I played in last night's league (Attack of the Artifacts), and just now when I logged in (more than 12 hours later) it told me my pod is now filled. Then when I went to MP, I got the message that said the league was over (and I won nothing). I think I was the last person to join my pod, but I can't be certain.
No and yes. I was able to start playing right after signing up, which was why I thought I was the last person to join. EDIT: Happened again in the Chess league. I was able to queue for battle right after signing up, so I'm pretty sure it's happening to the final person to join the pod.
It's happened every single time for me, whether or not I'm last. I only ever see the "pod filled" message when logging in, never while waiting.
Perhaps relatedly, there are reports from the MP Lobby of players who have to log out and back in to see that their pod is filled. (The icon in the MP island just says "pod is filling..." until they reload.)
Is there perhaps something else going on in the lobby at the time (like Gary speaking, being in the ranked game queue)?
No, but I keep checking the league standings to see how close to full my pod is. Which brings us to neon's comment: When I'm not the last person, the league castle will still say "filling" even when the standings show five people in the pod. If you go to SP and back (maybe a couple times), then it updates and you can queue your first battle. But the official "pod filled" announcement only happens when I log in.
This is exactly what's been happening to me. I've never had to go to the sp more than one time per entry for the pod to show as filled, however. /P
Happened again: logged in this morning and got the pod filled message for the league I played 11 hours earlier. When the pod actually filled, I was in the MP Keep hastily making a party.
So when the pod actually filled you didn't see the message? You then played the league but when you logged in the next time you saw the pod filling message - is that right?