Activision was a little late in jumping on the competitive gaming bandwagon, but they finally came around. When before, Activision worked alongside Major League Gaming (MLG), they have now formed their very own Call of Duty World League. This new step, and well as several other interesting changes in competitive CoD, has many players intrigued.
Timed perfectly to line up with the release of Call of Duty: Black Ops 3, Activision announced the launch of their own CoD league, with a massive $3 million+ prize pool. Call of Duty is perhaps the most played first person shooter game, so it’s surprising that it took this long for Activision to realize that it deserves its own league. After all, with the success of other first-person shooters like Team Fortress 2, CS:GO, and the now massive popularity of Overwatch, FPSs are competing with MOBAs like Dota 2 and League of Legends.
This growing popularity of FPSs in esports may be attributed to the fact that they are a totally different type of game that trigger parts of the brain that MOBAs and RTSs do not. A more hands-on, immersive kind of gaming can be a lot more interesting to watch. Although RTSs and MOBAs still seem to have the upper hand in esports gaming, it’s not too late for CoD to join the fray.
Activision is launching their CoD league internationally. Players from Australia, North America, Europe, and New Zealand are in on the action. And what’s more, this CoD league is doing something that other esports leagues have yet to consider; two separate leagues. There will be a professional league, where pros can compete on the big stage, for massive prize pools, against other seasoned vets and legends. But there will also be a league for aspiring pros: the Challenge Division. This is especially inspiring, because it opens the field for less accomplished players to climb the ranks, as the top performers in the amateur league will move on to bigger and better tournaments, perhaps even onto the championships.
Call of Duty has had competitive activity in the past (for several years in fact), but until now it has not been under Activision’s very own name and league. Call of Duty World League gives this scene the opportunity to grow due to consistency, independence, and increased funding and support. The CoD competitive scene was previously owned and run by MLG, with the support of Activision. Now, however, Activision has the freedom to focus solely on CoD World League, and has been doing just that. This increased prize pool has certainly motivated a lot of competitive CoD players, including players like Mark “MarkyB” Bryceland, who don’t worry so much about the money. “Regardless of the prize pool I always give 100%, but I hope it’ll motivate everyone around me.”
As the leading console franchise, Call of Duty has no shortage of supporters. They have been going strong in the esports arena for three years now. But this new World League will give them just what they need to make the next big step into the spotlight: coverage. Activision’s plan now for CoD is to make sure players and viewers can enjoy the game year-round. “Global growth is what our fans want and it’s also important for us,” says senior director for Call of Duty in Activision’s marketing department Sam Cooper. “The World League pro leagues in North America, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific regions is important for that growth. Anyone in other regions can also be involved through the Challenge Series.”
As a console franchise, there will be the inevitable hesitance for many “PC master race” players to climb aboard, but with CoD’s new partnership with Sony. That’s right, you diehard Playstation fans (myself included) won’t feel left out in this new and exciting esports league.
World renowned esports teams are taking part in this new esports league, with the most recent tournament (ending on July 17) including teams such as Cloud9, Luminosity, and FaZe Clan. The current global standings in CoD World League show Team EnVyUs at the top, a team that competes in a wide array of games including LoL, Overwatch, CS:GO, and StarCraft.
For a game as widely played as Call of Duty, and one that has already established itself in the esports community, forming their own league was naturally and necessarily the next step. They already have the viewership, the money, the esports know-how, the sheer amount of people already playing the game, and, if you’re a fan of betting on esports, they have that too. Following the Phase 2 Championship Tournament that ended this month, teams Mindfreak, Millennium, and Team EnVyUs will be competing for the massive $3.5 million prize pool in September at Call of Duty XP. According to Rob Kostich, General Manager and Executive Vice President of Call of Duty, “It will be the biggest Call of Duty esport event we have ever put on and it will be an epic conclusion to the season that fans won’t want to miss.”
