In case you missed the previous announcement, the Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War League Play starts today, February 8! Activision has released a trailer to hype the players up, as well as shed a light on the specifics.
Same as before, players can jump in Black Ops Cold War League Play by heading into the League Play menu. Play the dive initial placement matches during your first League Play Event, and then you’ll move on to the Ladder and a Skll Division based on your performance.
League Play events will happen twice a week, with weekday events running Monday to Friday, and weekend events running Friday to Monday. The higher your Ladder position at the end of the event, the more progress you’ll make toward your next Rank promotion.
There will be a total of 30 new Ranks to achieve in League Play, and it’ll be more flexible in terms of rules compared to the full official CDL 2021 ruleset.
League Play in Black Ops Cold War supports custom classes, including camo customization and Weapon Blueprint support for custom loadouts. Please note, any restricted attachments will be automatically removed from Blueprints in League Play to adhere to the CDL 2021 rules. Check out the full list of CDL 2021 restricted items here, and check back often as the rules and restricted items will change throughout the year.
For those looking to use official Call of Duty League pro loadouts, League Play’s default classes are made up of presets used by every team in the 2021 season. And if you want to play like the pros in private matches, we’ve also added the new CDL Pro mode to Custom Games for Hardpoint, Search & Destroy, and Control, which only offers preset Call of Duty League classes and more specific gameplay rules.
Here’s how the active League Play population breaks out across all five Divisions by skill:
- Master: Top 2% of players
- Elite: Top 3-10% of players
- Expert: Top 11-15% of players
- Advanced: Top 16-20% of players
- Competitor: 50% of players
Wins will award Ladder Points that increase your position on the Ladder. Losses will decrease your Ladder Points and can drop your position on the Ladder. Winning consecutive matches will earn you a Win Streak Bonus, and you can earn a Daily Bonus by playing every day.
We take match integrity seriously, and poor sportsmanship isn’t tolerated. Any players who quit a League Play match will receive Ladder Point penalties and a match loss, and increased penalties will be applied for players who quit a match before anyone else on their team does
Participants will earn Gems based on the final position in the Division Ladder at the end of each event. Earn enough Gems, and players will advance their Rank!
Each milestone (earned at Rank 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, and 30) has a unique League Play Calling Card reward to unlock. There are six distinct Calling Cards to earn across all 30 Ranks, each of which can be equipped in the Barracks to show off your skills to the rest of your lobby in League Play, Multiplayer, and Zombies.
Your progressive Rank will reflect if you’ve ever placed near the top of the Ladder or won a League Play Event. Finish in the Top 10, Top 5, or 1st to permanently upgrade your Rank from Bronze to Silver, Silver Gold, or Gold. Finish first six times, and you’ll permanently upgrade your Rank to Diamond.
Of course, you’ll also earn XP and Battle Pass progression as you compete in League Play Events, so you’ll always make progress toward your next Prestige Level and Battle Pass Tier whether you win or lose your next match.
Victory Flames also make their return in Black Ops Cold War’s League Play, showcasing the highest performance level for the best of the best. Finishing in first place will add the initial stage of Victory Flames to your Rank, and finishing in first in consecutive Events will advance your Flames to new stages. Your Victory Flames will last until the next League Play Event ends, and will degrade or disappear if you fail to place first in consecutive Events. Maintain your streak and keep those Flames burning bright!
If you’re interested to see the pros in action, the Call of Duty 2021 season kicks off on February 11! Head on over here for more info regarding that.