Looking to usher in a new era in eSports, Activision announced today Call of Duty World League, a new worldwide eSports league specifically created in support of Call of Duty.
The program looks to provide " deeper level of engagement" with the elite circuit of professional gamers, while "encouraging casual fans and aspiring competitors of Call of Duty to enjoy the thrill of competition across different skill levels."
Call of Duty World League will be comprised of two divisions: The Pro Division, a regular season for players to earn their ticket to the Call of Duty Championship competing for the largest cash prize in Call of Duty history; and the Challenge Division, a “junior varsity” of sorts, allowing amateur and rising players to compete and enhance their skills for a chance to earn a place in the same championship by competing in a series of LAN events.
The new Call of Duty Championship will now take place in the fall of 2016 with more than $3 million on the line between series payouts, LAN events, and the Call of Duty Championship itself.
Activision will be announcing more about this new league including broadcast, personnel and partnerships at later dates. They can be followed on Twitter @eSportsCOD and news updates at their website. The Call of Duty World League Pro Division will start in January 2016 in North America, Europe, and Australia & New Zealand, while the championship is slated for fall 2016.