At the beginning of the month, we shared that every recoverable match, ladder snapshot, team record, and season from our original run had been restored. The priority was preservation. The records were query-driven, viewable, and intact but not yet searchable or optimized for discovery.
Today, we can say that the restoration has entered its next phase. The legacy records are now searchable. This marks a major milestone in the project and moves us from simple preservation into structured accessibility.
Legacy Records Are Now Fully Searchable
When we first brought the archives back online, our focus was functionality and integrity. We wanted the data restored accurately before enhancing how it could be explored.
Search has now been implemented across the legacy database.
Users can:
- Search legacy players
- Search legacy teams
- Navigate directly from most legacy pages using a dedicated legacy-only search input
- Access a federated search page that queries both the new database and the legacy system
The philosophy behind this structure is intentional.
If someone is searching the legacy database, they are almost certainly looking for a player or a team. The classic legacy search results are therefore focused exclusively on those entities. The legacy system is finite and read-only. It is frozen in time. It does not require broader content indexing because it is not an active competitive environment.
However, we have also introduced a federated site search that queries both systems simultaneously. New content results appear first, followed by legacy database results. If your sole purpose is to search legacy records, a jump button takes you directly there.
If you are on a legacy game page and see a name you remember, you can now immediately search for that player or team without leaving context. The navigational goal is simple: you should be able to reach any part of the site from wherever you are.
Structured Data and SEO Foundations
Searchability within the site was only one step. We have now implemented structured schema markup across legacy pages and introduced dynamic sitemaps designed specifically to support search engine crawling. What does this mean in practical terms?
It means that these historical records are no longer just visible to users navigating manually. They are now machine-readable in a way that search engines understand. Player pages, team pages, ladder snapshots, and game archives have been structured so they can eventually surface in search results.
There is one important note here. Search engines crawl and index at their own pace. We have built the structure. We have provided the schema. We have submitted dynamic sitemaps. The timeline for appearance in search results is ultimately determined by the search engines themselves. In other words: they will show up… eventually.
The groundwork is complete. Discovery will follow.
Frozen Data, Preserved Integrity
It is important to reaffirm what these legacy systems represent.
- They are not active ladders.
- They are not competitive environments.
- They will not reset.
- They will not be overwritten.
- They are historical records.
They show how competition functioned in its era. They reflect how rankings evolved, how seasons played out, and how teams defined themselves within the system that existed at the time.
Nothing will overwrite them. New competitive spaces will live alongside them, not on top of them. That philosophy remains unchanged.
Until now, restoration has been function-first.
The site has prioritized:
- Data integrity
- Query performance
- Search functionality
- Crawlability
- Structural reliability
We are now entering a phase where styling and navigation refinement become a priority.
Our guiding belief is that a user should be able to reach any part of the site from wherever they currently are. That means improving internal linking, refining menus, enhancing contextual navigation, and making the experience more intuitive without sacrificing performance. Functionality built the foundation. Now we refine the experience.
As part of the structured and visual refinement phase, we have also transitioned away from raw query-string URLs. During restoration, functionality came first, which meant many legacy pages were accessible through parameter-based links such as “/esports/legacy/game_id=xx&ladder_id=xx&entity_id=xx”. These were efficient for rebuilding and querying the database, but they were never intended to be the final user-facing format. We have now implemented clean, descriptive URLs that reflect the actual structure of the content, for example: “/esports/legacy/swbf2-2005/1v1-hero-assault/xxxxx”.
This shift is more than cosmetic. Human-readable URLs improve engagement, make links easier to remember, simplify bookmarking, and provide clearer context when shared. They also align better with search engine indexing standards and structured schema implementation. The underlying data remains the same, but the presentation layer now reflects a site designed not just for functionality, but for usability, clarity, and long-term growth.
Veteran Linking and Profile Recognition
One of the most meaningful developments currently in the pipeline is legacy-to-new profile linking. If a new account holder is also a legacy competitor, we want that history recognized.
The goal:
- A new user profile will display a link to the verified legacy account.
- Verified users will receive “Veteran” status on the site.
- Legacy participation will be visibly acknowledged within the modern system.
Verification will not be automated blindly. It will require confirmation through reliable means, such as matching historical email records, or verification through trusted community channels like Discord, Steam, or X. This is still under development, but it is actively in progress.
The objective is not just technical linkage. It is recognition. It ensures that long-standing members of this community are visibly connected to the history they helped build.
The Next Competitive System
With legacy leaderboards fully restored and preserved as historical records, development is now underway on the next generation of competition.
The new system will allow users to:
- Create their own competitive structures
- Define their own rules
- Organize their own formats
Rather than replicating the old ladder model directly, we are building something more flexible. The aim is to empower community-driven competition without overwriting the legacy systems that preceded it.
Details will follow as development progresses, but this work is already in motion.
Communication Platforms: Evaluating the Future
We are also reassessing our communication infrastructure.
Our Discord server has served the community well, and private competition communities have historically required structured voice and text coordination. However, broader platform changes like including age verification policies and evolving privacy concerns require careful evaluation.
We are currently exploring several options:
- Maintaining Discord in its current state
- Downgrading to a basic community server model
- Investigating open-source VOIP solutions such as Matrix and Fluxer
- Revisiting TeamSpeak, including version 6 and the still-available version 3
There are tradeoffs in each direction.
- Discord provides convenience and familiarity but carries concerns around privacy, data control, and platform policy shifts.
- Open-source alternatives offer greater control and self-hosting potential but are still maturing and working through stability issues.
- TeamSpeak remains a known quantity with a long competitive history.
Self-hosting remains attractive for control and independence. We are evaluating carefully before making structural decisions. Communication platforms exist to support players and teams, not to become liabilities.
Email System Improvements
Behind the scenes, we have made improvements to the email system.
The focus has been on:
- Improving outbound mail reputation
- Reducing the likelihood of messages landing in spam folders
- Modernizing email templates for a more professional appearance
This work is ongoing, but measurable progress has already been made. Reliable communication is foundational to any competitive or community-driven platform, and we are treating it accordingly.
Expanding Content and Discoverability
In addition to technical improvements, we have increased the pace of new content publication through additional contributors. As content output grows, discoverability becomes more important. This connects directly to our navigation improvements and search system refinements.
It is not enough to publish. The site must surface content intelligently and make it accessible without friction. This phase is ongoing and ties directly into the broader navigation overhaul.
Where We Stand
To summarize the current state:
- Legacy records are fully restored and searchable.
- Structured schema is implemented across legacy pages.
- Dynamic sitemaps are live and submitted for crawl indexing.
- Federated search connects legacy and new systems.
- Navigation and styling refinement are underway.
- Veteran profile linking is in development.
- A new flexible competition system is being built.
- Communication infrastructure is under review.
- Email deliverability and presentation have been improved.
- Content production has increased.
The restoration began with preservation. It has now evolved into structured discoverability. What comes next is expansion.
Stay Connected
As always, we encourage you to stay connected through the site blog, our Steam Group, X, and our Discord server (in its current form while evaluations continue).
This project has never been about nostalgia alone. It has been about continuity, integrity, and building something sustainable that respects where we came from.
The records stand. The foundation is stronger. And the next chapter is already in development.
