One of the headline changes involves the complete elimination of all outstanding entry fees owed by franchises.

Additionally, any previously collected fees will be fully refunded, injecting an immediate influx of capital into all participating teams.

This move mirrors a similar strategy employed by Activision Blizzard in its Overwatch League before the league transitioned to a different model in 2023.

In a statement by Call of Duty Esports’ General Manager, Daniel Tsay, emphasized that entry fee payments, which had been paused for years, are now officially waived.

Today we announce major changes to our CDL Team Agreements to create a stronger, more sustainable league.

Read more here: https://t.co/YF3Fs6F8fD pic.twitter.com/OlsVsGQU4Y

— Call of Duty League (@CODLeague) April 16, 2024

For instance, OverActive Media, the parent company of the Toronto Ultra franchise, disclosed that their remaining entry fee amounted to $25.5 million, with an additional one-time payment of $2 million.

This initiative aims to provide financial relief and stimulate growth within the league.

Following industry trends, the Call of Duty League will also introduce measures to boost team revenues from in-game merchandise sales, including team bundles and the annual Champs bundle.

Furthermore, franchises will benefit from a two-year minimum revenue guarantee, although specific figures for these revenue streams have not been disclosed.

The league is placing a renewed emphasis on supporting events, particularly those organized by franchises, such as Majors, Opens, and Champs.

Franchises hosting these events will receive increased subsidies, intended to bolster their ability to stage high-quality competitions.

This move underscores the league’s commitment to fostering a vibrant and sustainable esports ecosystem.

Adam Adamou, CEO of OverActive Media, praised the changes, highlighting the recognition of organizations like Toronto Ultra and the invaluable contributions of fans and partners to the growth of Call of Duty esports.

These developments coincide with a pivotal moment for Activision Blizzard, which was acquired by Microsoft and has announced significant shifts in their Overwatch esports structure.

Overall, these strategic adjustments signify a proactive approach by the Call of Duty League to fortify their competitive landscape and ensure the long-term prosperity of their franchises.

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The court order will prevent both parties from reaching a final agreement before Friday, which is the expected deadline for the deal to close. The buyout would have been the biggest in video game history, as Activision Blizzard is the developer behind massively successful games like Call of Duty and the recently released Diablo IV.

In its filing, the FTC claimed that if completed, the agreement would provide Microsoft with the “ability and increased incentive to withhold or degrade Activision’s content in ways that substantially lessen competition”.

The commission stated that Microsoft would gain the ability to reduce the player experience of game quality on other consoles. This includes products like the PlayStation 5 from Sony, which has expressed its opposition to the deal, and Nintendo’s Switch.

The FTC also argued that Microsoft would be able to alter and manipulate the pricing and access to Activision Blizzard’s content.

The FTC made a previous attempt to stop the deal in December, citing antitrust reasons. Despite this, the European Commission approved the deal.

Brad Smith, Microsoft President, promised to take on the FTC in court.

In a bid to ease the concerns of its competitors and the rest of the industry, the company previously offered to sign a decree with the FTC. The deal provides Call of Duty to rival brands like Sony for 10 years.

Nintendo and technology firm Nvidia signed the 10-year agreements with Microsoft, which will go into effect after the Activision acquisition. On the other hand, Sony is still lobbying against the merger and is reportedly set on blocking it regardless of Microsoft’s concessions.

The recent move by the FTC is just the latest in the series of delays that have stopped the deal from progressing smoothly. Sony pushed back against the deal in September 2022, claiming it would limit competition.

The deal was also blocked by the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority on April 26, which stated that it could “damage competition in the cloud gaming market”. Nevertheless, the European Union ultimately approved the merger on May 15.

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The release date for Modern Warfare 2 was revealed to be on October 28, leaving Warzone series fans trying to figure out the time the second part of the famous battle royale would be available to the public.

Reports suggest the game is on course to be released on November 16, 2022.

?Activision previously revealed that Modern Warfare 2 and Warzone 2 were both being worked on with the same engine. The esports games developer also disclosed its intention of using the upcoming Call of Duty event to give more information about Warzone 2.

Both pieces of information seemed to suggest that the anticipated second iteration of the COD esports game would be available not long after Warfare 2 was to be released.

?The unconfirmed information released to the public indicated that the assumption was accurate, and the release date of Warzone 2 was not far off.

The circulated image from Activision’s leaked document revealed that the game would be released on November 16. The news has spread past the thrilled Call of Duty fans to several social media platforms.

?A popular Call of Duty page, CharlieIntel, reposted the information in the Warzone community on their official Twitter account. If the information has truth to it, then gamers would be able to get Warzone 2 less than a month after Modern Warfare is officially released.

Breaking: An internal document image has leaked revealing Warzone 2 launch date as November 16th

Image shared on r/classicwow Reddit pic.twitter.com/JUe3fx1G0M

— CharlieIntel (@charlieINTEL) August 16, 2022

?Unlike the problems fans faced when Warzone Pacific was released in the last holiday season, the leaked dates for Warzone 2 signified that they would have an easier time now. The dates indicate that before leaving for their Christmas holiday, the developers on the task would be given ample time to sort out bugs or any other problems that could occur during or after the launch. This would ensure that players do not encounter problems that they would be forced to endure until after the holiday.

?Modern Warfare 2 and WarZone 2 will have a space of three weeks between their release dates, and this will ensure that the players have time to stock up on weapons. This could possibly help their performance during the battle royale.?The game Call of Duty Warzone was initially made as an extension of Modern Warfare.

The developers originally did not intend to make the game an independent battle royale.?As a result of this, Warzone 2 started having development issues concerning its already large size. Due to the already bloated nature, Warzone 2 was not a sustainable game.

Call of Duty: Next | September 15
#MWII Beta on PlayStation | September 16 – 20
#MWII Cross Play Beta | September 22 – 26
Campaign Early Access | October 20
Full #ModernWarfare2 Launch | October 28
#Warzone 2 | November 16

A lot of CoD in the months ahead. pic.twitter.com/GLNA0IZC35

— CharlieIntel (@charlieINTEL) August 17, 2022

?To change this, developers are working to build the game from the roots up as an independent battle royale. This will give players a smoother and longer playtime with fewer crashes and bugs.

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Akshon Media had previously been the highlight creators for Blizzard’s Overwatch League. The three-year partnership deal signed in 2020 saw the media company produce trailers videos and behind the scene coverages. The expansion of the partnership was mandated owing to the success of the previous engagement shared by both parties.

The new deal will see the media company increase its scope of work with the esports organization. Part of the new partnership includes the production of post-game match highlights and visual content of the Overwatch League for broadcast. The deal also includes coverage of the Call of Duty League, making it the first time Akshon Media will dabble into video content creation for CoD League.

Chief Executive Officer of Akshon Media, Roger Chan spoke on the partnership. He stated that the company was contracted for these global franchises for its amazing ability to produce content that speaks to the global esports community. He shared his excitement about the expansion of the partnership with Activision Blizzard and commended his team for the great act of storytelling.

“These production contracts for the global franchises were awarded to Akshon Media for our uncanny ability to create content that truly resonates with the global esports fans,” Chan said. “Akshon’s hand-picked team understands the storytelling needed to enhance the overall fan experience and we’re thrilled to continue our relationship with Activision Blizzard.”

Created in 2016, the Canadian media company has built a reputation for producing high-quality videos with compelling storytelling at its core. The brand has created multiple digital videos for a range of brands in different industries.

In its arsenal is a wide knowledge of digital marketing and the presence of a strong network of content producers. Akshon Media has operational offices on two continents, with two offices in North America (Los Angeles and Vancouver) and one in Asia (Seoul).

Amongst its clientele within the esports scene includes Overwatch teams like New York Excelsior, T1, Toronto Defiant, NYXL (formerly known as Andbox), and the Gaming Stadium.

The CoD League has secured some partnerships in the first half of the year, like a collaboration with the esports operations company, Esports Engine. The organization has recorded a partnership with the trading platform Aim Lab, with global trading card company Upper Deck releasing a line of cards for the 2022 CoD League.

The Overwatch League has also recorded some notable partnerships in the past years with top brands like Coca-Cola, Toyota, YouTube, Twitter, and Intel to mention a few. Although Activision Blizzard suffered a setback with harassment and discrimination allegations against female employees. This development saw Coca-Cola and State Farm reevaluate its involvement with the Overwatch League.

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Overwatch also took to its Twitter page to share the new information. While the release date was the primary info, the announcement also revealed that a few changes will be forthcoming.

The sequel will be free to play, compared to the previous iteration that required gamers to purchase a license. They also revealed that the game will have a new hero called Junker Queen, which will be in the form of a tank.

However, more information about the new hero will be revealed at the June 16 Reveal Event. While Junker Queen is the latest hero, she is the second hero that will be coming with Overwatch 2.

Activision earlier announced that a high-mobility hero with cybernetic capabilities called Sojourn will also be coming with the new version.

The President of Blizzard Entertainment, Mike Ybarra, is excited about the launch. He stated that this will also mark the beginning of an always-evolving era for the franchise.

“We can’t wait to roll out the beginning of the Overwatch 2 experience on October 4 and introduce an exciting new competitive vision, featuring amazing new content and a reimagining of the iconic heroes, maps, and gameplay that made the original game so compelling,” Ybarra said.

“This is the beginning of an always-on and always-evolving era for the franchise, and a recommitment to serving players with frequent and substantial updates planned well into the future to keep Overwatch 2 fresh and fun for many years to come.”

As Overwatch brings its hero tally to 34 with Sojourn and Junker Queen, they have also made changes to their existing heroes. In the trailer, Ashe, Ana, D.va, and Symmetra all had new designs. It is unclear if these updates will be part of their new base designs or just skins.

Activision is also looking to reward existing players for their continued support. Players who have Overwatch before June 23 will be eligible to get the Founder’s Pack.

“As a thank you to our original players, the Overwatch 2 Founder’s Pack will be free in-game to all existing players who own Overwatch,” Activision Blizzard said in a statement.

“The Founder’s Pack will include two epic skins and an exclusive founder’s icon, along with a surprise gift that will be announced before the game’s October 4 release.

“To be eligible for the Founder’s Pack, players need to own Overwatch prior to June 23, 2022, at 11:00 a.m. PDT.”

The Overwatch 2 beta was handed to pro teams in March and is currently being used for Season 5 of the Overwatch League. So far, they are done with the Kickoff Clash (May 5-29), and fans are looking forward to the Midseason Madness scheduled to commence on June 16.

After a rigorous four-week qualifier, the top eight teams from the West and top four from the East will advance to the tournament. They will compete in a playoff round for Overwatch League points and a share of the soon-to-be disclosed prize fund.

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The help came in the form of deferred payments, as teams were allowed to compete for two years without making their franchise payments.

However, recent reports have revealed that the organization is owed somewhere around US$400 million – possibly as much as $420 million – from participating Overwatch League and CoD League teams.

The payments due for the CDL teams would have been more, but some teams paid $2.5 million each at the start of the season before the deferred payments were approved. Now, each of the teams reportedly owes an average of $22.5 million each.

The report also revealed that each of the 20 franchises in the Overwatch league owes some money, ranging from $6 to $7.5 million.

While the initial debt was expected, there is a chance that the allowance might extend to 2024. The payments were deferred to fall 2022, but it seems like teams do not yet have the means to pay.

It has been revealed that a former Activision head of esports, Brandon Snow, reportedly proposed that the outstanding balances be cleared. However, the executive has left the organization, and there is no further talk of that.

Regardless, action is ongoing in Season 5 of the Overwatch League. In the West, San Francisco Shock have been perfect, winning all five of their games so far. Seoul Dynasty are topping the East standings with a 4-1 record.

Meanwhile, the CoD Stage 3 Qualifiers is coming to an end, as teams anticipate the Stage 3 Major scheduled to commence on June 2. Before the start of Stage 3, 16 teams participated in the Mid-Season Pro-Am Classic for a piece of the $250,000 prize fund.

The New York Subliners finished the tournament as the ultimate champions after defeating the Los Angeles Thieves 3-1 in the best-of-five grand final.
?
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The update was revealed through the company’s Q1 financial report. Sadly, it also revealed that Activision Blizzard has been facing a decline in sales and engagement, up to the tune of $500 million.

Warzone has gradually grown to be a significant part of the battle royale ecosystem, which makes the announcement a lot more intriguing. Perhaps it could be the boost the organization needs to increase engagement and stop the bleeding in terms of decline in sales.

Excerpts from the reports give an insight into how the development is proceeding, and also reveals that there is another title in the works.

“The Call of Duty teams delivered substantial gameplay improvements for Vanguard and Warzone in the first quarter. Development on this year’s premium and Warzone experiences, led by Infinity Ward, is proceeding very well,” the report said.

“This year’s Call of Duty is a sequel to 2019’s Modern Warfare, the most successful Call of Duty title to date, and will be the most advanced experience in franchise history. The new free-to-play Warzone experience, which is built from the ground-up alongside the premium game, features groundbreaking innovations to be revealed later this year.”

Based on the report, Activision will also be releasing the sequel to its most successful title to date, the 2019 Call of Duty: Modern Warfare. Industry insiders speculate that Modern Warfare 2 will officially be revealed on May 30, but Activision has not confirmed or revealed a timeline for the release.

These new titles will undoubtedly be a breath of fresh air for players, as it promises to create a more competitive scene in COD. Warzone has provided entirely new maps in some of its updates, which suggests that we could see more of the same in Warzone 2.

However, the biggest change to expect is the new engine on which the game is being built. It will not be simply an upgrade, which could significantly affect the overall gameplay like movement and gunplay.

Warzone is currently being used in the 2022 Mid-season Resurgence, as 20 teams are battling it out for a piece of the $100,000 prize pool.

As for Modern Warfare, the last time it was used in console events was in the Call of Duty League – 2020 playoffs. The event ran from August 19 to August 30, 2020, with Dallas Empire emerging as the winner and walking away with $1.5 million of the $4.6 million prize pool.

While there is no concrete information on what to expect from the new titles, it promises to be fun and has the potential to inspire a return for players and streamers who have left the game.

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?The Activision business division saw the biggest loss, with revenues falling by 49 percent to $453 million from $891 million in the same period last year. Meanwhile, Blizzard’s sales fell by 43% to $274 million from $483 million.

?In terms of player numbers, overall monthly active users fell from 435 million to 372 million compared to the same period in the previous year. MAUs for Activision were down 33% to 100 million, while MAUs for Blizzard were down nearly 19% to 22 million.

?The corporation stated that the quarterly results were lower because Call of Duty: Vanguard and Call of Duty: Warzone both performed below expectations. One of the reasons given is Blizzard’s release schedule, which did not contain significant games.

?

Candy Crush Saga stands tall

?However, not all of the company’s decisions resulted in significant losses. The King division, which is responsible for mobile casual games, limited the damage somewhat with another strong sector.

The company’s quarterly revenues increased by 12% year-on-year to $682 million, and net bookings increased by 8%. Candy Crush Saga, King’s largest franchise, was the top-grossing gaming franchise on US app stores for the 19th quarter in a row.

?What’s next for Activision Blizzard?

?Blizzard’s 43% revenue decline in the first quarter hinged heavily on “product cycle timing for the Warcraft franchise”. Speaking on what could possibly play a huge role in seeing its revenue rise, the brand discussed the release of Warcraft’s first mobile product.

?While Diablo Immortal is pegged for a June 2 release internationally, Warcraft’s first mobile product is scheduled to be released in a few weeks. The company also highlighted that there will be a PC version for Diablo Immortals with cross-play to be launched on the same day in beta.

?In the future, Activision Blizzard plans to produce a sequel to Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, which is described as the “most successful” edition in the franchise to date, as well as a “new free-to-play Warzone experience” that will be released alongside the premium Modern Warfare title.

?In a statement, the company has promised to deliver more compelling content as it expands its Call of Duty resources.

?”Activision continued to rapidly expand its Call of Duty development resources in the first quarter. Its expanding staff are focused on providing the community with ever more appealing content on PC and console, as well as expanding Warzone to the mobile platform,” the company added.

?In regards to the partnership between Activision Blizzard and Microsoft, the corporation affirmed that everything is going according to plan. The transaction has been approved by both boards of directors and is expected to be finalized by June 30, 2023.

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