Modern esports go beyond entertainment; they also function as influential communication tools in unexpected ways. A recent example is the Call of Duty Endowment Bowl V, held in the United States, which brought together representatives from various military branches and units to compete alongside popular streamers in a Call of Duty: Warzone tournament.
The Call of Duty Endowment, a charitable initiative by Activision Blizzard, supports veterans in transitioning to civilian careers. The Endowment regularly hosts esports events, known as C.O.D.E. Bowls, to connect military organizations with younger audiences and encourage recruitment into the U.S. Armed Forces. These tournaments also raise funds for veteran support organizations, amplifying their impact through donations.
The recently concluded C.O.D.E. Bowl V was the fifth tournament organized by the Endowment. It featured teams from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Space Force, Coast Guard, along with participants from the UK and Canada. Competitors played various game modes, both solo and team-based, with the Army team ultimately winning and receiving a symbolic trophy for their achievement.
360,000 hours of viewership
The broadcasts for C.O.D.E. Bowl V amassed 360,000 hours of viewership, a 71% increase from the previous event. Peak viewership also rose by 46%, reaching 99,100 viewers. The event was streamed on official Call of Duty channels on Twitch and YouTube, featuring popular casters like Aydan, Symfuhny, and TeePee, across ten unique channels. In terms of peak viewership, C.O.D.E. Bowl V ranked fifth among all Warzone esports tournaments in 2024.
In the series, C.O.D.E. Bowl III remains the most popular, with an average viewership of 87,200, and is the only event in the series to surpass 100,000 peak viewers.
The C.O.D.E. Bowl series highlights the increasing collaboration between the military and esports, a trend that began in South Korea in the early 2000s when the Air Force fielded a professional StarCraft: Brood War team. More recent examples include the Armed Forces Esports Championship and the partnership between Complexity Gaming and the U.S. Navy, typically featuring popular team-based shooters and battle royale games like Call of Duty, PUBG, and Halo.
