The Call of Duty League has announced that the 2020 Postseason will take place online due to continuing concerns over COVID-19. While this announcement was looming for some time, a portion of the community hoped the event could still take place on LAN. That hope was squashed this weekend, as the CDL has prioritizing safety for its players and staff.
Ultimately, this is probably the right call given the state of the world. However, it’s still an unfortunate turn of events for everyone involved. The League did reveal some changes coming to future events, though.
Moving Call of Duty online
One of the biggest obstacles the CDL faces with online play is competitive integrity. Since late March, when the league went to online, we’ve seen multiple issues arise in this area. From teams forfeiting maps due to communication problems to technical delays, the CDL hasn’t seen smooth sailing since moving to online.
In light of continued COVID-19 health risks, the CDL postseason will be held online. The League and teams are collaborating on additional competitive integrity measures to be taken. More updates to follow in delivering the best experience for all. https://t.co/nyGMEZNAI4
— Call of Duty League (@CODLeague) July 5, 2020
So, to combat this, the league is adding extra measures for the postseason to ensure competitive integrity remains intact. This includes adding a “universal camera setup” to each player’s home station so league officials can help with any technical issues. Also, a camera setup ensures the CDL can confirm the presence of all players for the start of a match.
In addition to this, the CDL is granting teams with an extra two server vetoes. While not a perfect solution, extra vetoes will help to ensure both teams in a match play on the most optimal server available. Hopefully, Internet connection won’t play too big of a role in postseason play.
Lastly, extra team members will join the CDL so the production value can increase and fewer technical issues can arise.
Obviously, this isn’t how fans of Call of Duty saw the end of the 2020 season playing out. While it will be strange to view Call of Duty Champs online, the CDL is simply making the best out of a bad situation.
You can read the full press release for the announcement on the Call of Duty League’s website. Make sure to keep up with Daily Esports for all CDL news.
