The Atlanta FaZe is raising the stakes for its Call of Duty Challengers event later this month. The team upped the event’s prize pool today from $10,000 up to $25,000.
The Call of Duty Challengers is the official amateur league that provides the opportunity for players to make it onto the professional stage. Each home series of the Call of Duty League will feature a Challengers tournament. Atlanta FaZe will host their home games and Challengers event on Feb. 22 to 23.
The prize pool started at $10,000, but due to the increase in competition, the team raised the pot to $25,000. The launch weekend hosted by the Minnesota RØKKR featured a Challengers event with a prize pool of $250,000 but was funded by the Call of Duty League. The remaining Challenger events are funded by the hosting franchise.
Teams participating in the Challengers event will compete for Challengers points, which rank the players individually and determine the seeding of teams. Each event will feature 32 to 64 teams, and the increased prize pool may attract more competition.
Call of Duty Challengers serves as a great entry point for aspiring players and provides exposure to LAN environments. Other esport scenes, such as the Overwatch League, boast a circuit for junior teams to compete in tournaments and allow players to improve their skills in a competitive environment.
The first Challengers event was hosted in a parking garage which drew mixed opinions from members of the community but seemed to otherwise go smoothly. Players with hopes of making it to the big leagues can look forward to the opportunity to earn more money throughout the rest of the season.
