Though 26 is a remarkably young age at which to retire in traditional sports, in esports it's the norm. In Activision's Call of Duty League, the average competitor is around 22 years old, according to league data. In Blizzard Entertainment's Overwatch League, the average player is about 20 years old. In both leagues, players retire extremely young compared to traditional sports. While only six players have retired from the Call of Duty League since it was launched in 2020, the median age is 26.

Call of Duty League players say maps that are fun for the casual fans don't necessarily translate well to the league. Casual maps are built for big -- team deathmatch -- fights where players throw themselves at each other in pursuit of the most kills. League players want smaller maps and they also want less chance for pure luck to decide the outcome of a gunfight. Symmetrical, three-lane maps are easier to assess. Players can predict the opposition's movements based on where they were last seen and where the map's spawn points are.