The CDL’s return to LAN has an official date. The Call of Duty League is going back to LAN next month after more than a year of online-only events. The event will be held on June 17-20 at Esports Stadium Arlington.
In early 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, CDL 2020 moved to an online-only format. The last offline CDL LAN event was the week four home series of the 2020 season, in Los Angeles, in March. There, the Dallas Empire beat the Minnesota RØKKR in the finals—and the Dallas Empire eventually won the online championship at the end of the season.
The Stage Four Major, which begins on June 17, will mark the return of offline events and will be hosted at the Esports Stadium in Arlington, Texas. The Major will run from June 17 to 20 and will feature all 12 of the league’s teams fighting for their share of the $500,000 prize pool and crucial CDL Points.
There will be no live crowd in attendance, in accordance with “strict COVID-19 protocols,” according to the league. Only teams and limited CDL staff will be in attendance, with rapid response COVID-19 testing taking place throughout the event. Call of Duty League commentators and hosts will remain remote, while Jess Brohard will be on-site for interviews following matches.
The return of LANs is a welcome one to most of, if not all members of the Call of Duty League. Numerous players have expressed their excitement over a return to the familiar setting. Online connection problems and competitive integrity issues have been a burden on an otherwise exciting year of Call of Duty League action.
This is part of an “initial return to live tournaments,” with all future events following strict protocols as well. Daniel Tsay confirmed that the Stage Four regular-season matches will still be played online. So far, no decisions or announcements have been made regarding the Stage Five Major or the CDL Championship.
Before the Stage Four Major kicks off, however, the final week of Stage Three group play and the Stage Three Major have to be played. The Stage Three Major starts on May 12.
