Call of Duty League May Have Failed Before It Has Begun

The Call of Duty League is expected to kick off in February of 2022, but it already seems to be in jeopardy. In 2020, fans bore witness to the inaugural season of the Call of Duty League, and in 2021, it returned, bigger and better than ever. It boasted a multi-million-dollar prize pool, and some of the greatest Call of Duty teams in the world took to the grandest stage of them all. Now, professionals, content creators, and even organisation owners are questioning whether there’s a future for the Call of Duty League in 2022.

In recent weeks, some of the most prolific personalities surrounding the Call of Duty League have begun making demands of Activision. Since the launch of Call of Duty: Vanguard, the landscape has been in a sorry state. At present, fans simply don’t want to watch an entire season of the Call of Duty League being played out on the broken platform.

And considering the Call of Duty League is the only COD esports tournament worth watching, that’s a real problem…

From The Top To The Bottom

When the Halo Championship Series debuted in December 2021, it was a jubilant return to form for Halo esports. The Raleigh Kick-Off Major was praised globally, with many industry experts claiming that it would easily surpass the CDL as a league in 2022. In fact, Hector ‘H3CZ’ Rodriguez burst onto Twitter, slamming the COD competitive scene and shining a positive light on Halo:

As these esports tournaments are essentially how professional players make their living, it’s understandable that there’s a real cause for concern. The Call of Duty League is the only COD multiplayer tournament worth anything, and Activision just isn’t doing enough to support it. It was just hours ago that Nadeshot, the founder of 100 Thieves and owner of CDL team LA Thieves, called out against Activision:

There’s a gaping hole in the Call of Duty community right now, and it’s being caused by the developers and publishers themselves. Throughout the last year, Call of Duty has been hit hard with countless controversies, plagued by endless bugs and hacker debacles, and been abandoned by many top creators. As we’re mere weeks from the assumed opening of the Call of Duty League, we’re wondering if anything can really be done.

If You Don’t Have The Players, You’re Finished

Ultimately, it all boils down to the players themselves, and if they’re not happy, what else is there? For example, Matthew ‘FormaL’ Piper took to the Twittersphere to express his relief over his retirement from Call of Duty esports:

As of the end of 2021, FormaL has returned to his Halo roots, deciding to wholeheartedly abandon competitive Call of Duty.

Elsewhere, the winningest player and Call of Duty iconic veteran, Crimsix, spoke out against Activision’s delivery of Call of Duty in general. It was a complaint that mirrored the cries of fans around the world, as once again, they’re left disappointed with the latest release:

In the last season, Crimsix famously lashed out against Call of Duty League organisers regarding imbalances and poor production quality. When the most legendary players in the business are questioning the product, it’s obvious that a real issue exists at the core of the franchise.

As we approach the inevitable kick-off of the Call of Duty League 2022 season, we’re left wondering what there is for the franchise to stand on. Ultimately, Call of Duty League betting and the viewer numbers are so important for the series. If there’s a massive dip as we head into 2022, there may not be a 2023 season.