Does Warzone still have a future as an esport?

Warzone is one of many battle royales that have struggled to convert their game into an esport, but does Warzone still have a chance?

Battle Royales took the world by storm years ago with the release of PUB:G and proliferation of Fortnite. The genre has seen some success, as the Fortnite World Championship found one of the most memorable tournaments, and champions, in recent years. Despite this, the genre at large has failed to find another meaningful way to transition into an esport.

Call of Duty Warzone has certainly made an attempt. The game has regularly appeared on Twitch Rivals and even attempted to host its own tournament circuit. In retrospect, we will see how Warzone has done thus far and if the game has a chance in the future.

The World Series of Warzone – Was it a success?

The World Series of Warzone saw some of the largest content creators in the scene champion their own trios to compete domestically and internationally. Streamers like Swagg, TimTheTatman, and Nadeshot teamed up with CDL professionals and fellow streamers alike. The event was certainly hyped up, but did it live up to expectations?

The World Series came and went without much recognition or significance in the greater esports ecosystem. Though streamer Aydan’s team won in an impressive fashion and claimed the majority of the very sizable prize pool, the results and games were not quite as well advertised as the event’s preview. The Captain’s Cup still has yet to play out, but it is unsure if the event can carry any momentum into the second part of this event.

Battle Royales, a format problem

Many have tried and failed to create an esports out of battle royales. Ever since the days of Fortnite and Apex: Legends, the issue of formatting has posed a problem. Logistically, it is incredibly difficult (and almost impossible) to secure 100 players in a single lobby. Some have tied it successfully, as PUB:G has hosted several LAN events where players competed in teams face-to-face. For a large majority of organizers though, this is not an option, nor is it something that can occur on a regular basis.

Warzone has thus far gone the classic route of battle royal esports formats. Every team fought in separate lobbies and gained points via kills and placement. Though a practical solution, this leaves events often feeling disconnected. The players are not fighting against each other, only competing in different lobbies. This poses an issue of legitimacy, how can you gauge who is genuinely better if the players aren’t facing off against each other?

The future of Warzone esports

Currently, the Captain’s Cup and Twitch Rivals remain as the two primary events in Warzone esports. These alone do not feel like they have much weight or momentum going in to them. For a majority of esports, the best moments have come on LAN when the stakes are high.

Unfortunately, Warzone does not have any history or immediate plans to host their events on LAN. In this sense, Warzone esports seem stunted in their growth, and reliant on the game’s streaming popularity to keep it alive.

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Image Credit: Activision