The CDL just announced the structure of the league for 2022. We're getting a kickoff event, 4 majors, a champs, and even a Warzone event. Here's how it's going to work.
Listen carefully, if you're very quiet, and you concentrate, you can hear Crimsix letting out a distant wail, bemoaning the death of the CDL. No, we're being too dramatic. But for the first time ever, a Warzone event is being included in the CDL calendar, and this marks a definite transition from the classic esport that the CDL was to a more streamer-influenced / Warzone-focused model. We knew this was coming, but now it's been set in stone. Still, at least they didn't get rid of any teams, which came as a relief after theworrying rumors last year that the CDL would be reduced to 8. And they didn't change the game modes from last year either, we're going with the classic competitive CoD modes in 2022: Search and Destroy, Hardpoint, and Control. But, what will this year's CDL calendar look like? Let's take a look.
The CDL Calendar Overview
There will be a kickoff LAN event in January, followed by four majors spread out evenly throughout the year, and then a champs at the end of the year. There will also be a Warzone event at some point during the year, featuring CDL pros, influencers and streamers, but this is more of a marketing event for CoD, and we aren't sure yet whether it will have much of an impact on the overall standings.
The Kickoff Event
The kickoff event is presented by Zenni gaming and will take place between January 21-23. All 12 teams will battle it out on LAN in Arlington Stadium, Texas. More info on this kickoff event to be available very soon.
The 4 CDL Majors
Spread evenly throughout the year will be 4 majors. These will last for 4 weeks each. The first three weeks of each major will see teams playing randomly drawn opponents online, then the top 8 teams will go on to play in the LAN event in the final week. This final LAN week will be bracket-play, and will be hosted by one of the 12 teams. The first major will be hosted by Optic Texas, and will begin on February 4. We don't know when or where the other 3 majors will take place yet.
The CDL Championship
Playoffs and Champs will experience significant changes this year. There will no longer be byes to the champs for the top 2 teams. In previous years the two best teams in the total standing were automatically put through into the champs without having to go through the playoffs. This has now been removed, so no matter how well you perform through the year, you need to earn your place in the champs.
The Midseason Warzone Event
We know that this might look like the beginning of the end for most fans of the CDL, but it could boost the league if Warzone players get a taste of what the CDL boys can do. If nothing else, it'll be interesting to see how those players who became famous streaming Warzone, like Iron or Aydan, stack up against pros that train in normal MP each day. It'll put Warzone tactics up against pure gunskill.
That was your overview of the CDL in 2022, you can keep up to-date at our Call of Duty esports homepage.