The Call of Duty League (CDL) has adjusted its map pool ahead of the opening week of Major 4 qualifiers.
As a result of the change, Protocol has been removed from the Hardpoint pool in favour of Rewind.
In addition to Rewind arriving in Hardpoint, Call of Duty League’s second map evaluation has also concluded. Throughout the first half of Season 3, Call of Duty: Black Ops 6‘s Ranked Play mode saw Barrage and Grind appear with the aim of players testing both maps for competitive viability.
After several weeks of testing, both maps have been removed, with the CDL deeming them inappropriate for competitive play.
The change to the map pool ahead of Major has split the opinions of fans and professional players. Major 3 winner Dylan ‘Envoy’ Hannon uploaded an image of a cheering fan on social media approving the change.
Others aren’t best pleased with the adjustment. “Why not keep both in? I feel like the fans are already limited on maps and modes,” comments one fan.
Does Call of Duty Esports Have a Map Problem?
The map pool in Call of Duty esports is an integral part of the ecosystem.
Ensuring balanced battlegrounds are included in competitive matches often creates the best competition between teams. However, in 2025, the regular adjustments combined with a lack of choice has condensed the current selection to seven out of 33.
In previous years, a Call of Duty title has included several maps used in previous seasons, resulting in an extensive map pool containing several fans find familiar. Hacienda first featured in Call of Duty: Black Ops 4 and slotted immediately into the Call of Duty League’s 2025 map pool.
The Season 3 Reloaded update, arriving on May 1st, sees the arrival of Haven and Signal. With even more choice, there’s a possibility the map pool is adjusted further as attention turns towards Championship Weekend.
