North American Call of Duty player Encourage has announced he is stepping away from competing in Challengers events, the second tier of Call of Duty esports.
The player noted that ‘the future is never guaranteed with this ecosystem’, suggesting a lack of opportunities to compete in the Call of Duty League (CDL) as a factor behind the decision.
Encourage was one of several promising talents competing in Challengers and amateur Call of Duty tournaments in North America. In January 2025, the player won the Urgent Fury Gaming League event in Miami, Florida, alongside Mason ‘Merculese’ Ramsey, who represented Toronto Ultra during Major 3.
“Quitting competitive CoD,” said Encourage in an X (formerly Twitter) post on May 1st. “I appreciate everyone who has supported me throughout the past year. Don’t have a good enough reason to keep competing. The future is never guaranteed with this ecosystem. I’ll continue to stream and maybe try Warzone, but for now, I am going to focus on myself.”
Following the news, fellow amateur players and former professionals shared their thoughts on Encourage’s decision. “Excited to see what you can do streaming and in Warzone,” said CDL analyst Ace The Stocksmen. “A bad ecosystem ruins everything. Talent, passion, time all wasted when the system is broken.”
“Do what’s best for you and the right things will happen when it makes sense,” added former FaZe Clan player Doug ‘Censor’ Martin. “It’s always an open door to compete, and the itch will never go away.”
Is Amateur Call of Duty Esports Struggling?
With only 48 starting roster places available in the CDL, there seems to be a lack of opportunities for Challengers players to make the transition to professional play, preventing talent from making the next step in their careers.
In recent months, Encourage isn’t the only player to switch their focus to Warzone. In April, Paul ‘PaulEhx’ Avila, former player for the London Royal Ravens and New York Subliners, announced a switch to the battle royale.
Call of Duty: Warzone will feature at the Esports World Cup and has the potential to offer players unable to find a place in the CDL another avenue to compete on the big stage.
