Quite literally a few weeks before I joined XBLGamerhub.com I noticed a competition Game.co.uk were running on twitter to win a chance to go on an all expenses paid trip to the 2014 Call of Duty Championships in Los Angeles. You had to make a pun for the new weapon skins DLC that was due for release and being in the right place at the right time when it popped up, I entered with a pun that I thought would raise a smile if nothing else. It was a spur of the moment thing and I thought nothing more of it.
A few weeks later and up popped a message on my twitter feed… I had won. Me, going to Los Angeles, with a friend, to watch the Call of Duty Championships. I could not believe it. Before we knew it, my friend and I began our adventure last Thursday morning from Glasgow Airport. Half way across the world we would see 32 professional Call of Duty teams battle it out to be crowned champions of the world.
Arriving the night before the tournament kicked off was great. Setting our tiredness aside after checking in, we excitedly headed down to the hotel bar to relax after our long flight and mingle with the others. It was brilliant that everyone was in the same place for the whole weekend. We rubbed shoulders with the teams, the casters, the crew, COD Youtubers and COD VIPs from around the world. It was a real party atmosphere for a pro competition with a $1million prize fund and a great way to kick off the weekend.
DAY 1 – POOL PLAY
The arena itself was situated near the Staples Center at LA Live. The whole top level of the car park had been converted into an absolutely huge tent and stepping inside it was like entering another world as you were plunged from bright daylight into a darkness interspersed with lots of Call of Duty livery. Ahead of us the games floor opened out, a montage of all the teams taking part in front of us and beyond that the monster that was the alpha stage. This stage was where we would spend most of the weekend watching the key games of the tournament.
We flitted between Alpha and the three secondary stages on Day 1, pretty much just soaking up the atmosphere. Having never experienced an eSports event we weren’t really sure what to make of it but very quickly got caught up in the games being played. Naturally we were supporting both Epsilon eSports and TCM Gaming due to their UK ties, but have to say that we also threw our support behind Optic Gaming and Team EnVyUs because they were generally so entertaining to watch. Sadly, day one ended for us with TCM losing 3-1 to Xfinity on the Alpha stage but altogether one amazing start to the Championships.
xFinity vs TCM Gaming on Day 1
DAY 2 – BRACKET PLAY
The second day was upon us before we knew it and fuelled up thanks to one helluva hearty breakfast at the hotel we headed back to the arena where we saw an astounding match to kick off the day as Epsilon eSports flattened Optic Gaming in a surprisingly one sided match that closed out the pool play on the Alpha stage before the bracket play kicked off.
Essentially the knockout round was a winners and losers path. All the group winners would play off against each other towards the final, while the second placed in the group headed into the losers bracket where they would find a more circuitous route to the final as each group winner dropped down when beaten. It was almost like a round-robin style knockout and to be honest at times had us a little bit confused between who could make the final and who wouldn’t. Needless to say though we saw some absolutely incredible matches once again.
Game of the second day though had to be Optic Gaming against Strictly Business. A game that went back and forth and to the wire before Optic finally took them out in a tense battle of SnD. It was an impressive comeback that would see Optic come so close to reaching the final.
Optic Gaming vs Strictly Business
DAY 3 – THE FINAL
There was a nervous anticipation heading into the final day. We still had a few games to wrap up to find out who would contest the final itself, although our money was on compLexity who, over the course of the weekend, were proving to be absolutely dominant. Everyone they met was brushed aside, including European Champions TCM Gaming. The only wobble they seemed to have was when they met Optic Gaming in a HUGE match to decide the first finalist slot. It was edge of your seat material, finished not only with a satisfying 6-0 SnD win to compLexity in the fifth game of the series but a huge 11-0 K/D streak from Crimsix. A real jawdropping match that saw Optic drop into the Losers bracket where they had one last chance to seek revenge.
That opportunity to push them back into a final slot against compLexity came when Team EnVyUs dispatched Strictly Business 3-0 with minimum fuss. EnVyUs had been fighting their way through the losers bracket with a grim determination and for that reason alone probably deserved to just edge out Optic Gaming to secure their place against compLexity for the Championship final.
Team EnVyUs vs Optic Gaming
By the time the teams took to Alpha stage the arena was full of invited guests from Activision, Infinity Ward, the MLG scene, the teams from over the course of the weekend and two wee pale competition winners from Glasgow! It all came down to this potential best of 11 games, IF Team EnVyUs could draw first blood in the initial best of 5. Sadly that big old steamroller of compLexity just did not stop and they bludgeoned an already tired and jaded Team EnVyUs 3-0 without even batting an eyelid. It was brutal, it was clinical, it was methodical, it was compLexity doing what they had been doing all weekend. Truthfully, you couldn’t really grudge them the championship based on their performances. They really were that good.
compLexity are Champions
That night was rounded off in fine style as everyone descended onto the hotel where we were all staying. There was much discussion about the tactics, the skills, the casters, the teams, really there was what felt like a huge buzz around the place as everyone finally relaxed and enjoyed one final night before we all said our goodbyes. For all this was a pro competition, for all these guys were focused and in the zone when playing, when it all came down to it we had one helluva knees up like one big Call of Duty Family.
The perfect end to the perfect weekend in Los Angeles. Here’s to next year’s championships!
You can watch the highlights of the weekend over at MLG.tv and full details of the competition on the Call of Duty eSports page
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