call of duty,Call of Duty World League – ESL https://esl.com Feel the passion for esports Fri, 10 Jun 2022 15:55:04 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.8.5 https://esl.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/ESL-Favicon-green-512-150x150.png call of duty,Call of Duty World League – ESL https://esl.com 32 32 Week 5 of the ANZ Pro Division – The Week that Champions Fall! https://esl.com/article/week-5-of-the-anz-pro-division-the-week-that-champions-fall/ Mon, 23 May 2016 17:08:02 +0000 https://esl.com/blog/2016/05/week-5-of-the-anz-pro-division-the-week-that-champions-fall/ Week five of the Call of Duty World League ANZ Pro Division saw new rosters, crazy matches and champions fall. You know what they say, the bigger they are, the harder they fall.

]]> Another week, another show, another match! The Call of Duty World League ANZ Pro Division, presented by PlayStation 4 is over for another week, but what a week it was! Straight off the back of roster-lock, rosters have been slightly tweaked for those looking to break into the top four, while those currently sitting at the top look to defend their position after a hard fought week.

When you look at the matches for both days of the week, you’ll think that it’s simply fitting based upon recent roster changes made at the end of the week prior, and the best head-to-head match-ups that everybody wanted to see. Well heck, you’ll see what we mean…

Tuesday – The Lion Enters the Pride:

With all the highly anticipated matches of the week, you couldn’t look past the youngest player in the Call of Duty World League making his debut appearance; facing off against Apotheon Esports, Tainted Minds’ Beastn looked to make a big impact to tip the scales in their favour, and after dropping 96 kills in total throughout only four maps, he definitely made a considerable contribution to the cause as they took the series, 3-1.

The match wasn’t the only grudge match based upon rostermania however as Orbit took on Team Immunity. While their changes dated back to the off-season, both teams were definitely looking to make their mark against the other, especially with Orbit’s dominant streak throughout the Stage so far. 

Additionally, Mindfreak took out a 3-0 victory over Nv, and ChiefsESC secured the win over eXcellence, 3-0. 

Wednesday – The Conclusion:

Another day, more action! While it somehow seemingly fell under the radar, once the matchups of the day picked up some traction, excitement and anticipation filled the nation in the lead up of what was going to be an excellent night of Call of Duty.

Starting off with Tainted Minds and ChiefsESC and off the back of both teams’ performance in the previous night, it was looking to be an incredible game to witness. Thoughts and predictions turned to fact as game one opened up with a bang: 250-213 in favour of Tainted Minds. Unfortunately for Tainted Minds, the lead slipped from there, and ChiefsESC did they what they do best – capitalize on the mistakes of their opponents, taking three straight map wins (6-3, 13-3, 5-1) to secure the series win and further solidify their placement on the standings.

Directly following that, a battle of the titans unfolded: Mindfreak took on Orbit in a quest to dethrone the undefeated team on the standings. Orbit, who were 9-0 in the standings, previously had defeated Mindfreak earlier in the season in a narrow 3-1 victory, promising an excellent grudge match entering into the game. After a solid four maps, Mindfreak secured the win and ended Orbit’s undefeated run, 3-1.

Additionally in the night, Team Immunity gained a 3-1 victory over Nv, as Apotheon Esports and eXcellence fought it out in a brilliant five game series, where Apotheon took the win, 3-2 after a Round 10 Search & Destroy. 

Final Results:

TUNE IN:

Don’t miss out on any of the action – the Call of Duty World League is live every Tuesday – Thursday, all found via the landing page on: http://callofduty.com/CWL

Be sure to follow ESL Call of Duty on Twitter and Facebook for the latest #CODWorldLeague news along with ESL Australia on Twitter and Facebook for the latest news in the region. 

]]> Announcing the Call of Duty® World League, Presented by PlayStation®4 Challenge Division cups! https://esl.com/article/announcing-the-call-of-duty-world-league-presented-by-playstation4-challenge-division-cups/ Tue, 10 May 2016 22:50:27 +0000 https://esl.com/blog/2016/05/announcing-the-call-of-duty-world-league-presented-by-playstation4-challenge-division-cups/ Europe and Australia/New Zealand have even more competitive Call of Duty® action coming their way over the next months.]]> If you’re looking to become the next big thing in the Call of Duty World League (CWL), Presented by PlayStation®4 then good news – online events in the form of CWL Challenge Division cups in Europe and Australia/New Zealand are on their way!

With Stage 2 of the Pro Division having recently kicked off and the ANZ region having just seen the record-breaking Crown Invitational in Melbourne, and the Call of Duty Championship being the biggest to date, there’s never been a better time to get involved.

The cups

As part of the more than $3 million in prizing as part of the CWL, each of the cups listed below have US$5,000 in prize money up for grabs as well as all-important CWL Points, which needed for a chance to qualify for the Call of Duty Championships later this year. The road to the Call of Duty Championship is in full swing and this is an easy way to get involved.

Europe

The European cups will also be streamed live on YouTube and Twitch, so make sure to tune in!

Australia and New Zealand

What are you waiting for?

With eXcellence from the ANZ region and Exertus of EU having both qualified for the Stage 2 Pro Division via the Challenge Division, CWL cups are a great way to bridge the gap between amateur and professional, so make sure to sign up!

Sign up for the CWL Challenge Division ANZ here!

Sign up for the CWL Challenge Division EU here!

For all the latest Call of Duty updates, make sure to follow @CODWorldLeague on twitter and ESL CoD on Facebook and Twitter. You can also check your CWL Points at Callofduty.com/esports.

]]> Week two of the ANZ Pro Division is in the books! https://esl.com/article/week-two-of-the-anz-pro-division-is-in-the-books/ Tue, 03 May 2016 23:22:38 +0000 https://esl.com/blog/2016/05/week-two-of-the-anz-pro-division-is-in-the-books/ We take a look back at week two of the Call of Duty World League ANZ Pro Division; featuring eight teams, some upsets and an impression of Sean Connery.

]]> The Call of Duty World League ANZ Pro Division, presented by PlayStation 4, is back and ready to roll! Teams have been in battle for the last two weeks, facing off on Tuesday and Wednesday nights for their chance to top the standings and claim their fame as the best team in the Australian and New Zealand region.

When you first take a look at the matchups for week two of the ANZ Pro Division, your predictions more than likely wouldn’t have lined up to the actual results. Week two saw upsets, some close matches, and then in turn, complete domination come into play as well; showcasing a little bit of everything from the ANZ Pro Division.

Tuesday – The Day of Upsets:

What you wouldn’t have been able to predict is the type of matches we saw play out; starting with day one, eXcellence managed to reverse sweep Apotheon Esports, defeating them in map five, round eleven – followed by a three-to-zero victory for the Chiefs as they defeated Tainted Minds.

If that wasn’t enough, Orbit secured a three-to-one victory over Mindfreak in what was arguably the biggest upset of the night thus far. While game one might have gone in Mindfreak’s favour (250-163), Orbit showed a strong determination to win, taking the next three maps straight, 6-3 (Search and Destroy), 7-5 (Uplink) and 4-3 (Capture the Flag) respectively.

Wednesday – The Battle of Rosters:

After the performances of day one, day two was shaping up to be better and better with every second that went past, gaining anticipation and excitement for the masses. You can’t look past the first match of the night, Mindfreak vs. Chiefs, where Mindfreak were able to secure the win, three maps to one in a nail biting series.

Following suit, a battle of the rosters occurred, with newly updated rosters for both squads in effect. For Immunity, they had acquired Guydra from Apotheon, looking to further solidify their roster in anticipation for the match. This change didn’t seem to bode too well with the Immunity squad’s performance however, as they fell to their knees, three maps to one.

Closing out the night, Orbit secured a three-to-zero victory over eXcellence as Tainted Minds finished off Nv with a mirroring scoreline.

Final Results:

TUNE IN:

Don’t miss out on any of the action – the Call of Duty World League is live every Tuesday – Thursday, all found via the landing page on: http://callofduty.com/CWL

Be sure to follow ESL Call of Duty on Twitter and Facebook for the latest #CODWorldLeague news.

]]> Introducing the broadcast team for the ANZ Call of Duty World League Crown Invitational! https://esl.com/article/introducing-the-broadcast-team-for-the-anz-call-of-duty-world-league-crown-invitational/ Fri, 08 Apr 2016 17:16:26 +0000 https://esl.com/blog/2016/04/introducing-the-broadcast-team-for-the-anz-call-of-duty-world-league-crown-invitational/ With the champions of all three of the Call of Duty World League Pro Division Stage 1 events in attendance from across the globe, we need a world-class broadcast team to bring you all the action over the weekend. Here’s who’ll be bringing you this weekend’s Crown Invitational!

]]> On Saturday the 9th of April, an Australian first will occur in the form of the Crown Invitational. Spanning over two days, teams from across the globe – including three champions – will compete in Melbourne for their share of AU$70,000. However, world-class teams need world-class talent, so let’s go ahead and introduce our broadcast team for the Crown Invitational!

The Crown Invitational broadcast team

Returning after the Stage 1 finals in North America will be Matt “MrX” Morello and Joshua “Inmaniac” Inman, who’ll be leading the team throughout the weekend. Regulars Michael “Myksta” Evidis, William “Doctor Curry” Dwan and Albert “Naked” Nassif will also be in attendance once again along with new additions Ben “Sandman” Green and James “Milboss” Milburn.

Click to enlarge

The full talent lineup for the event is as follows:

  • Presenter: Ben “Sandman” Green
  • Host/Commentator: Matt “MrX” Morello
  • Host/Commentator: Joshua “Inmaniac” Inman
  • Host/Commentator: Michael “Myksta” Evidis
  • Commentator: William “Doctor Curry” Dwan
  • Commentator: James “Milboss” Milburn
  • Analyst: Albert “Naked” Nassif

Match schedule

Saturday, April 9th from 09:00 AEST

  • ChiefsESC vs. Apotheon Esports
  • Orbit vs. Nv
  • Winner of match A vs. winner of match B
  • VIP showmatch one
  • VIP showmatch two
  • VIP showmatch three
  • VIP showmatch four

Sunday, April 10th from 09:00 AEST

  • Mindfreak vs. seed two
  • OFFSTREAM: Tainted Minds vs. Seed one
  • OpTic Gaming vs. winner of match B
  • Australian All-Stars Match
  • Millenium vs. Seed one
  • Grand final

Join us on Saturday!

The action for the Crown Invitational begins at 09:00 AEST on Saturday the 9th of April at Twitch.tv/CallofDuty so make sure you tune in!

Follow ESL Australia on Twitter and Facebook for all the latest regional #CODWorldLeague news!

]]> New blood joins the top eight in the ANZ Pro Division Stage 1 finals! https://esl.com/article/new-blood-joins-the-top-eight-in-the-anz-pro-division-stage-1-finals/ Fri, 08 Apr 2016 16:13:59 +0000 https://esl.com/blog/2016/04/new-blood-joins-the-top-eight-in-the-anz-pro-division-stage-1-finals/ Take a look back at the Stage 1 finals of the ANZ Pro Division that took place on the 19th and 20th of March, 2016.

]]> On Saturday the 19th and Sunday the 20th of March, the Stage 1 finals of the Call of Duty World League ANZ Pro Division played out at the ESL studios in Sydney, Australia in front of an eager online audience.

The way it all works

From the 12th of January, eight of the best teams in the ANZ region were pitted against each other over the eight-week-long league. After the final matches wrapped up on March the 2nd, the top four teams were decided and their entry into Stage 2 of the Pro Division guaranteed. The bottom four teams were sentenced to relegation, where they would be challenged by the four best amateur teams in the region who qualified through a series of Challenge Division events.

Each relegated team within the single-elimination bracket competed in a best-of-seven map series to determine the victor, while the winning four teams fought to secure their place in Stage 2 of the Call of Duty World League. Of the top four seeded Pro Division teams, the respective victors of the first two best-of-seven series advanced to a breathtaking grand finale, where they battled for the lion’s share of the staggering US$150,000 regional prize pool.

Day one: four teams qualified, four teams went home

First of the relegated teams to compete were Exile5, the bottom-seeded team in the Pro Division, and Incept, the stars and top-seeded team of the amateur Challenge League. After an unexpected and decisive victory by Exile5 in the first game, Incept bit back to take the next four games in a row, securing themselves a spot in Stage 2 and updating their rank from amateur to pro. The second series was between Nv and TeamBlank. Nv took map one after a back-and-forth match, going on to win every other respawn gametype in the series. Though TeamBlank performed well and won all their Search and Destroy gametypes, it was Nv who won the series 4-2.

Next up was the series between Apotheon and TBD Official. Despite putting up a good fight, TBD Official were not able to take a map from Apotheon and were defeated 0-4. Much the same can be said of the final matchup between Chiefs ESC and Rival E-Sports: Chiefs took the series cleanly without dropping a map, winning 4-0 over their opponent.

Day two: where US$150,000 was decided

On Sunday, the day of the grand final, tensions were running high. The day’s first match saw top-seeded team and indomitable force Mindfreak play off against Team Immunity, currently in fourth seed. True to form, Mindfreak dominated the main stage, and although Immunity were able to take a map from Mindfreak, Immunity were ultimately eliminated. The next series was between Orbit.ANZ and Tainted Minds, the winner of which would advance to the grand final to face off against Mindfreak. Despite Orbit’s strong performance, they went down 1-4 to the veteran Tainted Minds squad.

Tainted Minds went on to face Mindfreak in the grand final, where they were ultimately defeated as Mindfreak won the series in a 4-0 sweep. Still, Tainted Minds walked away with US$33,000 between them and their spot secured for Stage 2 of the league – not a bad consolation prize. Mindfreak, of course, picked up a cool US$44,000 for their victory as well as the Stage 1 championship trophy.

The final placements – and prize distribution – were as follows:

  • First place: Mindfreak – US$44,000
  • Second place: Tainted Minds – US$33,000
  • Third/fourth place: Orbit – US$20,000
  • Third/ fourth place: Team Immunity – US$20,000
  • Fifth to eighth place: Chiefs – US$8,000
  • Fifth to eighth place: Apotheon – US$8,000
  • Fifth to eighth place: Nv – US$8,000
  • Fifth to eighth place: Exile5 – US$8,000

Looking forward to Stage 2 of the Pro Division!

Congratulations to Stage 1 champions Mindfreak! To those hungry for the announcement of Stage 2 of the Call of Duty World League ANZ Pro Division, fear not – you don’t have long to wait as Stage 2 commences on April the 19th!

Make sure to follow @ESLAustralia on Twitter to keep up with the latest #CODWorldLeague news!

]]> The European Call of Duty World League Stage 1 finals post-event coverage roundup https://esl.com/article/the-european-call-of-duty-world-league-stage-1-finals-post-event-coverage-roundup/ Wed, 06 Apr 2016 07:17:45 +0000 https://esl.com/blog/2016/04/the-european-call-of-duty-world-league-stage-1-finals-post-event-coverage-roundup/ Take a look back at the European Call of Duty World League presented by PlayStation with us!

]]> After three days of intense Call of Duty action, it was Millenium who won the right to walk away with the lion’s share of the US$200,000 prize pool as well as the European Call of Duty World League Stage 1 finals trophy. While it’s been a week since the event wrapped, ESLGaming.com and beyond saw plenty of coverage – check out some of the highlights here!

Team previews

Six top Call of Duty teams clashed at the ESL studios in Cologne, Germany – and we wanted to take a closer look at them all before things kicked off! All of the competing teams for the European Stage 1 finals hailed from the United Kingdom, but their lineups couldn’t have been more different – peruse all our previews below.

Pre-event coverage

Before the finals we also took a look back at the rest of the European Call of Duty World League Stage 1 competition, selecting some of our best moments and also putting together an infographic – check them out!

Post-event coverage

While the dust has settled and a champion has been crowned, there’s still a lot to look back on and enjoy. Results, highlights, VODs and more – they’re all right here!

Get ready for even more Call of Duty!

The European Call of Duty World League Stage 1 finals may be over, but this weekend the North American Stage 1 finals are taking place – make sure to tune in here!

For all the latest Call of Duty news, don’t forget to follow ESL CoD on Facebook and Twitter!

]]> Will number one seed Team Infused also be number one overall in the European Call of Duty World League Stage 1 finals? https://esl.com/article/will-number-one-seed-team-infused-also-be-number-one-overall-in-the-european-call-of-duty-world-league-stage-1-finals/ Thu, 24 Mar 2016 19:24:40 +0000 https://esl.com/blog/2016/03/will-number-one-seed-team-infused-also-be-number-one-overall-in-the-european-call-of-duty-world-league-stage-1-finals/ The number one seed spot in the Call of Duty World League Stage 1 finals is held by Team Infused - will they also be number one in the competition?

]]> In only a couple of days, the European Call of Duty World League presented by PlayStation Stage 1 finals will be kicking off right here at the ESL studios in Cologne, Germany. There’s US$200,000 on the line as well as Stage 1 finals trophy, but there are six teams who all want to claim the biggest slice of the prize pool pie – and one of these is Infused.

Back-to-back EGL champions Infused are the longest lasting team in Europe, and have been together with the same roster for over six months now. Two of the team’s players – Zer0 and Urban – are only 18 years old, and yet they have very quickly shot to the top of the European scene.

Stage 1 has gone very well for Team Infused, with them securing the number one seed after taking down every single one of their opponents at least once (and despite their history of some tough matches against number two seed Millenium in a few offline events).  Although the start of the season saw Infused have something of a nightmare week with two 0-3 losses, they subsequently went on an unbelievable winning streak which led to them taking the top spot. However, will Infused also be left standing in the number one spot when the dust settles after the Stage 1 finals?

Roster

MarkyB

  • Name: Mark “MarkyB” Bryceland
  • Age: 21
  • Role: AR Anchor
  • Preferred Weapon: XR2
  • Preferred Specialist: Scythe
  • Twitter: @MarkyBCoD

A back-to-back EGL champion with the current squad, seven-time LAN winner MarkyB is seen as a role model and face of European Call of Duty. However, he wasn’t always a top player, having slowly but surely climbed the rankings until he reached the top – a true show of how hard work and dedication pay off. MarkyB believes his best gaming moment to be coming third at MLG Anaheim with Peatie while they were both playing under the TCM banner.

Peatie

  • Name: Adam “Peatie” Peate
  • Age: 20
  • Role: SMG Objective
  • Preferred Weapon: VMP
  • Preferred Specialist: Kintetic Armor
  • Twitter: @infused_Peatie

Peatie’s achievements are hard to ignore. He’s been in the top twelve at the 2015 Call of Duty Championship with Aware Gamings, in the top three at MLG Anaheim while playing with TCM and is a back-to-back EGL champion with Infused. Having teamed with MarkyB more than any other player, Peatie widely considered one of Europe’s best players of 2015.

Urban

  • Name: David “Urban” Marsh
  • Age: 18
  • Role: SMG Objective
  • Preferred Weapon: Kuda
  • Preferred Specialist: Heatwave
  • Twitter: @UrbanDM

Urban is part of the cream of the crop of the European Call of Duty scene coming into Black Ops 3. One of very few Europeans to have successfully taken down OpTic Gaming, he was the undisputed king of the MR6 pre-patch and holds the highest hill time on Hardpoint in Europe by a country mile.

Zer0

  • Name: Trei “Zer0” Morris
  • Age: 18
  • Role: AR Slayer
  • Preferred Weapon: SVG/M8
  • Preferred Specialist: Active Camo
  • Twitter: @TreiZer0

Zer0’s a hero in Stage 1 of the European Call of Duty World League, boasting both the honor of having the highest KDR as well as the title of MVP. He only has two LAN wins to his name so far, but both of these are with his squad, and he feels he owes a lot of his success to current teammate Urban for giving him a chance.

Get ready to be enthused by Infused!

Tickets for the European Call of Duty World League presented by PlayStation Stage 1 finals are almost sold out, so be sure to grab yours if you want to join us at the ESL studios in Cologne, Germany!

For all the latest tournament news, check out the official Call of Duty World League site and follow ESL CoD on Facebook and Twitter.

]]> Will Millenium live up to their reputation as god squad at the European Call of Duty World League Stage 1 finals? https://esl.com/article/will-millenium-live-up-to-their-reputation-as-god-squad-at-the-european-call-of-duty-world-league-stage-1-finals/ Wed, 23 Mar 2016 17:29:34 +0000 https://esl.com/blog/2016/03/will-millenium-live-up-to-their-reputation-as-god-squad-at-the-european-call-of-duty-world-league-stage-1-finals/ Learn more about the second seed of the European Call of Duty World League Stage 1 finals.

]]> In just a few days, the Stage 1 finals of the European Call of Duty World League presented by PlayStation will kick off. Six top Call of Duty teams are ready to face off in Cologne for a US$200,000 prize pool and the Stage 1 finals trophy, but only one can claim victory – will it be Millenium?

The Millenium Call of Duty lineup was created specifically for participation in the World League, coinciding with the return of Jurd and Swanny from America. On paper, their roster looks flawless, with many calling them the tournament’s god squad. With a team full of veterans and the most collective Call of Duty experience in the whole of Europe, the future looks bright.

Stage 1 has been very successful for Millenium, although they have met one major obstacle: Vitality. Having lost to the French team in both of their Call of Duty World League matchups as well as one of the Challenger cups, it took them until the third of three cups to actually beat them. This left Millenium with the second seed shortly behind Infused and a lot of expectations to live up to.

Roster

Tommey

  • Name: Thomas “Tommey” Trewren
  • Age: 23
  • Role: Hybrid
  • Preferred Weapon: Kuda/M8
  • Preferred Specialist: Annihilator
  • Twitter: @TommeyJT

Having attended 27 LANs (the very first of these with his brother), Tommey is one of the most experienced players in the entirety of Europe. Both the only player on his team who hasn’t competed in America as well as the only player to have competed solely with the French, he’s had an incredibly successful Call of Duty career, this reflected by his over 80,000 followers on Twitter.

Swanny

  • Name: Callum “Swanny” Swan
  • Age: 23
  • Role: AR Slayer
  • Preferred Weapon: M8
  • Preferred Specialist: Scythe
  • Twitter: @CallumSwanny

Swanny has been part of both the OpTic Gaming and North American Epsilon rosters, and is one of the longest serving players in the European Call of Duty scene. Known for his laser-accurate AR play, he’s been given such nicknames as “The Human Turret” and “The SwanBomb”, and is the most followed European Call of Duty player on Twitter at over 91,000. Swanny is also known for taking to the analyst desk, and says he can see himself going into the esports industry when his playing days are behind him.

MadCat

  • Name: Dylan “MadCat” Daly
  • Age: 20
  • Role: Hybrid
  • Preferred Weapon: M8
  • Preferred Specialist: Tempest
  • Twitter: @MadCat

Despite being the youngest in the Millenium roster, MadCat is rated by many as one of the best slayers Europe has seen in recent years. Having recently competed in America for Team eLevate, he has a lot of impressive results under his belt. MadCat went undefeated in Modern Warfare 3 LAN competitions except against OpTic, also taking a world championship title in the game while playing with TCM. With 21 European LAN wins and a place in the KDR top five after the conclusion of Stage 1, MadCat is definitely a force to be reckoned with.

Jurd

  • Name: Jordan “Jurd” Crowley
  • Age: 21
  • Role: SMG Slayer
  • Preferred Weapon: VMP
  • Preferred Specialist: Kinetic Armour
  • Twitter: @Juurd

The only Irishman in the Call of Duty World League, Jurd is considered by many to be both the best Black Ops 2 and Black Ops 3 player in Europe. He has successfully played with multiple teams, having come in sixth at the 2015 Call of Duty Championship with Epsilon (and thus taken home a cool US$50,000), secured a fourth-place finish with EnVyUs last year and boasting 14 LAN wins overall. Jurd’s long-time Kryptonite is Joshh of Splyce, but lately he’s been reestablishing his dominance – will they get a chance to go mano a mano in the Stage 1 finals?

See the god squad for yourself in Cologne!

If you want to watch all the action live and in person at the ESL studios in Cologne, Germany, it’s not too late for you to grab your ticket!

Make sure to check out the official Call of Duty World League presented by PlayStation website for all the key information about the tournament, and keep an eye on ESL CoD on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest updates.

]]> Will Epsilon eSports make a triumphant return to Call of Duty at the European World League Stage 1 finals? https://esl.com/article/will-epsilon-esports-make-a-triumphant-return-to-call-of-duty-at-the-european-world-league-stage-1-finals/ Tue, 22 Mar 2016 13:29:27 +0000 https://esl.com/blog/2016/03/will-epsilon-esports-make-a-triumphant-return-to-call-of-duty-at-the-european-world-league-stage-1-finals/ The third seed in the European Call of Duty World League Stage 1 finals is Epsilon - find out what they have in store here.

]]> The European Call of Duty World League presented by Playstation Stage 1 finals are now less than a week away. Six teams, US$200,000 and one very important trophy will make next weekend an incredibly exciting time to be at the ESL studios in Cologne, but will it be third seed Epsilon eSports’ time to shine?

Epsilon eSports as an organization had been taking a break from European Call of Duty – until the Call of Duty World League was announced. Thus the hunt for a winning team began, although it wasn’t without its hiccups.

From day one, Epsilon’s roster was being chopped and changed. Watson, who was part of the initial qualifying lineup, was dropped due to attitude and commitment issues and is now playing for Exertus in the Challenge Division. Hawqeh was brought on board only to be swapped for Splyce member Reedy not long afterwards.

However, from here Epsilon has come on leaps and bounds and looked incredible throughout season one. Having only lost to top four teams so far, Epsilon might just have what it takes to get their hands on the trophy.

Roster

Rated

  • Name: Rhys “Rated” Price
  • Age: 20
  • Role: AR Slayer
  • Preferred Weapon: M8
  • Preferred Specialist: HVK
  • Twitter: @Epsilon_Rated

Like a lot of pros, Rated started out as a Headquarters player. He’s since been in the last five European Call of Duty grand finals, and cites his best gaming moment as beating EnVyUs at ESWC for a spot in one of them. Known as one of the more vocal pro players, Rated polarizes the community. However, his consistent confidence in his game and the team has helped them overcome many difficult situations.

Joee

  • Name: Joe “Joee” Pinnington
  • Age: 20
  • Role: Hybrid
  • Preferred Weapon: VMP/M8
  • Preferred Specialist: Annihilator
  • Twitter: @Epsilon_Joee

Joee, whose first competitive title was Modern Warfare 3, has played for Epsilon, Vitality and Millenium, with the latter’s lineup having remained mostly unchanged since his departure. He made a name for himself in Advanced Warfare by excelling at Team Reign, and was identified by a lot of pros as being one to watch. With some amazing clutch plays in SND throughout Stage 1, he’s secured his team some important game five wins.

Moose

  • Name: Thomas “Moose” Handley
  • Age: 21
  • Role: SMG Slayer
  • Preferred Weapon: VMP
  • Preferred Specialist: Kinetic Armor
  • Twitter: @Epsilon_Moose

Moose spent the last year in North America competing alongside former world champions such as Aches and TeePee as part of TCM Gaming. A veteran of the scene, he wasn’t always among the cream of the crop. Having gone from struggling to break into the top eight to where he is now, Moose is a great example of how putting time in the game pays off.

Reedy

  • Name: Jordan “Reedy” Reed
  • Age: 20
  • Role: SMG Objective
  • Preferred Weapon: Kuda
  • Preferred Specialist: Heatwave
  • Twitter: @Epsilon_Reedy

Reed was originally part of Splyce before being swapped and traded for Hawqeh. He started playing Call of Duty back on Modern Warfare but played Hardcore mode until the release of Black Ops 3. Having teamed together with Rated for over 15 events now, will the Call of Duty World League finals see them lift a trophy together?

Watch Epsilon strut their stuff in Cologne!

Want to come to the ESL studios in Germany and watch all the nailbiting Call of Duty action for yourself? Head over to Eventbrite to get your ticket!

Check out ESL CoD on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date with all the latest Call of Duty news, and be sure to visit to the the official Call of Duty World League presented by PlayStation site for information about the event.

]]> Will the European Call of Duty World League Stage 1 finals see Splyce succeed? https://esl.com/article/will-the-european-call-of-duty-world-league-stage-1-finals-see-splyce-succeed/ Sun, 20 Mar 2016 15:39:48 +0000 https://esl.com/blog/2016/03/will-the-european-call-of-duty-world-league-stage-1-finals-see-splyce-succeed/ Splyce hold the fourth seed slot at the European Call of Duty World League Stage 1 finals - get to know the lineup here.

]]> With US$200,000 as well as the title of first ever European champion up for grabs, the stakes of the EU Call of Duty World League presented by PlayStation Stage 1 finals are high. One of the six top Call of Duty teams who’ll be competing for these prestigious prizes in Cologne is Splyce.

Fourth seed Splyce qualified for the Call of Duty World League finals via the offline stages in Cologne. However, it wasn’t all smooth sailing, with the first couple of weeks of competition turning out to be turbulent ones as they tried to solidify their roster. Splyce’s initial lineup was Joshh, Bance, Reedy and Dominate. However, Reedy left for Epsilon, resulting in Dominate being dropped so the team could pick up dynamic duo Hawqeh and Vortex, who have more than proven their worth.

Splyce started out well and gave a consistent performance throughout the league, initially fighting for the third/fourth spot. However, as time went by the team found themselves sitting in first place – although this didn’t last. Things all started to go wrong after the first Challenge Division, which Splyce lost to Team Tempo. From there it was a slippery slope back into fourth position, with the team ultimately finishing in the spot many expected them to from day one. Can Splyce be number one once more?

Roster

Joshh

  • Name: Joshua “Joshh” Lee Sheppard
  • Age: 19
  • Role: Hybrid
  • Preferred Weapon: M8/VMP
  • Preferred Specialist: Active Camo
  • Twitter: @SPY_Joshh

Joshh has attended over 50 competitive events, with his first ever having been ECL 2. 16 of these were under the Madcat banner, and in addition to having the same number of LAN wins under his belt he also boasts a Modern Warfare 3 world championship title that he picked up during his time with TCM Gaming. As the captain of the Splyce roster he had the freedom to build a team around himself, which turned out to be extremely successful.

Bance

  • Name: Benjamin “Bance” Bance
  • Age: 18
  • Role: AR Slayer
  • Preferred Weapon: Man’O’War/SVG
  • Preferred Specialist:  Scythe
  • Twitter: @SPY_Bance

It perhaps says a lot about Bance’s tenacity that he was voted the most stubborn person in his year at high school. Having cut his teeth at i53 and taken the Call of Duty title at i55 with Barrage, he was also on the winning team versus OpTic at ESWC. Bance is also proud to have never lost to any exceL teams and doesn’t plan on doing so now, with him currently boasting a 5-0 record against them. The player Bance most looks up to is his new teammate Vortex, who first brought him into competitive gaming. The strong bond between them evident when they team together.

Hawqeh

  • Name: Billy “Hawqeh” Harris
  • Age: 18
  • Role: Hybrid
  • Preferred Weapon: VMP
  • Preferred Specialist: Kintetic Armor
  • Twitter: @SPY_Hawqeh

Hawqeh is new to top-tier European Call of Duty but has been widely praised for his online performances. He didn’t qualify online, however, having been picked up post qualifiers as part of roster changes that saw him being traded from Epsilon for Reedy. Despite having taken part in very few LANs previously, season one has been a great experience for Hawqeh – and this has really shown in his slaying ability.

Vortex

  • Name: Stephen “Vortex” Allan
  • Age: 18
  • Role: SMG Objective
  • Preferred Weapon: VMP
  • Preferred Specialist: Heatwave
  • Twitter: @SPY_Vortex

Much like Hawqeh, Vortex is very inexperienced when it comes to top-level European Call of Duty competition. However, he definitely seems to have found his feet as part of the Splyce lineup alongside his ex-teammate Bance. Season one has gone incredibly well for Vortex individually, with him managing to secure a top four finish as well as take Objective to a whole new level. And how he prepares for his Call of Duty World League matches? A nap and a Red Bull a few minutes before the fun begins.

Will you be there to see Splyce succeed?

If you want to see all the Call of Duty World League action unfold live in Cologne, Germany, there are still tickets left here!

Visit the Call of Duty World League presented by PlayStation site for more information and make sure you’re following ESL CoD on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest news!

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