This could be the most controversial beginning to a Call of Duty League season that we’ve ever seen. On December 2nd, the first week of the Major I Qualifying stage kicks off, and many are arguing that Modern Warfare II, the platform of choice for this season, isn’t even ready. Since Modern Warfare II launched on the 28th of October, it has been plagued by issues concerning stability, performance, and network connectivity, but regardless, the Call of Duty League still intends to go live.
There are huge concerns regarding the overall sense of balancing present within the game, with some GAs still yet to be agreed on. At present, the professional competitors are deciding whether or not to GA the M4, and they’re still desperately trying to find some middle ground regarding red dots being on the mini-map. It’s an intense time to be a Call of Duty fan, as, on December 15th, one of the biggest COD esports events in history begins, but how is it all going to pan out?
CDL Major I Qualifiers Are Ready to Go, But is MW2 Ready?
Image Credit: Activision
If we push past the fact that Modern Warfare II is in a fairly sorry state right now, we can perhaps get excited about an incredible round of fixtures. This year, the Call of Duty League is starting sooner than ever before, with the first fixtures kicking off mere weeks after the launch of the game. Traditionally, the competitive season wouldn’t start until February or March the following year, but this year, Activision made the decision to get started much earlier, to avoid an enormous cold period between events.
Between the 2nd and the 11th of December, all twelve teams in the Call of Duty League will come together to do battle. It’s the first chance for these players to flex their abilities on the competitive field since Vanguard’s season wrapped up in August, and fans are eagerly awaiting the debut of the CDL 2023 season. For weeks, we’ve been tuning in to whatever scrims and streams we could find, we’ve been mourning the retirement of Crimsix (and the impending retirement of Scump), and we’ve been practising the game ourselves.
Now, there are just hours left before the tournament kicks off, and after that, it’ll be several months before the action wraps up.
CDL Major I Qualifiers | Fixtures to Watch Out For
Throughout the opening weekend (2nd – 5th December), there are several top-tier match-ups taking place. If you’re a Call of Duty betting fan, you’ll likely be aware of these matches already, and who knows, you may have already placed a few wagers. But, for those not in the know, here are the best matches you should be ready to watch when the tournament goes live.
Boston Breach vs. Atlanta FaZe (Fri, Dec 2nd)
As the first game in the 2023 CDL season, the Breach vs. FaZe fixture is a highly anticipated one. It’ll set the tone for FaZe for the year ahead and since 2020, the ATL squad has been on an absolute burner, topping the charts with intense consistency. Last season, FaZe failed to secure a single Major trophy – will that change this year?
OpTic Texas vs. Minnesota Rokkr (Fri, Dec 2nd)
It’s the first fixture in the final year of Seth ‘Scump’ Abner’s competitive career. He’s one of the best Call of Duty players in history, and he has pre-announced his retirement. Therefore, the OpTic GreenWall will spend every moment possible soaking up his in-game splendour, and it all begins with this fixture.
Vegas Legion vs. Los Angeles Thieves (Fri, Dec 2nd)
This is the first outing for the all-new Vegas Legion, and the organisation will be clashing with the LA Thieves, the reigning champions and title-holders from the 2022 CDL season. At the tail-end of the last season, the LA Thieves won a Major and the Championship back-to-back, but can the squad keep that momentum flowing into 2023?
Los Angeles Guerrillas vs. Seattle Surge (Sat, Dec 3rd)
Both LAG and Seattle shocked the Call of Duty world last season by them each winning a Major. They were both capable enough to defeat Atlanta FaZe, the League favourite, but they both went on to perform quite poorly after those wins. Is there a resurgence story lined up for either of these organisations?
Be sure to tune in to the Call of Duty League when it goes live – the action commences on the 2nd of December on twitch.tv/CallofDuty
