There are few people outside tournament organizers that know the ins-and-outs of the competitive scene. Perhaps the only other group that could offer authentic assessments of the scene is the one group that directly competes in tournaments. Veteran player and former world champion Ian “Crimsix” Porter portended the potential decline of the competitive scene if actions aren't taken to assure its future.
The next mission
If Activision won’t invest the money into creating an anti-cheat for Call of Duty, and since the next COD isn’t made by Treyarch (meaning that Theater mode is highly unlikely)…….
Anything Competitive COD under the Pro League level will be dead upon release of the new game.
— Crimsix (@Crimsix) January 10, 2021
Crimsix played professionally since 2012 but has only spoken out now regarding the state of the scene. How bad must a game's competitive scene be before one of its best players needs to speak up? Crimsix's statement refers to the transfer of professional Call of Duty from consoles to PC ahead of the 2021 season. Organizers intended to help prevent network and performance issues commonly found on consoles but it also opened tournaments to more nefarious bodies. The switch allows players to cheat more easily, especially in the lower tiers of competition.
The Dallas Empire player fears that the switch could potentially mean the death of the pro scene “upon the release of the new game.” Cheaters have a harder time breaking into the professional tier of COD tournaments but the same can't be said for the amateur league. Crimsix specifically points toward the lack of an ant-cheat system as a major factor in the potential decline of the scene. He further states that the absence of a theater mode, which is present in the current game, could mean a safe haven for cheaters.
The next title in the series will be developed by a different company meaning the theater mode could disappear from future tournaments. Players brought up the issues with Activision repeatedly but have yet to hear a response. There are currently no statements from the Call of Duty publisher.
Explaining the move
They did it to get around the percentage cut that MS/Sony takes from micro transactions/DLC/etc. Activision also then doesn’t have to pay MS/Sony for hosting rights for CDL on a platform. Financially, it is an incredible move for them. Rumors are that the platform cut was 33-50%. https://t.co/tJ60U2794w
— Crimsix (@Crimsix) January 10, 2021
Crimsix touched on the root cause of the issue, the transfer of platforms. Activision allegedly moved its league in order to circumvent percentage cuts from Microsoft and Sony. Crimsix calls this a financially viable move for Activision but a dangerous move for the entire scene. Activision unwittingly compromised the integrity Call of Duty's competitive scene in order to save money. Crimsix worrying over the state of the Amateur league shows his loyalty and passion for the game he loves. True players obviously don't want to see their game collapse.
Activision's current silence on the issue speaks volumes. We've seen FPS players transfer titles so they need to handle this delicate situation properly. Esports is nothing without fair and equal competition. Fostering cheaters has no place in any competitive scene.
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