The Call of Duty: Mobile World Championship by Snapdragon Pro Series has solidified its place as a premier event in mobile esports thanks to a powerful partnership between ESL FACEIT Group and Activision Blizzard. In this interview, we will gain insights into how this came to be with one of the leading names behind this competition's forward strides, Sam Braithwaite.
In 2023, ESL FACEIT Group (EFG) announced a two-year partnership with Activision Blizzard that saw the addition of Call of Duty: Mobile to the Snapdragon Pro Series Powered by Samsung Galaxy, the largest multi-genre mobile esports competition.
This collaboration resulted in a new competitive format known as the 'Call of Duty: Mobile World Championship by Snapdragon Pro Series.' In it, teams would qualify for a spot in the coveted World Finals through the qualification structure of the Snapdragon Pro Series. At the time, the goal of this collaboration was to "create one of the largest, most accessible mobile esports ecosystems in the world."
Since then, the annual World Championship has expanded into more regions, improved the audience experience, and granted greater opportunities for players of all skill levels to break into the Call of Duty: Mobile esports scene.
To discuss how EFG and Activision Blizzard have been able to bring meaningful improvements and scale up the competition's reach, we interviewed Sam Braithwaite, VP of Game Ecosystems Mobile at EFG. It is our second conversation with him on MobileMatters, and we thank him for returning. We hope you enjoy our interview.
MobileMatters: First, I'd like to understand how the partnership between ESL FACEIT Group and Activision Blizzard for the Call of Duty: Mobile World Championship came to be. What sparked this collaboration?
Sam Braithwaite: Call of Duty: Mobile is one of the most popular mobile titles – and mobile esports – in the world. The Snapdragon Pro Series was finding success globally but we were missing a cornerstone game for North America. We worked with Activision to bring COD:M into the Snapdragon Pro Series in Year 2 which expanded opportunities for fans to watch, play, and compete around the world and also integrated the Call of Duty: Mobile World Championship into the Snapdragon Pro Series at Dreamhack Atlanta.
MobileMatters: We are currently in the second year of the partnership. When it was announced, one of the main objectives was to increase player accessibility to the Call of Duty: Mobile esports ecosystem. What strides have you taken to make this a reality?
Sam Braithwaite: Before the Snapdragon Pro Series partnership, the Call of Duty: Mobile professional ecosystem had one season that led into the Call of Duty: Mobile World Championship. Since joining the Snapdragon Pro Series, Call of Duty: Mobile now has two seasons of competition a year with more live events around the world. As a result, we saw 2 million new participants compete in Call of Duty: Mobile tournaments during its first year as part of the Snapdragon Pro Series.
MobileMatters: What other notable improvements or changes have you made to the Call of Duty: Mobile World Championship by Snapdragon Pro Series since day one of the collaboration?
Sam Braithwaite: Fan experience is really important to us, and LAN events like the Call of Duty: Mobile World Championship are great opportunities for us to deliver the memorable moments our community craves. To accomplish this, we brought the tournament to DreamHack Atlanta, one of the most popular gaming lifestyle festivals in North America. Not only does it put a $1 million competition in front of tens of thousands of attendees, but it also gives us a canvas to play with new fan-first experiences.
For example, in partnership with Qualcomm, we host a custom Snapdragon Pro Series jersey station at each of our DreamHack events that feature an SPS event, where fans can rep their gamer tag on official jerseys. More recently, we launched an initiative alongside DHL to bring its new, towering mascot, Cargo, to live events to help Snapdragon Pro Series fans celebrate the competition. This year, we also worked with Activision to create a zombies-themed booth celebrating Season 9 of the game, where fans could complete tasks to earn commemorative dog tags and other rewards.
As mentioned previously, we also added another season of competition to the COD:M competitive calendar, providing a full year of competition for fans and players alike. We’ve also hosted several regional live events such as the NA Challenge Finals at PAX West and the India Challenge Finals at Dreamhack Hyderabad. Additionally, COD:M was featured as a Mobile Masters title in 2023 featuring a $200,000 prize pool.
MobileMatters: Now, let’s focus on 2024’s competitive cycle. How did you handle the constant evolution of the Call of Duty: Mobile competitive meta during this year’s World Championship? More specifically, how closely did you collaborate on balancing game updates while still maintaining competitive integrity?
Sam Braithwaite: Our collaboration with Activision extends only to Call of Duty: Mobile esports, so we don’t have say over game design and balance. However, this year’s World Championship was incredibly exciting, and that’s a testament to the agency players have in building their loadouts and in-game strategies. The diverse strategies, unique approaches to each map, and high stakes of every moment led to some of the most thrilling Call of Duty: Mobile competition this year.
MobileMatters: Did you seek any input from players, teams, and the community as a whole in structuring the format and rules of the competition?
Sam Braithwaite: We’re frequently in contact with our teams and players to ensure that we deliver competitive experiences that exceed their expectations. That goes for both the Call of Duty: Mobile World Championship and our entire Snapdragon Pro Series circuit.
MobileMatters: Continuing on the topic of the World Championship, the Finals were recently held in DreamHack Atlanta. What hurdles did you overcome in organizing an event of this large-scale proportion?
Sam Braithwaite: After last year’s competition, we felt like we had a great handle on how to not only deliver another stellar event, but take it a step further. With any global event, one challenge in particular that you always face is working with teams to secure travel and visas. Despite similar hurdles this year, all teams made it onsite with time to spare, and they put on a spectacular show for fans at the festival and at home.
MobileMatters: Can you give us an insight into any statistical highs or milestones, be it player participation or viewership, that this year's event obtained? What do you think contributed to this?
Sam Braithwaite: We saw another strong turnout this year, with tens of thousands of fans attending live and 1.8 million hours of watch time across almost 60 original hours of content. Beyond being one of the world’s most prominent mobile esports tournaments of the year, the Call of Duty: Mobile World Championship in particular had strong storylines that we feel our community really resonated with. Squads like Wolves and Godlike aimed to repeat their standout performances from last year, and super teams like Luminosity and Team Vitality fought hard to hoist the trophy, but Elevate stole the show in surprising fashion to become World Champions. That’s what’s great about esports: There are really compelling stories coming into each competition, but the tale is only really told once players get out there and compete.
MobileMatters: What were some key learnings from this year’s competitive cycle that you will apply in 2025’s World Championship?
Sam Braithwaite: We consistently field feedback from teams and fans across our events, and the Call of Duty: Mobile World Championship is no exception. While we can’t share any specifics now, we’re always looking to improve players’ experiences.
MobileMatters: Finally, how do you see Call of Duty: Mobile esports evolving over the next few years?
Sam Braithwaite: Call of Duty: Mobile is one of those rare franchises that has generational fandom and a diverse global player base, especially amongst fans in North America and the Middle East. On the competitive side, we are seeing dominance from the teams representing China and Southeast Asia. With the success we’ve already seen from those regions and the rest of the world, I would expect Call of Duty: Mobile to continue to be a powerhouse mobile esport. We’re excited to continue to collaborate with Qualcomm and Activision to bring premier opportunities to watch, play, and compete to Call of Duty: Mobile fans all over the world.
For more information on the Snapdragon Pro Series, visit the official website, and follow the league on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, and TikTok.
MobileMatters is in partnership with ESL FACEIT Group, the tournament organizers behind the Snapdragon Pro Series.