The first ladder of 2015 has arrived along with new ladder maps.

Bonus pools and standings in StarCraft II have been reset as 2015 Season 1 kicks off today! League placement and matchmaking carries over from last year, so anyone who had already been in a league simply needs to play one placement match in the new season to get started.

Four 1v1 maps have been removed (King Sejong Station, Foxtrot Labs, Merry-go-Round and Nimbus) and four new 1v1s are being added. The new maps are a mixture of Blizzard creations and top community contributions. They are:

• Expedition Lost: Created by algue, Blizzard felt this map represented a good challenge in obtaining a third base
• Secret Spring: A smaller map with three potential ground paths, which can be effective for either a good offense or defense
• Vaani Research Station: Standard map with a lot of open space
• Inferno Pools: A macro 4-player map that has a challenging third base defense, with rush distances being far away

The 2014 Season 4 results can still be viewed in your character profile. Additionally, a free character name change should now be available to anyone who did not have one.

Ann "Cyliena" Hosler, Managing Editor