The Call of Duty World League (CWL) has significantly impacted the Australia/New Zealand (ANZ) competitive scene, bringing both opportunities and challenges.

The introduction of CWL brought unprecedented support to the ANZ region:

• Larger prize pools than ever before
• More international competition opportunities
• Professional gaming becoming a viable career option
• Eight teams qualifying for league play
• $150,000 prize pool per season
• Professional production studio in Sydney

However, significant challenges emerged when Australia gave Black Ops III an R18+ rating:

• Events restricted to players 18 and older
• Smaller player base due to age restrictions
• Reduced tournament opportunities
• Fewer local event organizers
• Limited growth potential for the competitive scene

Notable developments:

• ACL Pro merged with ESL to manage CWL operations
• Mindfreak dominated local competition and placed 6th at 2015 Call of Duty Championship
• Challenge Division tournaments offered $5,000 prize pools
• Crown Invitational became the only Challenge Division offline event

Current concerns:

• Declining number of eligible players
• Reduced local tournament opportunities
• Financial risks for event organizers
• Uncertain future for new talent development
• Dependence on future game ratings

The scene's future largely depends on:

1. Infinite Warfare's age rating
2. Return of independent event organizers
3. Continued support from Activision
4. Growth of the eligible player base

[Images retained in original order]

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