Activision expanding 'Call of Duty' e-sports competition
"The pro division is really the cream of the crop, the top 150 guys who are actually going to make money from playing this game," said Sam Cooper, senior director of product management for "Call of Duty" at Activision.
Cooper noted that players from regions outside the three pro leagues could compete for a spot in the "Call of Duty" Championship through the amateur division, which will feature both online and in-person competitions.
The Electronic Sports League began working with the World Anti-Doping Agency to administer e-sports' first random drug tests during its ESL One Cologne tournament in August.
ESL began the drug testing after a player said in a YouTube video posted in July that he and his team used the drug Adderall during an ESL tournament in March where players competed for $250,000.
Over the past 10 years, e-sports has evolved from a niche genre of gaming to a lucrative sport that draws tens of millions of spectators online and in person.