# The reconnect system explained: what happens when your connection drops

**URL:** <https://community.tournament.com/t/the-reconnect-system-explained-what-happens-when-your-connection-drops/59>\
**Category:** DOOM 2 Deathmatch\
**Tags:** servers, reconnect\
**Created:** [September 12, 2026, 3:51pm UTC](https://community.tournament.com/t/the-reconnect-system-explained-what-happens-when-your-connection-drops/59 "2026-09-12T15:51:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![SKEL](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/community.tournament.com/skel/32/651_2.png) [@SKEL](https://community.tournament.com/u/SKEL)\
**Post date:** [September 12, 2026, 3:51pm UTC](https://community.tournament.com/t/the-reconnect-system-explained-what-happens-when-your-connection-drops/59/1 "2026-09-12T15:51:21Z")

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Since 6 September a dropped connection does not empty your seat.

## What happens

- The moment your socket dies without you choosing to leave, the server holds your seat for **20 seconds**.
- You stay in the map, frozen, taking no input. You are **still a target**. Someone can kill you while you are frozen and take the points.
- Your frags, deaths, points and streak stay with the seat.
- Rejoin from the servers list, take the same room, and you get the same seat back with everything on it.
- After 20 seconds with no return, the seat is freed and the map result records you as disconnected.

## What does not get held

Choosing to leave (the leave button, closing the tab) frees the seat at once. A kick for being too far, and a server shutdown, free it too.

## In a challenge

The window is 60 seconds once the countdown has begun. “Rejoin now. Your seat is held for 60 seconds, then you forfeit the pot.”

## Why it works this way

The alternative was a Wi-Fi blip spoiling the match for everyone else: a seat vanishing mid-fight, a pot recalculated, a room reshuffled. Holding the seat and keeping you as a target keeps the match honest for the other seven people. Results affected by a drop stand for the same reason.

## Frag race note

If you drop in a frag race map and do not make it back inside 20 seconds, that counts as leaving mid-map: your entry stays in the pot.