Is Cloud9 joining the Call of Duty League? Paris Legion trademark fuels rumors

Could Cloud9 be set to enter the Call of Duty League ahead of the 2022 season? Various social media teasers along with an abandoned trademark from Paris Legion has fueled speculation that a new force may be joining the competition.

When the Call of Duty League kicked off in 2019, it did so with 12 franchises attached. While rumors of expansion have circulated ever since, no concrete plans have been locked in just yet.

Rather than adding new slots to the league, however, there may be a different route for new organizations to enter the mix. With certain teams fading out and others putting their slots up for sale, now could be the perfect time for fresh faces to jump in.

One such powerhouse esports brand that appears ready to go is Cloud9. Multiple teasers across social media could be indicative of what’s to come ahead of the 2022 CDL season.

Cloud9 teases Call of Duty League involvement on Twitter

When the 2021 Championship event came to a close, Cloud9 wasted little time teasing a potential entry into the league.

Moments after Atlanta FaZe closed out the finals, Cloud9 shared a picture of former C9 CoD pro Colt ‘Havok’ McLendon, a current starter for the Florida Mutineers.

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“Expect the unexpected,” the org’s account added in a reply below. Obviously, this could just be some trolling from the org, but things didn’t stop there.

“Hello? We need to chat,” the Mutineers Twitter account posted a few days later, tagging Cloud9.

Next came a tease from Cloud9 founder and CEO Jack Etienne.

Shortly after CoD’s most successful player Ian ‘Crimsix’ Porter announced his free agency for the year, Etienne jumped into the conversation with the classic eyes emoji.

Twitter: Crimsix

Could Cloud9 be set to recruit Crim for their CoD return?

If this is just expert-level bait, what purpose does it all serve?

Why would a non-CoD organization care to troll CoD fans at this point in time if they’re not planning on entering the league? We’ll have to wait and see if these questions are answered in the coming weeks.

Paris Legion trademark abandoned?

The Call of Duty Intel Twitter account posted that the Paris Legion trademark “has been abandoned,” drawing a response from Cloud9.

“Damn,” the official account responded, instantly sparking more speculation.

It should be noted, that the Paris Legion trademark in question has not been “abandoned,” but rather the application has. The trademark was in fact never active. It was filed as an intent to use but the organization missed the filing deadline.

Paris Legion dropped their entire roster late in August – similar to other teams. 

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Still, Cloud9’s response was sure to spark speculation.

Moreover, with reports the Chicago CDL slot is now up for sale, there could be another opening for Cloud9 to jump in. 

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We’ll have to wait and see how things unfold but a fresh face in the league certainly appears to be in the cards. Cloud9’s return to competitive CoD may be imminent.