ClashCon 2025 Recap: A Weekend to Remember
ClashCon 2025 was an incredible weekend packed with unforgettable moments, thrilling gameplay, and plenty of Alpha Clash energy. From the first match to the final showdown, players and fans alike came together to celebrate the community, the competition, and the ever-growing world of Alpha Clash.
A huge thank you goes out to our sponsor, Quest, for keeping all competitors fueled throughout the weekend with snacks and support that powered some of the most exciting matches we’ve ever seen.
Friday – The First Ever PvE Gauntlet
Friday kicked off with the debut of the PvE Gauntlet, a brand-new format that challenged teams to overcome shifting battle conditions and clever round modifiers announced before each round. Every stage felt like a puzzle — teams had to think on their feet, adapt, and coordinate to survive.
After four intense rounds, four players stood atop the field to face the ultimate challenge: Alpha Clash creator Ridge Kiley himself. The big boss proved to be too much, but the team made a valiant stand in one of the weekend’s most fun moments. Congratulations to the Top 4 challengers: Mike Toy, Steve Forchielli, Christian Caudill, and Nathan Trudell.
Friday night closed with a special presentation from the Rising Empire Studios team, featuring exciting updates and announcements for what’s next in the Alpha Clash universe. Fans were treated to the first spoilers from Set 7, including the set name, booster box, booster packs, and several new card reveals that had the room buzzing with anticipation. Let’s take a look at those spoilers!
Saturday – Pro Tour: North America Begins
Saturday marked the start of Pro Tour: North America, featuring a field of talented competitors representing 16 different Contenders. This was the first-ever Alpha Clash event to combine Constructed and Draft formats, and players loved the challenge of mastering both.
The Constructed portion saw a wide variety of decks, while the Draft portion also showcased all six Contenders from Echoes of Eternity. After seven rounds of mixed Swiss play, the field was cut to the Top 8 for Sunday. Several players tied for the final spot, coming down to just decimal points on tiebreakers.
The Top 8 Decks After Day 1
Zach Bunn - Torque, the Diabolical
Sunday – The Finals
Sunday’s gameplay was nothing short of world-class. Six different Contenders appeared in the Top 8, and four different Contenders made it to the Top 4 — highlighting both creativity and balance across the field. Among them were four players piloting Bounty Contenders.
Making his first Top 8 appearance, Colby Deluane impressed with his Cadavros deck, advancing out of a stacked bracket half that included Zach Bunn, Matt Kohls, and Ian Shaffer—friends and teammates from the Wolfpack—on his way to the finals.
On the opposite side of the bracket, Alpha Clash tournament staples Brandon Nieves and Jacob Snodgrass faced off in a dramatic mirror match, while Aric Mariano’s Sinai made its first-ever Top 8 appearance against Michael Hamilton.
The championship came down to Michael Hamilton versus Colby Deluane in a gripping three-game finals match. Michael took Game 1, Colby fought back to claim Game 2, but Michael ultimately secured the victory in Game 3 — earning his fifth major Alpha Clash title and further cementing his legacy as one of the greatest players in the game’s history.
Bounty Winners
Congratulations to the weekend’s Bounty Winners for their standout performances:
Ian Shaffer – Webber
Brandon Nieves – Clarity
Aric Mariano – Sinai
Ryan Acosta – Khagan
Merrick Kemp – Cao Ling
Mike Toy – Alpha Aster
What’s Next
As ClashCon 2025 comes to a close, the Alpha Clash competitions continue to heat up. Up next is Clashground: Dubai in November, followed by Pro Tour: Asia in December.
With new sets, new events, and more ways to Clash than ever before, there’s a lot to look forward to!