Crimsix lashes out as CDL GA list keeps growing ahead of New York

Brad Norton
Crimsix photoshoot / Modern Warfare gameplay

The latest set of Gentlemen’s Agreements (GAs) among the competitive Call of Duty scene – agreements that restricted the AUG –  has “pushed” veteran Ian ‘Crimsix’ Porter “over the edge” as he demands a change to the system.

Agreements between Call of Duty League players have been in place to prevent the use of certain in-game weapons, equipment, and even mechanics. These restrictions tend to change with each major update and the June 29 Modern Warfare patch has brought some of the biggest changes thus far.

Following on from the update, as a new meta rises to the surface, tensions have boiled over within the competitive community. The AUG was the latest SMG to be restricted from competitive play, though the decision evidently upset a variety of pro players.

Modern Warfare AUG
The AUG has become the go-to SMG since the nerf of the MP5 on June 29.

Dallas Empire veteran Crimsix voiced his frustrations in a July 7 post, detailing the shortcomings of the GA system. While it may help remove ‘broken’ features, it has also been used as a way for lower-ranked teams to alter the state of competition, according to Crimsix.

“Anyone who isn’t in the top four would rather change the meta than take the harder path of just simply getting better,” he explained.

With only three events remaining the regular season, lower-ranked CDL teams will be looking to improve their position before the playoffs. However, Crimsix believes they’re not trying to improve by grinding the game. They’re trying to improve by changing the game.

“Eight out of 12 teams are constantly voting to get rid of or add things into the meta to mix gameplay up, which sometimes results in team power rankings also mixing up. I rarely ever see a team in the lower half of the standings voting against a proposed GA.”

This problem is exaggerated further by the limited practice teams can get once a new list of GAs are approved. “Don’t agree to the GAs? Get blacklisted. No practice for you until you agree. No team scrims and no 10s,” he said.

The crux of the issue lies with “majority voting,” according to the two-time world champion. While all teams are allowed to vote on what weapons are restricted or what items are banned, it can often feel like some rosters “don’t have a choice in the matter.” As a result, Crimsix has demanded “something be done,” fast.

Modern Warfare Gunsmith AUG
The AUG appears to have been the straw that broke the camels back. One too many GAs has led Crimsix to lash out in response.

Why was the AUG restricted from competitive play?

While the MP5 reigned supreme throughout much of Modern Warfare’s competitive cycle, the June 29 update nerfed it into the ground. Teams have been practicing with the latest balance changes ever since. It took a few days but the AUG quickly became the next go-to weapon among pro players.

It has a rather high rate of fire coupled with exceptional damage output. It’s by and large a frontrunner in its class. As a result, a majority of both Challengers players and CDL pros were quick to remove it from competitive play.

GAs have been a common practice in the Call of Duty scene for a number of years. With most annual releases, however, it’s usually the same old features that are pulled from competitive play. From killstreaks to perks, things often remain the same, though Modern Warfare has included a number of weapons deemed too broken for the highest level of competition.

Only time will tell if Activision will step in and change things around for the League moving forward. Certain pro players have evidently reached their breaking point following the AUG GA, though the competition goes on. The next CDL event is set for this coming weekend as the New York Home Series starts on July 10.

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About The Author

Brad Norton is the Australian Managing Editor at Dexerto. He graduated from Swinburne University with a Bachelor’s degree in journalism and has been working full-time in the field for the past six years at the likes of Gamurs Group and now Dexerto. He loves all things single-player gaming (with Uncharted a personal favorite) but has a history on the competitive side having previously run Oceanic esports org Mindfreak. You can contact Brad at brad.norton@dexerto.com