Call of Duty League Reverts to 4-v-4 Format for Black Ops Cold War

The Call of Duty League competitive format will switch from 5-v-5 to 4-v-4 next season, leading to a mixed response from the community upon Monday's announcement.

The announcement was subtle and unexpected. The tweet, captioned "Season 2 intel," simply showed the Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War logo and 4v4.

Call of Duty esports, up until 2018, operated with a 4-v-4 format. Black Ops 4 marked a change moving to 5-v-5 and the inaugural Call of Duty League season followed suit. After Dallas Empire won the league's championship, the format change was announced, sparking numerous discussions among the community.

Fans agreed that switching back was the best for the game as 4-v-4 is better for the overall experience. But it does put the league in a tough spot.

Call of Duty League Reverts to 4v4 Format for Black Ops Cold War

In the league's current state, there are 12 franchised teams with at least five players signed to a starting roster.

A switch to 4-v-4 means someone from each team will be dropped. That's not taking into account if teams even stay together for the next season. Fans wondered if there would be expansion teams announced, but others countered calling into question who would invest in a franchise spot during the COVID-19 pandemic.

One thing is for certain: this Rostermania will be one to remember in Call of Duty history.