Friday 24 February 2017 09:57, UK
Maybe you're new to Call Of Duty eSports or simply want to brush up on the latest details of how the competition plays out?
As far as competitive gaming goes, first person shooter (FPS) games tend to flitter in and out of the scene with some proving more popular than others. Call Of Duty has remained a staple for the industry for years, however, and with an expanded tournament this year it seems that's not going anywhere.
Yet while the core concept is familiar, Call Of Duty has a few differences that make it a unique title for an eSport. As such, we've detailed all the things that make CoD such an important competitive game in the industry and why - and how - you should get involved.
Call Of Duty eSports Explained
Call Of Duty is the long-running franchise from Activision with many entries in the series since its first game in 2003. There's been a game in the series released every year since then, but it wasn't until Call Of Duty 4: Modern Warfare in 2007 that the series really took off and became a household name.
This was almost entirely down to the game's multiplayer mode, which refined online gameplay with the addition of killstreaks, customisable loadouts and fast-action combat in a modern military setting.
From then on eSports has become an increasingly significant aspect of the Call Of Duty franchise, beginning particularly with the sequel - Modern Warfare 2 - that would go on to further polish and perfect the multiplayer.
Nowadays Call Of Duty has become one of the most significant eSports titles, especially in the realm of FPS. Its combination of frenetic run-and-gun gameplay and strategic map design has made for an exciting game to watch.
These days Call Of Duty has moved into a modern futuristic, and as a result has enabled a more arcadey style of combat that works as an alternate to the slower pace of the biggest FPS eSport, CS:GO.
CoD enables its players with jetpack jumps, parkour movements across walls and a variety of other feats of acrobatics - meaning its matches are much quicker and the tables can turn in a moment's notice.
Call Of Duty World League
Each year there is a tournament called the Call Of Duty Championships - more commonly referred to as Champs - which is hosted by Activision and acts as the big event for the CoD eSport scene annually.
For 2016, however, Activision altered the tournament a little by introducing the World League, a league format competition across three different regions where the best teams compete over two series to qualify for the final tournament at CoD Champs.
The three regions competing are North America, Europe and Australia & New Zealand, while the finals are held in Los Angeles.
The recently held event CoD XP is a celebration of all this Call Of Duty, and it's here where the Champs take place. Additionally there is an open qualifying round where teams can battle against one another for a place in the Champs and, perhaps, even manage to take on the invited pro teams.
A Typical Match Of Call Of Duty
Two teams of four face off against one another, battling over a series of different maps and modes with the victor being the team who earned the most points.
Ordinarily each player in a team will fulfil a specific role, though there is no explicit required role or meta that needs filling. Typically a team will feature two support players and two 'slayers', or the marksmen that are looking for kills.
Some players will equip SMGs to be quicker and more agile, others will equip assault rifles for more long-range control and the mix of killstreaks and grenades each player has changes from team to team, game to game and even map to map.
That's because some maps in Call Of Duty can be traversed or tackled in different ways, and often good map knowledge - and strategic equipment - is important for teams to come out on top.
Often tournaments play in a best of either three or five series format, with different modes and maps being played. Some modes, such as Capture The Flag, are familiar multiplayer modes, while the likes of Uplink are a little more unique.
