CODM Esports is dying: Revival is possible by following proven roadmaps from other titles

Story Highlights

• COD Mobile started well but failed to keep the pace both in competitive and ranked.
• The game needs to get out of the America-based esports competition to get mainstream attention.
• The revival of this title is still possible, CODM needs to work on the suggestions from experts, viewers, and players.

As a passionate gamer, I’ve noticed that mobile esports has been gaining traction lately. Though it’s built on deep roots and has been expanding for quite some time now, we’ve seen numerous esports titles rise and fall in this dynamic landscape. The giants of the industry, companies like Tencent, NetEase, Activision, and others, have led the way with their game titles dominating the scene.

Sadly, Call of Duty Mobile (CODM) is one of those games that didn’t quite make it in the esports world. Despite its potential, it faced several challenges and ultimately ended up on the list of failed titles.

Although backed by a large corporation, the game struggled to penetrate and secure a spot within the mainstream competitions of mobile esports. This piece examines the potential causes for the decline in esports popularity and the prospects for a resurgence.

A Brief History of CODM Esports

CODM Esports began in 2020 with its first season, which initially planned to take place in Los Angeles, organized by Activision. The debut season had 8 participating teams. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the event was postponed and eventually canceled. A substantial prize pool of $750,000 was distributed among all teams except Oxygen Esports. Each team received $107,000 as their share.

After a while, four additional occurrences took place, leading to adjustments in the structure, team counts, and various aspects. The sponsors were also replaced. In the year 2021, the world finals were once more called off and split into two significant events: the East Finals and the West Finals.

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Subsequently, four additional happenings occurred which led to alterations in the layout, team sizes, and various characteristics. The sponsors were swapped as well. In 2021, the world finals had to be canceled again and were divided into two major events known as the East Finals and the West Finals.

Over the following years, CODM Esports went through periods of highs and lows. Numerous regional competitions and minor tournaments either shut down or struggled to draw substantial audiences. Unfortunately, subsequent major events were unable to sustain the excitement or escalate it further.

In 2021, Blacklist Ultimate emerged victorious at the Call of Duty Mobile World Championship East Finals, while Tribe Gaming secured the West Finals. The following year in 2022, when the championship was once again unified as a single event, it was Tribe Gaming who claimed the title. Wolves took home the trophy and a prize pool of $400,000 at the 2023 event, and the most recent competition in 2024 culminated with Elevate winning the championship.

The reasons why CODM Esports is dying

The mobile esports world is rapidly growing, with increased investment, development, expansion, and longevity. On the other hand, the Call of Duty Mobile (CODM) esports scene appears to be moving in the opposite direction. Although there are popular esports games that share similarities with CODM in terms of genre, mechanics, and gameplay, none have managed to effectively replicate its success.

However, I outlined some of the primary reasons why CODM Esports is dying.

1. Weak Competitive Ecosystem

Since the inception of the CODM esports environment, it hasn’t managed to keep up with competitive expectations. It’s understandable that a new game might struggle initially, but the challenge lies in growing the game to a point where it can thrive alongside other titles.

According to Hesketh2, Liquipedia’s APAC Wiki Manager for Mobile Esports, one reason for the decline of COD Mobile could be the sparse competition density. He explained that the esports roadmap is limited and primarily focuses on the World Championship, which creates an issue. Additionally, he pointed out a significant gap between Ranked Modes and Competitive modes, with rule differences preventing players from bridging this divide independently.

The Call of Duty Mobile esports fell short of expectations despite boasting a substantial prize pool and sponsors. However, it struggled to meet the viewer’s demands due to limited global coverage. The game only offers five regions for the Snapdragon Pro Series and three leagues in the Asian Leagues, with most major events concentrated in North America. As a result, the game receives less attention and fails to cater effectively to players worldwide.

I’ve had the chance to put my thoughts forward to Bobby Buckets, or RealBobbyPlays as we know him. He highlighted two major concerns that resonate with many fans like me. Firstly, he expressed his worries about the inconsistency in the competitive scene, citing factors such as limited tournaments, varying formats across regions, and a significant gap between ranked and competitive play. Secondly, he pointed out some structural issues with Champs, specifically mentioning concerns over the destination for Stage 5, stream schedules, slot allocation, and other related aspects.

However, it is these titles such as PUBG Mobile, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and Honor of Kings that are dominating the market primarily due to their focus on nurturing grassroots and local communities and their swift expansion rate. Unfortunately, Call of Duty Mobile has not followed suit in this regard.

2. Declining Viewer Engagement

As an ardent esports enthusiast, I firmly believe that viewers are the lifeblood of any competitive gaming event. The larger the viewer base, the stronger our marketing becomes, and it opens up opportunities for players to connect with a broader community. Content creators also find a significant audience to share their work with. Unfortunately, Call of Duty Mobile (CODM) struggled to maintain its viewership. In 2024, peak viewership didn’t exceed 50,000 – a clear sign that the game is in a challenging position.

RealBobbyPlays additionally provided his perspective on the decrease in viewers. He pointed out that attributing the issue to simple viewer loss is an oversimplification. As an illustration, he mentioned the 2023 World Championship, stating that comparing its viewership to that of the 2024 event is more like comparing “Godlike viewership” to “no Godlike” viewership.

He also proposed that by organizing the event in countries where it can start at a time that attracts a larger audience, particularly from India, Philippines, and the United States (the three primary viewer demographics), would be advantageous. Furthermore, hosting the event in Europe or Asia could cater better to these audiences.

In the world of mobile esports, there aren’t too many pure action shooting games to choose from. The one that comes to mind is PUBG Mobile. Most other games in this space are from the Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) genre, which you probably already know quite well.

Though we acknowledge that Call of Duty: Mobile (CODM) primarily competes with PUBG Mobile, it’s worth noting that even against this established platform with a thriving esports scene, CODM didn’t manage to captivate the same level of success. PUBG Mobile’s trajectory presents clear strategies to emulate, but CODM struggled to replicate or introduce fresh concepts.

3. The success of other Esports titles

Presently, the top dogs in mobile eSports are PUBG Mobile, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and Honor of Kings. Moreover, games from Supercell such as Brawl Stars, Clash of Clans, and Clash Royale are also significantly impacting the mobile eSports scene. These titles host numerous events that draw a substantial fanbase.

The key to their titles’ success lies primarily in their extensive and far-reaching esports environment. For instance, PUBG Mobile boasts a colossal ecosystem that extends from regional to country levels and even deep into grassroots support. Its backing and local community assistance are second to none for the game. Similarly, MLBB is making significant strides in this regard as well. It has rapidly expanded beyond the SEA region, fostering the scene at an accelerated pace.

4. Limited Developer Support for Esports

It appears that the assistance provided by developers for this game might be quite minimal based on external observations. I’d like to emphasize that the game itself doesn’t seem overly concerned about this matter. The Call of Duty World Championship is broken down into two main competitions: the Snapdragon Pro Series, and the Asian Leagues, due to the rigorous qualifications required for the world stage.

5. Other reasons

Beyond these points, there are several other factors contributing to the decline of Call of Duty Mobile esports. For an esport to thrive, it’s essential that all aspects – from the players to the organizers – are interconnected like pieces in a well-oiled machine. As a gamer, I can see that if the game wants a flourishing esports scene, it needs to prioritize and support the teams and their operations just as much as it focuses on game development.

Additionally, we inquired about Hesket’s thoughts on whether the game should break ties with external organizers like ESL and instead focus on establishing its own esports league. He emphasized the importance of event frequency. There is a significant void in esports events for Call of Duty Mobile. As he put it, “By examining schedules such as those in PUBG Mobile, where they launched an officially organized regional league (although it’s still managed by third parties like NODWIN or ESL), offers a straightforward solution that could result in more games, more matches, and ultimately, more screen time for esports.

Some might contend that it’s not the responsibility of the game itself to manage the teams, but rather the organization. However, I’d like to present an alternative perspective here. When the event budget (prize pool) is limited, team owners or organizations often struggle to cover the costs. These costs include accommodation, travel, coaching, equipment, and numerous others. If a team fails to generate profits from events, it becomes increasingly challenging for them to stay afloat in business.

Even when a game attracts a large audience and a dedicated community, the teams can still cover their expenses, often despite minimal assistance from the game’s publisher or creator. Sponsorships can bridge this gap for them. However, this wasn’t the case with Call of Duty: Mobile (CODM).

Even though large corporations were able to surmount financial difficulties due to assistance from various sources, since they operate multiple teams, novice competitors lack such backup. Consequently, their aspiration to break into the mainstream and even capture the spotlight is often thwarted at an early stage.

The leaders in mobile esports: A brief overview of the mainstream titles

Esports on mobile devices is predominantly controlled by several popular games that span from action to multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) genres. Leading the pack are titles like Honor of Kings, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, PUBG Mobile, and Pokémon Unite, among others.

In this competition, Mobile Legends leads with strong momentum, Honor of Kings is surging ahead quickly, and PUBG Mobile has an enduring ecosystem that’s been around for a while. Regarding Supercell‘s offerings, Brawl Stars serves as the main catalyst for its esports scene. Meanwhile, Pokemon Unite boasts a vast community and dedicated fanbase, making it a strong contender to become a successful esports title in the future.

Is revival possible for CODM Esports to make a comeback

While it may not be straightforward, I’m hopeful about this situation. The game could experience a resurgence, if handled correctly, but it’s essential to address its current shortcomings. This involves gathering player opinions through comprehensive evaluation and making appropriate adjustments accordingly.

Hesketh proposed several potential solutions regarding how to get the game back on track when we inquired about it. One approach could be revising the plan to include more events rather than solely focusing on being a “Worlds Qualifier.” Additionally, COD Mobile might consider adopting a two-part roadmap, similar to top-tier games.

It’s essential to shift World Championship hosting nations beyond the U.S., as this would encourage more participants and spectators to participate. Additionally, he proposed several adjustments in gameplay. One of these ideas is harmonizing Esports and Ranked modes with the same rulebook. He also emphasized that Call of Duty Mobile can’t afford complacency given competitors like VALORANT Mobile on the horizon.

Additionally, it’s essential to incorporate other aspects here too. The game design should offer enhanced player assistance and establish a comprehensive league structure that extends to grassroots levels. This is crucial because the grassroots communities form the core of the game, so they deserve greater attention and emphasis at lower levels.

Initially, it’s crucial to fill in any ecological gaps within the system, inviting participants to join. A key strategy should involve marketing efforts and engaging with influential figures to generate exciting content that maintains our title as a hot topic in discussions.

In my observation, both Mobile Legends: Bang Bang and PUBG Mobile have become incredibly popular, reaching such depths that it’s hard to fathom their extent. I’ve even witnessed campus events dedicated to these games at my university! Isn’t that amazing?

Learning from the drivers in the mobile market: Possible way out

To improve and remain competitive, COD Mobile should examine the factors shaping its market and initially adopt a similar genre as PUBG Mobile. The success of PUBG Mobile lies in its effective management of esports since its inception, making it difficult for other titles to match its current level. Specifically, the strategy PUBG Mobile has implemented from the start is commendable.

As a dedicated gamer, I can’t help but admire how this game is following in the footsteps of Mobile Legends: Bang Bang. The partnerships, collaborations, and content they’re producing are truly exceptional and deserve recognition. Initially, it was confined to the Southeast Asia region, but after the MSC 2024 in Riyadh, it soared like a rocket, tasting unprecedented success.

Other games are thriving, but Honour of Kings, despite not expanding to the global market itself, found success through its adaptation, Arena of Valor. Now, this game is accessible worldwide and taking cautious strides forward. In essence, Honour of Kings’ journey so far points towards a very promising future.

Final Thoughts

Among the games I’ve grown particularly fond of over time, COD Mobile stands out as one that holds a special place in my heart. When it made its global debut, my excitement knew no bounds. The prospect of playing this game on mobile devices and witnessing its entry into the world of esports was truly exhilarating!

There’s likely countless enthusiasts eagerly waiting for the game to thrive again. Right now, it seems to be experiencing some tough times, but with appropriate solutions to address its current problems, I believe this game could flip the script and claim a spot among the top mobile eSports titles.

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2025-03-09 22:43