * Mech Depot LE
 * Secret Spring
 * Vaani Research Station

New maps are in bold.
 * Season 2 Pool
 * 1v1
 * Abyssal Reef
 * Proxima Station
 * Ascension to Aiur
 * Blood Boil
 * Defenders Landing
 * Odyssey
 * Sequencer


 * 2v2
 * Magma Mines
 * Moebius Facility XX-1
 * Shadowed Jungle
 * Shrines of Lizul
 * Snowy Mesa
 * Overgrown Facility
 * Traitor's Exile


 * 3v3
 * Fields of Shazir
 * Molten Temple
 * Orbital Depot
 * Slaying Field
 * Ujari
 * Bastion of the Conclave
 * Black Site 2E


 * 4v4
 * Garden of Shadows
 * Refinery XJ-17
 * Rooftop Terrace
 * Tropic Shores
 * Void Zone
 * Last Remnant
 * Old Estate

New maps are in bold.
 * Season 1 Pool
 * 1v1
 * Cactus Valley
 * Proxima Station
 * Newkirk Precinct
 * Abyssal Reef
 * Bel'Shir Vestige
 * Honor Grounds
 * Paladino Terminal


 * 2v2
 * Distant Plane
 * Fields of Death
 * Magma Mines
 * Moebius Facility XX-1
 * Shrines of Lizul
 * Snowy Mesa
 * Shadowed Jungle


 * 3v3
 * Avalon Labs
 * New Richmond
 * Molten Temple
 * Orbital Depot
 * Slaying Field
 * Ujari
 * Fields of Shazir


 * 4v4
 * Asper Mountain
 * Moebius Facility XX-1
 * Garden of Shadows
 * Rooftop Terrace
 * Void Zone
 * Refinery XJ-17
 * Tropic Shores

2016
New maps are in bold
 * Season 6 Pool
 * 1v1
 * Echo
 * Daybreak
 * Habitation Station
 * Newkirk Precinct
 * Overgrowth
 * Vaani Research Station
 * Whirlwind

Team game maps remained unchanged from last season.


 * Season 5 Pool

All maps remained unchanged from last season.


 * Season 4 Pool

New maps are in bold.
 * 1v1
 * Frost
 * Frozen Temple
 * King Sejong Station
 * Apotheosis
 * Dasan Station
 * Galactic Process
 * New Gettysburg


 * 2v2
 * Distant Plane
 * Fields of Death
 * Magma Mines
 * Moebius Facility XX-1
 * Sludge City
 * Shrines of Lizul
 * Snowy Mesa


 * 3v3
 * Avalon Labs
 * Backcountry
 * Doraelus Hills
 * New Richmond
 * Slaying Field
 * Molten Temple
 * Orbital Depot


 * 4v4
 * Asper Mountain
 * Moebius Facility XX-1
 * Hidden Caves
 * Kimeran Refuge
 * Void Zone
 * Garden of Shadows
 * Rooftop Terrace


 * Season 3 Pool

New maps are in bold
 * 1v1
 * Dusk Towers
 * Frozen Temple
 * Invader
 * Ruins of Endion
 * Ulrena
 * Frost
 * King Sejong Station

Team game maps remained unchanged from last season.


 * Season 2 Pool

New maps are in bold.
 * 1v1
 * Dusk Towers
 * Ulrena
 * Frozen Temple
 * Invader
 * Ruins of Endion


 * 2v2
 * Distant Plane
 * Fields of Death
 * Infestation
 * Omicron
 * Sludge City
 * Magma Mines
 * Moebius Facility XX-1


 * 3v3
 * Avalon Labs
 * Backcountry
 * Doraelus Hills
 * Ice Cliffs
 * New Williamsberg
 * New Richmond
 * Slaying Field


 * 4v4
 * Abandoned Parish
 * Asper Mountain
 * Hidden Caves
 * Kimeran Refuge
 * Research Site JD-2
 * Moebius Facility XX-1
 * Void Zone


 * Season 1 Pool

All maps remained unchanged from last season.

2015

 * Season 4 Pool

New maps are in bold.
 * 1v1
 * Lerilak Crest
 * Orbital Shipyard
 * Ruins of Seras
 * Central Protocol
 * Dusk Towers
 * Prion Terraces


 * 2v2
 * Infestation
 * Omicron
 * Seething Jungle
 * Sludge City
 * Wolfe Industries Compound
 * Distant Plane
 * Fields of Death


 * 3v3
 * Backcountry
 * Hills of Peshkov
 * Ice Cliffs
 * Nephor I
 * New Williamsberg
 * Avalon Labs
 * Doraelus Hills


 * 4v4
 * Abandoned Parish
 * Cryptic Fortress
 * Kimeran Refuge
 * Research Site JD-2
 * Scoria Reactor
 * Asper Mountain
 * Hidden Caves


 * Legacy of the Void Beta

The following maps were available in the Legacy of the Void beta. Only 1v1 maps were available.


 * Bridgehead
 * Cactus Valley
 * Coda
 * Dash and Terminal
 * Echo
 * Inferno Pools
 * Iron Fortress
 * Lerilak Crest
 * Moonlight Madness
 * Orbital Shipyard
 * Ruins of Seras
 * Terraform


 * Season 3 Pool

New maps are in bold.
 * 1v1
 * Cactus Valley
 * Coda
 * Iron Fortress
 * Bridgehead
 * Dash and Terminal
 * Moonlight Madness
 * Terraform


 * 2v2
 * Crystal Pools
 * Katherine Square
 * Omicron
 * Seething Jungle
 * Wolfe Industries Compound
 * Infestation
 * Sludge City


 * 3v3
 * Forbidden Sanctuary
 * Frozen Fields
 * Hills of Peshkov
 * Ice Cliffs
 * Nephor I
 * Backcountry
 * New Williamsberg


 * 4v4
 * Cryptic Fortress
 * Fossil Quarry
 * Research Site JD-2
 * Scoria Reactor
 * Sundered Isle
 * Abandoned Parish
 * Kimeran Refuge


 * Season 2 Pool

New maps are in bold.
 * 1v1
 * Expedition Lost
 * Inferno Pools
 * Vaani Research Station
 * Cactus Valley
 * Coda
 * Iron Fortress
 * Echo


 * 2v2
 * Crystal Pools
 * Desert Refuge
 * Katherine Square
 * Old Country
 * Preservation
 * Wolfe Industries Compound
 * Omicron
 * Seething Jungle


 * 3v3
 * Aftermath
 * Dust Bowl
 * Forbidden Sanctuary
 * Frozen Fields
 * Hills of Peshkov
 * The Commune
 * Ice Cliffs
 * Nephor I


 * 4v4
 * Blackfrost Extraction
 * Fossil Quarry
 * Halcyon
 * Old Country
 * Scoria Reactor
 * Sundered Isle
 * Cryptic Fortress
 * Research Site JD-2

New maps are in bold.
 * Season 1 Pool
 * 1v1
 * Deadwing
 * Catallena
 * Overgrowth
 * Expedition Lost
 * Inferno Pools
 * Secret Spring
 * Vaani Research Station


 * 2v2
 * Avalanche
 * Crooked Maw
 * Crystal Pools
 * Katherine Square
 * Old Country
 * Preservation
 * Desert Refuge
 * Wolfe Industries Compound


 * 3v3


 * Dust Bowl
 * Forbidden Sanctuary
 * Frozen Fields
 * Scorched Vista
 * The Commune
 * Untamed Spire
 * Aftermath
 * Hills of Peshkov


 * 4v4
 * Conduit
 * Fossil Quarry
 * Halcyon
 * Old Country
 * Primordial Grave
 * Sundered Isle
 * Blackfrost Extraction
 * Scoria Reactor

2014
New maps are in bold. The following map pool was generated by popular vote.
 * Season 4 Pool
 * 1v1
 * Akilon Wastes
 * Cloud Kingdom
 * Daybreak
 * Metalopolis
 * Ohana
 * Shakuras Plateau
 * Xel'Naga Caverns

Team game maps remained unchanged from last season.

New maps are in bold.
 * Season 3
 * 1v1
 * King Sejong Station
 * Merry Go Round
 * Overgrowth
 * Catallena
 * Deadwing 
 * Foxtrot Labs
 * Nimbus 
 * 2v2
 * Avalanche
 * Crooked Maw
 * Crystal Pools
 * Katherine Square
 * Old Country
 * Preservation
 * 3v3
 * Aftermath
 * Forbidden Sanctuary
 * Frozen Fields
 * Research Complex
 * Scorched Vista
 * Shadow Reactor
 * The Commune
 * Untamed Spire
 * The Commune
 * Dust Bowl
 * 4v4
 * Conduit
 * Fossil Quarry
 * Primordial Grave
 * Retribution
 * Shattered Terrace
 * Sundered Isle
 * Old Country
 * Halcyon

New maps are in bold.
 * Season 2 Pool
 * 1v1
 * Alterzim Stronghold
 * Frost
 * Habitation Station
 * King Sejong Station
 * Overgrowth
 * Merry Go Round
 * Waystation
 * 2v2
 * Avalanche
 * Crooked Maw
 * Geosync Quarry
 * Isle of Slaughter
 * Reclamation
 * Resupply Tanker
 * Crystal Pools
 * Katherine Square
 * 3v3
 * Aftermath
 * Scorched Vista
 * Research Complex
 * Sands of Strife
 * Shadow Reactor
 * Temple of the Preservers
 * Untamed Spire
 * Forbidden Sanctuary
 * Frozen Fields
 * 4v4
 * Fallout Zone
 * Fossil Quarry
 * Primordial Grave
 * Retribution
 * Shattered Terrace
 * Writhing Morass
 * Conduit
 * Sundered Isle

New maps are in bold.
 * Season 1 Pool
 * 1v1
 * Alterzim Stronghold
 * Frost
 * Polar Night
 * Yeonsu
 * Daedalus Point
 * Habitation Station
 * Heavy Rain


 * 2v2
 * Geosync Quarry
 * Graystone Ravine
 * Hunting Ground
 * Isle of Slaughter
 * Reclamation
 * Resupply Tanker
 * Avalanche
 * Crooked Maw

3v3 and 4v4 maps remained unchanged from last season.

2013
New maps are in bold.
 * Season 6 Pool
 * 1v1
 * Bel'Shir Vestige
 * Derelict Watcher
 * Frost
 * Polar Night
 * Yeonsu
 * Alterzim Stronghold
 * Star Station
 * 3v3
 * Aftermath
 * Queen's Nest
 * Research Complex
 * Sands of Strife
 * Shadow Reactor
 * Temple of the Preservers
 * The Commune
 * Vault of Secrets
 * Scorched Vista
 * Untamed Spire
 * 4v4
 * Celestial Bastion
 * Fallout Zone
 * Fossil Quarry
 * Primordial Grave
 * Volcanic Ridge
 * Writhing Morass
 * Retributionn
 * Shattered Terrace
 * FFA
 * Fractured Glacier
 * Korhal City
 * Star Station
 * Alterzim Stronghold
 * Frost
 * Red City
 * Whirlwind 

2v2 maps remained unchanged from last season


 * Season 5 Pool

In June 2013, five new maps were previewed.
 * Season 4 Pool
 * 1v1
 * Red City LE
 * Korhal Sky Island LE
 * Newkirk Precinct TE
 * 4v4
 * Primordial Grave
 * Writhing Morass

The following maps were removed:
 * 1v1
 * Klontas Mire TE
 * Zerus Prime TE
 * 4v4
 * Sky Harvester
 * District 10

2013 Season 1 Pool
In late 2012, four new maps were previewed.


 * (1v1) Akilon Flats
 * (1v1) Newkirk District

The two 1v1 maps were tested in the StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm beta.


 * (3v3) Backwater Complex
 * (3v3) Twisted Vern

2012 Season 4 Pool
For 2012 season 4, Blizzard changed Tal'darim Altar LE slightly, removing some of the destructible rocks.

The following maps were added:


 * (3v3) Silent Dunes (new map)
 * (3v3) Monsoon
 * (4v4) High Ground
 * (4v4) Megaton

The following maps were removed:
 * (3v3) Arakan Citadel
 * (3v3) Frontier
 * (4v4) Extinction
 * (4v4) Toxic Slums

Season 8 Map Pool
Blizzard experimented with a larger number of 1v1 maps, 8 in total. The maps were available June 8th, a week before the start of season 8.

The following maps were added:
 * 1v1
 * Condemned Ridge
 * 2v2
 * Desolate Stronghold

The following maps were removed:
 * 1v1
 * Metalopolis
 * Korhal Compound LE
 * 2v2
 * Discord IV
 * High Orbit

Season 7 Map Pool
The following maps were removed:


 * The Shattered Temple

The following maps were added:
 * Daybreak
 * Ohana (a fan-created map)


 * Metropolis (later removed due to performance issues)

Season 6 Map Pool
The following maps were removed:
 * Arid Plateau
 * Xel'Naga Caverns

The following maps were added:
 * Cloud Kingdom
 * Korhal Compound

Season 5 Map Pool
The following maps were removed:
 * (4) Abyssal Caverns
 * (4) Nerazim Crypt

The following maps were added:
 * (2) Arid Plateau
 * (4) Entombed Valley

Season 4 Map Pool
The map pool underwent significant changes in season 4.

The Shattered Temple and Metalopolis returned to the map pool, with close spawn positions disabled. Two non-tournament maps -- Abyssal Caverns and Nerazim Crypt -- were be included. Players can veto these two non-tournament maps and still have a single veto remaining for the remaining maps, just as a player would in a major tournament.

The following maps were removed: Backwater Gulch, Searing Crater, and Typhon Peaks (1v1), Khaydarin Depths and Tempest (2v2).

The new pool consisted of these maps: 1v1 2v2
 * Abyssal Caverns (non-tournament)
 * Antiga Shipyard
 * Metalopolis (close spawns disabled)
 * Nerazim Crypt (non-tournament)
 * Shakuras Plateau
 * The Shattered Temple (close spawns disabled)
 * Tal’darim Altar LE
 * Xel’naga Caverns
 * Lunar Colony V
 * Magma Core