The Call of Duty League operates on a bit of a different wavelength from the traditional multiplayer of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War and is even further removed from the battle royale Call of Duty: Warzone. The CDL has rulesets in place that restrict the kinds of weapons, perks, and scorestreaks players can use to level the playing field somewhat. There are still a number of Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War guns to choose from, and in League matches this week, a very popular gun in the Call of Duty: Warzone meta made an appearance, leading to big reactions on Twitter.
In order to create more equal competition, the ruleset for the Call of Duty League removes light machine guns (LMGs), tactical rifles, shotguns, and niche weapons like launchers and crossbows. This leaves players with fewer categories to work with, but in those categories some guns rise to the top. the Krig assault rifle and the AK74u SMG both are seen as great options. Some pros even offer their advice for League-specific loadouts, like pro player Attach's recent PPSh SMG build.
With most pros using the same few weapons, a gun that is all over Call of Duty: Warzone but has seen very little action in League play is suddenly trending, the FFAR. The close-range assault rifle is allowed in Call of Duty League play, but few have used it, until Brandon "Dashy" Otell brought an FFAR out in this week's CDL matches. The FFAR has been nerfed in Warzone, but was never seen as overpowered in Black Ops Cold War or CDL play. Dashy taking one out for a spin has turned some heads, with a number of people reacting to his gameplay.
Twitter reactions coming in show surprise that the FFAR could actually be a viable gun for competitive play. Once a meta is established on the pro scene, it is harder to shake, but the FFAR appears to have caught everyone off guard. One tweet wondering if the FFAR could fall under a "Gentleman's Agreement" and not be used going forward. The AK-47 finds itself in this category, not officially banned, but not being used by pros. Streamer NICKMERCS recently talked up the AK-47 for use in Warzone, as the gun is pretty strong.
In its second season, the Call of Duty League has been a hit on the esports scene, posting substantial growth over its inaugural year. The League plays its matches in Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War, and the switch to that game could be part of the reason behind the League's popularity. The fast-paced, more arcade-like action of Black Ops Cold War makes it more appealing for spectators. A nice shakeup to the meta in the pro scene could see even more viewers tune in to see what happens next.
Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
