Activision-Blizzard to bring franchising to Call of Duty esports

Steven Rondina Published 18/02/2019

The competitive Call of Duty scene will soon look very different.

During its Q4 2018 earnings conference call, Activision-Blizzard confirmed plans to roll out a franchised league for the Call of Duty series of games. The announcement confirmed enduring rumors about a change to the competitive Call of Duty landscape.

As it stands, the current Call of Duty World League requires teams to compete for a spot at a series of qualifying events. Teams that make the cut then compete in ensuing tournaments to earn Pro Points that determine the seeding for World League events, with the season culminating with CWL Pro League Playoffs.

A transition to a franchised league would provide more security to organizations invested in Call of Duty, and should also provide greater continuity over time.

The move likely stems from the success of Overwatch League.

In 2017, Blizzard rebuilt the competitive scene for its popular hero shooter with a model similar to traditional sports leagues. Instead of turning to third-party tournament organizers and teams, Blizzard took complete control of professional Overwatch and sold spaces in the league for tens of millions of dollars. This attracted such established esports brands as Cloud9 and OpTic Gaming, but also the ownership groups of NFL teams like the New England Patriots’ Kraft Group and the Los Angeles Rams’ Kroenke Sports & Entertainment.

According to the call, the league would likely adopt a similar model, offering franchises for city-based teams. No other details were announced, but ESPN reported last year that Activision-Blizzard is required to first approach the owners of established Overwatch League teams for potential Call of Duty franchises.

Most of the esports organizations that own an Overwatch League team already have a Call of Duty roster, including Seoul Dynasty owners Gen.G and Toronto Defiant owners Splyce.

The 2019 season of the Call of Duty World League is already underway. More details may surface at the Pro League Playoffs, which will likely take place in August.

Steven Rondina

About Steven Rondina

Steven Rondina is a true lifelong gamer. His earliest memories are of playing video games, and he has continued playing them throughout his life with no plans to stop any time soon. Steven’s favorite franchises in gaming include Pokemon, Dark Souls, and Counter-Strike. He has previously published with Bleacher Report and other gaming outlets.

View full profile

Read Also

Twitch

Lacy announces a gaming marathon with Marlon — here’s what we know Khizar Mundia Twitch streamers Nick “Lacy” Fosco and Marlon “Mar3lg” Lundgren Garcia will be livestreaming a gaming marathon next month, and more details of the upcoming event have just been revealed. Kai Cenat and Darren “iShowSpeed” Watkins Jr.’s successful Minecraft marathon has seemingly inspired other creators, with Nicholas “Jynxzi” Stewart and Rani “StableRonaldo” Netz announcing their own Minecraft marathon. Now two other streamers, Lacy and Marlon, have revealed that they will also ...

GTA

More GTA 6 Leaks Just Landed — Here’s What They Reveal Zachary Roberts With GTA 6 still two months away, fans have spent the last few years predicting what Rockstar Games' latest release will include and which revolutionary new features will be shown. The game has suffered from a few notable leaks since the title was confirmed as being in production in 2023, but just days ahead of the Netflix special, more clips and videos have just surfaced online — here is what ...

Dota 2

The International 2026 (TI15) Playoffs preview and predictions Michael Hassall The Group Stage of The International 2026, TI15, is in the books and we’ve whittled down 16 of the world’s best Dota 2 teams to just eight finalists. One of these talented lineups will be the ones lifting the Aegis of Champions come Sunday, Aug. 23, but until then, there’s plenty of playoff shenanigans that could go on. Below we’ve put together a preview of the upcoming Playoff Games, along ...

Kick

Ice Poseidon Returns to Japan, IRL Streams Turn Controversial Khizar Mundia Kick streamer Paul “Ice Poseidon” Denino is once again in the limelight, and this time it's due to the controversies he's embroiled in during his Japan IRL streams. Poseidon is known for two things: his IRL content and the controversies surrounding his outrageous actions. The streamer was previously kicked off a cruise, following several complaints from other guests for various actions. He is in hot water again, as Ice Poseidon's ...

News

The Esports Nations Cup Has Been Postponed to November 2027 Ben Boland The 2026 Esports Nations Cup has been suspended until 2027. The Esports Foundation announced the delay on August 18, citing ongoing regional uncertainty. The inaugural competition was scheduled to take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, comprising over 100 national teams and featuring 16 different games, including League of Legends. According to the Esports Foundation, this decision follows ongoing developments in the region and consultation with key stakeholders. Moving the event ...

Movies & TV

Who Is Inde Navarrette? Former Twitch Streamer Lands Role in X-Men Khizar Mundia Marvel has announced a former Twitch streamer for a major role in the upcoming X-Men movie, with Inde Navarrette set to appear in the MCU X-Men reboot. Major streamers have long been considered celebrities who appear on livestreaming platforms, and viewers can subscribe to support them. However, there has been a thin line between streamers and mainstream or Hollywood celebrities. A former streamer has now crossed that line by entering ...

News

PUBG Mobile Light Makes the Game More Accessible Than Ever Hannan Mundia Amidst the constant collaborations and increasing specification requirements, the upcoming PUBG Mobile Light release aims to ensure more players are able to enjoy the popular game. It wouldn’t be a stretch to say that PUBG, which initially released in 2017, started the battle royale craze. Fortnite and H1Z1 are clearly deserving of praise as well, PUBG was breaking streaming records before any other game. While its popularity and player base ...